Granted Patent B2

US 8,383,071 · App. 13/045,076 · Granted Feb 26, 2013

Abstract

Claims (74)

1. A method, comprising:

compressing, by a compressor, a carrier gas to form a compressed carrier gas, wherein the compressed carrier gas comprises a lower partial pressure of water vapor and has a lower dew point than the carrier gas before the compressing step;

contacting an additive with the compressed carrier gas to form an additive-containing fluid; and

introducing the additive-containing fluid into a contaminated gas stream.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:

cooling, by an after cooler, the compressed carrier gas to form a cooled compressed carrier gas; and

cooling, by a vortex tube, the compressed carrier gas.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

drying, by a compressed gas dryer, the compressed carrier gas to form a treated carrier gas, wherein the treated carrier gas is contacted with the additive in the contacting step and wherein a relative humidity of the treated carrier gas is no more than about 10%.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the treated carrier gas has a temperature below about 95° F., a total pressure of not greater than about 25 psi, and a dew point of less than about 30° F. and wherein a degree of compression of the carrier gas to form the compressed carrier gas ranges from about 1.10:1 to about 1.60:1.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting step comprises the sub-steps:

expanding the compressed carrier gas to cool adiabatically the compressed carrier gas and form an expanded carrier gas, wherein a velocity of the expanded carrier gas is at least a saltation velocity; and

releasing additive particles into at least one of the compressed carrier gas and expanded carrier gas to form the additive-containing fluid, wherein the additive particles are entrained substantially in the additive-containing fluid.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein a flow cross sectional expansion from an inlet conduit to an outlet is at least about 300% and wherein the velocity of the expanded carrier gas decreases by about 75% to about 95%.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the additive particles are at least one of lime, a bicarbonate, and trona, wherein the additive particles are contacted with the at least one of the compressed carrier gas and expanded carrier gas by a rotary valve and wherein a length of the rotary valve is at least about 80% of a length of a manifold containing the at least one of the compressed carrier gas and expanded carrier gas.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the rotary valve has a volumetric discharge per revolution of rotary valve of at least 0.05 ft 3 /rev.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the introducing step comprises the sub-steps:

passing the additive-containing fluid through a linear manifold and at least one lance, wherein a cross-sectional area normal to flow of the manifold is substantially the same as a cumulative cross-sectional area normal to flow of the at least one lance.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the introducing step comprises the sub-steps:

passing the additive-containing fluid through at least one lance, the at least one lance extending into the contaminated gas stream, the contaminated gas stream having a temperature above about 90° F., wherein the at least one lance is cooled by a cooling medium to maintain an interior of the at least one lance at a temperature below the temperature of the contaminated gas stream.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the introducing step comprises the sub-steps:

passing the additive-containing fluid through at least one lance, the at least one lance comprising an eductor nozzle.

12. A system, comprising:

a carrier gas treatment system configured to compress a carrier gas and to dry the compressed carrier gas to form a treated carrier gas stream wherein the compressed carrier gas comprises a lower partial pressure of water vapor and has a lower dew point than the carrier gas before the compression;

a mixing system configured to contact additive particles with the treated carrier gas stream and form an additive-containing fluid; and

a delivery system configured to introduce the additive-containing fluid into the contaminated gas stream.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the carrier gas treatment system comprises a compressor to compress the carrier gas into a compressed carrier gas.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the carrier gas treatment system comprises an after cooler to cool the compressed carrier gas and form a cooled compressed carrier gas.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the carrier gas treatment system comprises a compressed gas dryer to dry the compressed carrier gas and form the treated carrier gas stream.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the mixing system comprises:

first and second conduits, the second conduit having a flow cross sectional area at least about 300% of a flow cross sectional area of the first conduit, the first conduit being located upstream of the second conduit, whereby the treated carrier gas expands as the treated carrier gas flows from the first to the second conduit.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the additive particles are at least one of lime, a bicarbonate, and trona.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the delivery system comprises a linear manifold and at least one lance, wherein a cross-sectional area normal to flow of the manifold is substantially the same as a cumulative cross-sectional area normal to flow of the at least one lance.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the delivery system comprises at least one lance, the at least one lance extending into the contaminated gas stream, the contaminated gas stream having a temperature above about 90° F., wherein the at least one lance is cooled by a cooling medium to maintain an interior of the at least one lance at a temperature below the temperature of the contaminated gas stream.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the delivery system comprises at least one lance, the at least one lance comprising an eductor nozzle.

21. A system, comprising:

at least one lance for receiving an additive-containing fluid, the additive, above a scaling temperature, causing scaling on an interior of the lance, and introducing the additive-containing fluid into a contaminated gas stream, the at least one lance extending into the contaminated gas stream, the contaminated gas stream having a temperature above about 95° F., wherein the at least one lance is cooled by a cooling medium to maintain an interior of the at least one lance at a temperature below the scaling temperature to inhibit scaling, the scaling temperature being below a temperature of the contaminated gas stream.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the additive is at least one of lime, bicarbonate, and trona and wherein the scaling temperature is a temperature above which aragonite formation is kinetically favored over calcite formation.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the scaling temperature is 95° C.

