Rotary Adsorbent Purification for Continuous Methane Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methane purification technologies, such as temperature swing adsorption, require complex valving and are costly due to the need for multiple vessels and cyclic processes, which increases capital and operating expenses in producing liquid natural gas (LNG) from distributed methane sources.
Innovation Solution
A rotary fluid processing system with a toroidal heat/mass transfer element that rotates within a housing, utilizing multiple manifolds for continuous fluid supply, regeneration, and rejuvenation, reducing the need for cyclic valves and enabling continuous flow purification with a simplified valveless or reduced-valve system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If temperature swing adsorption with multiple vessels and cyclic processes is used, then methane purification is achieved, but device complexity and operating costs increase due to complex valving requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The purification system is segmented into multiple adsorption beds arranged in series, where each bed performs a specific stage of purification. This segmentation allows continuous operation as one bed can be regenerated while others are actively purifying, eliminating the need for complex cyclic valve switching required in traditional single-vessel temperature swing adsorption systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary heating and regeneration of adsorbent beds in advance before they are needed for active purification service. By pre-regenerating adsorbent in dedicated regeneration zones while other beds are in service, the system avoids the need for complex real-time valve switching between service and regeneration modes.
2Reliability
If multiple vessels and cyclic processes are used for purification, then impurity removal is effective, but capital costs increase due to more components
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple adsorption beds are merged into a single integrated continuous flow reactor assembly with shared inlet/outlet manifolds and unified support structure. This merging reduces the total number of separate vessels, connections, and supporting components compared to traditional multi-vessel cyclic systems, thereby reducing capital costs while maintaining effective impurity removal through the series arrangement of beds.
3Reliability
If traditional adsorption purifiers with heating and cooling steps are used, then adsorbent regeneration is achieved, but loss of time occurs during the cyclic process
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous purification action by arranging multiple adsorption beds in series with staggered regeneration cycles. While one bed is being regenerated, others continue to purify the methane stream, ensuring uninterrupted useful action. This eliminates the downtime associated with cyclic stop-start operation in traditional single-vessel systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Adsorbent beds are regenerated in advance in dedicated regeneration zones before they are needed for service. By pre-heating and pre-regenerating adsorbent while other beds are actively purifying, the system minimizes idle time and maintains continuous production without waiting for regeneration to complete.
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
The system achieves continuous methane purification with reduced capital and operating costs by minimizing the number of valves and enabling efficient regeneration of the adsorbent, thus providing a more economical and efficient method for producing LNG from distributed methane sources.
Implementation Method 1
a toroidal heat/mass transfer element that rotates within a housing
Implementation Method 2
selective adsorption of certain impurities on different adsorbents such as activated alumina or zeolites
Implementation Method 3
the saturated adsorbent is heated by several hundred degrees Fahrenheit, e.g., to 500° F., to substantially decrease the selective adsorptivity of the adsorbent
Implementation Method 4
the clean adsorbent is cooled and prepared for another purification step
Data Source
AI summary
Rotary fluid processing systems and associated methods are disclosed. A purification system in accordance with the particular embodiment includes a rotatable adsorbent-containing heat/mass transfer element that is generally symmetric about a rotation axis, and includes multiple radial flow paths oriented transverse to the rotation axis and multiple axial flow paths oriented transverse to the radial flow paths. The axial flow paths and radial flow paths are in thermal communication with each other, and are generally isolated from fluid communication with each other at the heat transfer element. Particular embodiments can further include a housing arrangement having multiple manifolds with individual manifolds having an entry port and an exit port, and with individual manifolds having different circumferential locations relative to the rotation axis. Still further embodiments can include a seal arrangement positioned between the heat transfer element and the housing arrangement to expose the radial flow paths, but not the axial flow paths, to the entry and exit ports of one of the manifolds, and expose the axial flow paths, but not the radial flow paths, to the entry and exit ports of another of the manifolds.