Vessel CO2 Absorption Loop With Partial Solvent Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in vessels face challenges in maintaining continuous operation and absorption performance due to the reduction in absorbent liquid concentration and evaporation, particularly when using LNG or low sulfur fuel oil as fuel, and there is a need for efficient CO2 capture and storage solutions.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus utilizing a seawater supply unit, absorbent liquid producing unit, absorption tower, and recycling and circulating units to recycle and circulate absorbent liquid, coupled with heat exchange methods to maintain concentration and enable continuous operation, incorporating NOX and SOX absorbing units for comprehensive gas treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If absorbent liquid is continuously circulated to maintain CO2 absorption performance, then absorption efficiency is improved, but device complexity and size increase due to large recycling units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes only the portion of absorbent liquid that has absorbed CO2 (ammonium carbonate solution) from the circulating liquid, while returning the unreacted absorbent liquid back to the absorption tower. This selective removal approach reduces the burden on recycling units compared to processing the entire liquid volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by removing only a portion of the absorbent liquid containing absorbed CO2, rather than processing the entire circulating liquid volume. This partial treatment approach reduces equipment size while maintaining absorption efficiency through continuous circulation of fresh absorbent liquid.
2Productivity
If exhaust gas is directly contacted with absorbent liquid at high temperature, then CO2 absorption rate is improved, but absorbent liquid concentration decreases due to evaporation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent cools the exhaust gas before it contacts the absorbent liquid in the absorption tower. This preliminary cooling action prevents excessive evaporation of the absorbent liquid while still enabling effective CO2 absorption, thereby maintaining liquid concentration and reducing make-up liquid requirements.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If large volume of absorbent liquid is used to ensure continuous operation, then operational continuity is improved, but device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous circulation of unreacted absorbent liquid from the bottom of the absorption tower back to the top, ensuring continuous CO2 absorption capability without requiring large liquid volumes. The continuous flow maintains fresh absorbent liquid contact with exhaust gas, enabling sustained operation with compact equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic circulation of absorbent liquid through pumps and circulation lines, allowing the system to maintain continuous operation with controlled liquid flow rates. This dynamic approach replaces static large-volume storage with active circulation, reducing overall equipment size while ensuring operational continuity.
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
Enables continuous operation with reduced device sizes, flexible absorption rates, and efficient greenhouse gas conversion into environmentally benign materials, meeting IMO emission regulations while minimizing absorbent loss and impurity generation.
Implementation Method 1
exhaust gas is cooled by a heat exchange method
Implementation Method 2
reacting the cooled exhaust gas with the absorbent liquid supplied from the absorbent liquid producing unit to convert CO2 into an aqueous ammonium salt solution
Implementation Method 3
reacting the aqueous ammonium salt solution discharged from the absorption tower with an aqueous divalent metal hydroxide solution
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus for reducing greenhouse gas emission in a vessel and a vessel including the same, in which CO2 absorbed by taking only a part of the absorbent liquid used when collecting CO2 is removed, so that the device sizes of an absorbent liquid recycling unit and an absorbent liquid circulating unit is kept small and continuous operation is enabled. Or in which exhaust gas is cooled by a heat exchange method, thereby preventing the decrease in a concentration of an absorbent liquid, and CO2 absorbed by taking only a part of the absorbent liquid used when collecting CO2 is removed and an unreacted absorbent liquid is continuously circulated, thereby enabling continuous operation.