TSA Bed Regeneration Using Fermentation Tail Gas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for regenerating saturated adsorption beds in temperature swing adsorption (TSA) processes require the use of inert gases, which are costly to produce and require significant energy for thermal oxidation, while also reducing the quantity of gaseous substrate available for fermentation.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a TSA process with gas fermentation, where a heated tail gas stream from the gas fermentation process is used to regenerate the saturated TSA bed, eliminating the need for inert gases and allowing for nearly complete recovery of treated gaseous feedstock.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If inert gas is used for adsorbent regeneration, then the adsorbent can be regenerated effectively, but the cost of inert gas production and thermal oxidation energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the fermentation tail gas itself to regenerate the adsorbent, eliminating the need for external inert gas. The tail gas is heated and passed through the adsorbent bed, allowing the adsorbent to regenerate using its own process waste stream, thereby reducing external resource requirements and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the tail gas by heating it before passing through the adsorbent bed. This temperature increase enables the desorption of accumulated contaminants from the adsorbent, achieving regeneration without requiring inert gas or high-energy thermal oxidation processes.
2Reliability
If inert gas is used for adsorbent regeneration, then the adsorbent can be regenerated, but the quantity of gaseous substrate available for fermentation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding the fermentation tail gas, the system recovers and reuses it for adsorbent regeneration. The tail gas that would otherwise be wasted is heated and circulated through the adsorbent bed, transforming a waste stream into a useful resource and preserving the gaseous substrate for continued fermentation processes.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If thermal oxidation is used to treat impurity-laden inert gas, then the gas can be safely released, but significant energy is required to heat the gas to oxidation temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful impurity-laden tail gas into a beneficial regeneration medium. By heating the tail gas and passing it through the adsorbent bed, the contaminants are desorbed and concentrated on the adsorbent, while the gas itself serves as the heating medium, eliminating the need for separate thermal oxidation energy input.
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 reduces costs associated with inert gas production and energy consumption, while ensuring that the gaseous feedstock is preserved for use in the process, thereby enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of the TSA and gas fermentation processes.
Implementation Method 1
passing a gaseous feedstock comprising CO, CO2, H2, CH4, or any combination thereof, and at least one contaminant to the first adsorption bed operating at an adsorption temperature, adsorbing the contaminant on the adsorbent
Implementation Method 2
first passing at least a portion of the tail gas stream to a heater to produce a heated tail gas stream from the gas fermentation process at a regeneration temperature to the second adsorption bed and through the spent adsorbent to desorb the adsorbed contaminant
Implementation Method 3
passing at least a portion of the tail gas stream to a heater to produce a heated tail gas stream from the gas fermentation process at a regeneration temperature to the second adsorption bed and through the spent adsorbent
Implementation Method 4
then passing at least a portion of the treated gaseous feedstock from the first adsorption bed to the second adsorption bed and through the regenerated adsorbent to cool the heated regenerated adsorbent to the adsorption temperature
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated temperature swing adsorption (TSA) process and gas fermentation process and device is disclosed. A heated tail gas stream from the gas fermentation process is used to heat and regenerate adsorbent in the TSA device. A portion of treated feedstock from the TSA device is used to cool the regenerated adsorbent. Integration of a tail gas stream from the gas fermentation zone used for regeneration of absorbent in the TSA eliminates the need for an inert gas regenerant and using TSA treated gas feedstock for cooling regenerated adsorbent allows for maximum recovery and use of available gas feedstock. Alternatively, when a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process is also employed, a purge stream from the PSA may be used as regenerant in the TSA process.