Syngas Drying Before Separation to Prevent Corrosion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The separation of gas mixtures containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and water vapor poses challenges due to the risk of carbon acid formation and equipment corrosion, particularly when low-pressure streams are compressed or cryogenically treated, requiring expensive stainless steel equipment or predrying steps.
Innovation Solution
A process that involves drying the gas mixture to remove water vapor before separation, producing a dry low-pressure stream that can be used without risk of corrosion, allowing for compression and cryogenic treatment using less expensive carbon steel equipment and avoiding the need for predrying steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the gas mixture is separated without prior drying, then the separation process can be simplified, but carbon acid formation and equipment corrosion occur during compression and cryogenic treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary drying of the gas mixture before separation to remove water vapor that would otherwise cause carbon acid formation and corrosion during subsequent compression and cryogenic treatment steps. This preliminary action eliminates the harmful effect while maintaining process simplicity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If stainless steel equipment is used for compression and cryogenic treatment, then equipment corrosion is prevented, but equipment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By drying the gas mixture before separation and subsequent treatments, the patent eliminates the need for expensive stainless steel equipment, allowing the use of cheaper carbon steel equipment while still preventing corrosion during compression and cryogenic treatment steps.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If predrying steps are applied to low-pressure streams, then corrosion risks are eliminated, but process cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs drying on the high-pressure gas mixture before separation, which is more efficient and less costly than drying low-pressure streams afterward. This preliminary action on the high-pressure stream eliminates corrosion risks in subsequent low-pressure treatments without adding significant process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter by performing drying at high pressure before separation, rather than at low pressure afterward. This parameter change makes the drying process more efficient and reduces the need for additional equipment and process steps.
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 process effectively eliminates the risks associated with water presence during subsequent treatments, enabling the use of low-pressure streams in compression and cryogenic separation without stainless steel equipment, reducing costs and maintaining process efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a0) drying of the gas mixture containing the water vapor in order to remove the water molecules
Implementation Method 2
separation of a gas mixture of the above type is carried out by pressure swing adsorption (PSA)
Implementation Method 3
When separation is carried out by permeation through a membrane, some of the molecules pass through the membrane
Data Source
AI summary
A process for separating a gas mixture in a separation unit of the type in which the gas mixture comes from a reaction unit and comprises, as main constituents, hydrogen (H2) and/or carbon monoxide (CO).