Zeolite ITQ-55 Kinetic CO2 Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for separating carbon dioxide from methane and nitrogen in gas streams, such as those found in natural gas and biogas, are inefficient and do not achieve high purity and recovery rates, particularly at high pressures and varying concentrations of carbon dioxide.
Innovation Solution
The use of zeolite ITQ-55 with a mean crystal particle size between 0.1 and 100 microns for kinetic separation, allowing for selective adsorption of carbon dioxide over methane and nitrogen through controlled crystal size and temperature conditions, enhancing throughput and achieving high purity (>98% CH4) and recovery (>90%) of methane in gas feed processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional adsorbents are used for CO2 separation, then the separation process can be implemented, but the methane purity and recovery rates are insufficient and the process is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the adsorbent material by using zeolite ITQ-55 with specific crystal structure and pore dimensions (0.8-1.0 nm), which provides optimal kinetic selectivity for CO2 over methane. This parameter change in the adsorbent material enables simultaneous achievement of high methane purity (>98%) and high recovery rates (>90%), resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and productivity.
2Productivity
If the adsorbent crystal size is not optimized, then the adsorption process is simpler, but the kinetic separation performance and throughput are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the crystal size parameter of zeolite ITQ-55 to a specific range (0.1-100 microns, preferably 1-10 microns) to balance kinetic separation performance and throughput. This parameter optimization ensures rapid CO2 adsorption kinetics while maintaining ease of handling and bed packing, thereby increasing productivity without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic pressure swing adsorption (PSA) or temperature swing adsorption (TSA) cycles to continuously regenerate the zeolite ITQ-55 adsorbent. This dynamic operation mode maintains high throughput by continuously cycling between adsorption and regeneration phases, optimizing the kinetic separation performance over time.
3Productivity
If high pressure conditions are used for gas processing, then the throughput increases, but the separation efficiency of conventional methods deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the pressure-dependent adsorption behavior of zeolite ITQ-55, which maintains high kinetic selectivity for CO2 across a wide pressure range (1-100 bar). The unique pore structure and surface properties of ITQ-55 enable effective CO2/methane separation even at high pressures, allowing increased throughput without sacrificing separation purity.
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
Zeolite ITQ-55 effectively separates carbon dioxide from methane and nitrogen, achieving high methane purity and recovery rates in gas feed processing, even at varying carbon dioxide concentrations, and can be applied in large-scale gas processing, coal mine methane recovery, and enhanced oil recovery.
Implementation Method 1
The feed stream is exposed to the zeolite ITQ-55 at effective conditions for performing a kinetic separation, in which the kinetic separation exhibits greater kinetic selectivity for carbon dioxide than for methane
Implementation Method 2
passing the feed stream through a bed of an adsorbent comprising zeolite ITQ-55 to adsorb carbon dioxide from the feed stream
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to the adsorption and separation of carbon dioxide in a feed stream (e.g., natural gas) using zeolite ITQ-55 as the adsorbent. A process is disclosed for removing impurities such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen while producing a hydrocarbon product. The process involves passing a feed stream through a bed of an adsorbent comprising zeolite ITQ-55 to adsorb carbon dioxide from the feed stream, thereby producing a product stream depleted in carbon dioxide. The zeolite ITQ-55 has a mean crystal particle size within the range of from about 0.1 microns to about 100 microns. The feed stream is exposed to the zeolite ITQ-55 at effective conditions for performing a kinetic separation, in which the kinetic separation exhibits greater kinetic selectivity for carbon dioxide than for methane or nitrogen. The system and method of this disclosure are particularly suitable for use with feed streams in excess of 10 MMSCFD utilizing rapid cycle PSA operations by tuning crystals size.