Structured Adsorbent Bed for Oil Removal in Dry Seal Gas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing oil from high-pressure gas streams used in dry seal compressors are inefficient, leading to premature failure and significant downtime due to oil condensation across seal faces, despite existing technologies only achieving partial oil removal and requiring additional energy and equipment.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a swing adsorption unit with a structured adsorbent bed that selectively removes oil droplets and vapor from high-pressure gas streams, followed by regeneration through calcination, ensuring a substantially oil-free gas stream for use in dry seal compressors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional filtration methods are used to remove oil from high-pressure gas streams, then some oil removal is achieved, but the removal efficiency is insufficient and oil condensation still occurs across seal faces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous adsorbent material with specific pore size distribution to selectively adsorb oil vapor and entrained oil droplets from the high-pressure gas stream. The porous structure provides large surface area for adsorption while maintaining mechanical strength to withstand high pressure conditions, achieving effective oil removal that conventional filtration cannot accomplish.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by operating the adsorption process at high pressure (maintaining the gas stream pressure) rather than depressurizing first. This parameter change allows the adsorbent to effectively capture oil at the actual operating conditions of the seal gas system, preventing condensation issues that occur with conventional pressure reduction methods.
2Manufacturing precision
If additional separation equipment is added to improve oil removal, then oil removal efficiency increases, but system complexity and capital cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the oil removal function with the existing high-pressure gas delivery system by integrating a replaceable adsorption cartridge directly into the seal gas pathway. This merging eliminates the need for separate, complex separation systems while achieving effective oil removal through the adsorption mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the oil removal function into a dedicated, self-contained adsorption cartridge that can be independently replaced. This extraction allows the core oil removal mechanism to be simplified and standardized, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high removal efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If existing oil removal technologies are implemented, then partial oil removal is achieved, but premature seal failure occurs due to residual oil condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a specifically designed porous adsorbent with optimized pore size and surface chemistry to achieve near-complete oil removal. The porous structure captures both vapor-phase and liquid-phase oil contaminants, preventing the residual oil condensation that causes premature seal failure in conventional systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary oil removal at the point where gas is delivered to the seal, before the gas enters the seal cavity. This preliminary action ensures that oil is removed under controlled conditions, preventing downstream condensation issues and extending seal operational life.
4Manufacturing precision
If high-pressure oil removal is attempted using conventional methods, then some oil is removed, but energy consumption increases due to additional compression and processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the approach by maintaining high pressure throughout the adsorption process rather than using pressure reduction and re-compression cycles. This parameter change eliminates the energy-intensive compression steps required by conventional methods while achieving effective oil removal through the pressure-stable adsorption mechanism.
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 effectively removes oil from high-pressure gas streams, preventing condensation and extending the lifespan of dry seal compressors by achieving a high degree of oil removal, thereby reducing downtime and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
a selective component removal system, comprising a gaseous feed stream inlet configured to pass a gaseous feed stream into a swing adsorption unit having at least one structured adsorbent bed
Implementation Method 2
the at least one structured adsorbent bed is regenerated in a kinetic swing adsorption process
Data Source
AI summary
The present application is directed to a method and system for preparing gaseous utility streams from gaseous process streams, particularly, removing oil contamination from such streams prior to use in a dry gas seal. The methods and systems may include at least one kinetic swing adsorption process including pressure swing adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, calcination, and inert purge processes to treat gaseous streams for use in dry gas seals of rotating equipment such as compressors, turbines and pumps and other utilities. The adsorbent materials used include a high surface area solid structured microporous and mesoporous materials.