24. A system, comprising:

at least one lance for receiving an additive-containing fluid and introducing the additive-containing fluid into a contaminated gas stream, an end of the at least one lance comprising an eductor nozzle, wherein the at least one lance receives a pressurized motive gas and the additive-containing fluid, wherein a flow of the pressurized motive gas through the educator nozzle draws the additive-containing fluid from an interior flow pathway of the at least one lance and mixes the pressurized motive gas with the additive-containing fluid, whereby the mixture of the pressurized motive gas and additive-containing fluid is discharged from the at least one lance into the contaminated gas stream.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the additive in the additive-containing fluid comprises an alkaline material, wherein the interior flow pathway of the at least one lance comprises at least one of a zinc plating, a coating of inert polymers, and a ceramic coating to inhibit carbonate build up in the interior flow pathway.

26. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a processor, a stimulus associated with cleaning of an additive introduction system, the additive introduction system delivering an additive into a contaminated gas stream;

terminating, by the processor, a supply of additive while continuing to supply a carrier gas to the additive introduction system;

determining, by the processor, whether a gas flow is acceptable;

when the gas flow is not acceptable, terminating, by the processor, the supply of the carrier gas to the additive introduction system; and

passing a purge gas through the additive introduction system to remove deposited additive or a derivative thereof.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the additive introduction system comprises a plurality of lances extending into the contaminated gas stream and wherein each lance is fluidically isolated by valves and sequentially subjected to the steps of claim 24 .

28. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a processor, a stimulus associated with cleaning of an additive introduction system, the additive introduction system delivering an additive into a contaminated gas stream;

terminating, by the processor, a supply of additive to the additive introduction system; and

passing a chemical cleaner through the additive introduction system, the cleaner removing substantially deposits of the additive and/or an additive derivative from the additive introduction system.

29. A method, comprising:

treating a carrier gas to reduce a carrier gas dew point and carrier gas temperature to sufficient levels to substantially inhibit water-based hydration interactions with an alkaline additive material and form a treated carrier gas;

contacting the treated carrier gas with an alkaline additive material to form an additive-containing fluid having no more than the reduced carrier gas dew point and carrier gas temperature; and

introducing the additive-containing fluid into a contaminated gas stream.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the carrier gas is compressed to form a compressed carrier gas, wherein the treated carrier gas has a temperature below about 95° F., a total pressure of not greater than about 25 psi, and a dew point of less than about 30° F. and wherein a degree of compression of the carrier gas to form the compressed carrier gas ranges from about 1.10:1 to about 1.60:1.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the reducing step comprises at least one of:

cooling, by an after cooler, the compressed carrier gas to form a cooled compressed carrier gas; and

cooling, by a vortex tube, the compressed carrier gas.

32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the reducing step comprises:

drying, by a compressed gas dryer, the compressed carrier gas to form a treated carrier gas, wherein the treated carrier gas is contacted with the additive in the contacting step and wherein a relative humidity of the treated carrier gas is no more than about 10%.

33. The method of claim 30 , wherein the contacting step comprises the sub-steps:

expanding the compressed carrier gas to cool adiabatically the compressed carrier gas and form an expanded carrier gas, wherein a velocity of the expanded carrier gas is at least a saltation velocity; and

releasing additive particles of the alkaline additive material into at least one of the compressed carrier gas and expanded carrier gas to form the additive-containing fluid, wherein the additive particles are entrained substantially in the additive-containing fluid.

34. The method of claim 33 , wherein a flow cross sectional expansion from an inlet conduit to an outlet is at least about 300% and wherein the velocity of the expanded carrier gas decreases by about 75% to about 95%.

35. The method of claim 33 , wherein the alkaline additive material is at least one of lime, a bicarbonate, and trona, wherein the additive particles are contacted with the at least one of the compressed carrier gas and expanded carrier gas by a rotary valve and wherein a length of the rotary valve is at least about 80% of a length of a manifold containing the at least one of the compressed carrier gas and expanded carrier gas.

36. The method of claim 29 , wherein the introducing step comprises the sub-step:

passing the additive-containing fluid through a linear manifold and at least one lance, wherein a cross-sectional area normal to flow of the manifold is substantially the same as a cumulative cross-sectional area normal to flow of the at least one lance.

37. The method of claim 29 , wherein the introducing step comprises the sub-step:

passing the additive-containing fluid through at least one lance, the at least one lance extending into the contaminated gas stream, the contaminated gas stream having a temperature above about 90° F., wherein the at least one lance is cooled by a cooling medium to maintain an interior of the at least one lance at a temperature below the temperature of the contaminated gas stream.

38. The method of claim 29 , wherein the introducing step comprises the sub-step:

passing the additive-containing fluid through at least one lance, the at least one lance comprising an eductor nozzle.

Assignments (10)