Phase Transitional Absorption for Gas Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas absorption technologies are limited to using a single liquid phase as an absorbent, which restricts efficiency and requires high regeneration energy, as the entire absorbent is recycled after regeneration, without separating the solvent phase for energy savings.
Innovation Solution
The method employs a liquid absorbent composed of two or more compounds, where an activated agent reacts with absorbed gas to form a new compound, separating into a distinct phase, allowing only the gas-rich phase to be regenerated, while the solvent phase is recycled back to the absorber, enhancing absorption rates and reducing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single liquid phase is used as absorbent in traditional gas absorption, then the process is simple to operate, but the absorption rate is limited and regeneration energy consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The absorbent system is segmented into two distinct liquid phases: a solvent phase and a gas-rich phase. This segmentation allows the solvent phase to be separated and recycled without regeneration, while only the gas-rich phase undergoes regeneration. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling faster absorption through phase separation while reducing regeneration energy by treating only the necessary portion of the absorbent.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas-rich phase is extracted from the solvent phase through liquid-liquid separation. By taking out the gas-rich phase for targeted regeneration while recycling the solvent phase, the system achieves both high absorption rates (through efficient gas transfer to the rich phase) and low regeneration energy (by regenerating only the extracted gas-rich portion rather than the entire absorbent).
2Reliability
If the entire absorbent is sent to regeneration column, then complete gas removal is achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The gas-rich phase is extracted from the solvent phase and sent only to the regeneration column. This extraction ensures that all absorbed gas is concentrated in the gas-rich phase, which is then completely regenerated. The solvent phase is recycled without regeneration, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining complete gas removal through targeted regeneration of the gas-containing phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The solvent phase is recovered and recycled back to the absorber without undergoing regeneration, while the gas-rich phase is discarded to regeneration for complete gas removal. This selective discarding and recovering approach maintains gas removal completeness by ensuring the gas-rich phase is fully regenerated, while recovering the solvent phase for continuous reuse, thereby minimizing energy consumption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly increases absorption rates and reduces regeneration energy by separating the solvent phase, achieving up to 4-6 times higher CO2 loading capacity and faster absorption rates compared to traditional methods, while optimizing energy usage.
Implementation Method 1
Gas separation by phase transitional absorption
Implementation Method 2
an activated agent reacts with absorbed gas to form a new compound
Implementation Method 3
The new compounds were not soluble in solvent and separated out from absorbent to form new liquid phase with rich absorbed gas
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to an improved method and system for separating and purifying gas using gas-liquid absorption. According to this invention, the method is carried out in an absorber, where a liquid absorbent, a gas mixture containing a gas to be absorbed were introduced from an inlet. During absorption, the second liquid phase was separated out from the absorbent. The absorbed gas was accumulated in one of liquid phases. After absorption, two liquid phases were separated. One of the liquids with rich absorbed gas was forward to regenerator. After regeneration, the liquid was cycled back to absorber. The liquid phase with lean absorbed gas was back to absorber directly to complete the cycle.