Delivery systems with in-line selective extraction devices and associated methods of operation
View Patent ↗The present disclosure is directed to a system for delivery of a target material and/or energy. The system includes a source configured to provide a mixture containing the target material and a non-target material, a delivery conduit coupled to the source to receive the mixture from the source, and an in-line extraction device concentric to the delivery conduit. The in-line extraction device is configured to selectively extract the target material and/or energy from the mixture in the delivery conduit and to delivery it to a downstream facility.
1. A method of extracting a target material from a mixture in an industrial pipeline delivery conduit, the method comprising:
selecting an in-line extraction device having a target permeability based on a characteristic of the target material;
selectively removing at least a portion of the target material from the mixture in the delivery conduit using the in-line extraction device, the in-line extraction device having a first side in contact with the mixture in the delivery conduit and a second side opposite the first side; and
collecting the target material removed by the in-line extraction device and supplying the collected target material to a downstream facility.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the mixture includes hydrogen (H 2 ) and at least one of methane (CH 4 ), ethane (C 2 H 6 ), propane (C 3 H 8 ), water (H 2 O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), oxygen (O 2 ), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S);
the target material includes hydrogen; and
selecting an in-line extraction device includes selecting a proton permeable membrane based on a permeability of hydrogen.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting an in-line extraction device includes selecting an in-line extraction device based on at least one of a concentration of the target material in the mixture and a rate of extraction of the target material.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the method further includes providing a reactant to the second side of the in-line extraction device; and
selecting an in-line extraction device includes selecting an in-line extraction device having a catalyst based on the provided reactant.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the mixture includes hydrogen (H 2 ) and at least one of methane (CH 4 ), ethane (C 2 H 6 ), propane (C 3 H 8 ), water (H 2 O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), oxygen (O 2 ), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S);
the target material includes hydrogen;
selecting an in-line extraction device includes selecting a proton permeable membrane based on a permeability of hydrogen;
the method further includes providing oxygen to the second side of the proton permeable membrane; and
selecting an in-line extraction device includes selecting a proton permeable membrane having a catalyst containing at least one of palladium, nickel, platinum and a rare earth metal.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein:
returning the electrons to the target material ions pressurizes a collection region of the in-line extraction device with the target material.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the mixture is presented to the delivery conduit as an unseparated material stream from a natural gas facility.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein:
the unseparated material stream includes at least one of methane (CH 4 ), ethane (C 2 H 6 ), propane (C 3 H 8 ).
9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the mixture is presented to the delivery conduit as an unseparated material stream from a pyrolysis facility that produces the material stream at least in part by converting biomass into a synthetic natural gas.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein:
the unseparated material stream includes hydrogen (H 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ).
11. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the target material is selected using a controller that is operatively coupled with the in-line extraction device.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein:
a rate at which the target material is extracted from the mixture is selected using a controller that is operatively coupled with the in-line extraction device.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein:
a pressure of the target material is controlled using a controller and metering system that are operatively coupled with the in-line extraction device.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein:
a temperature of the target material is controlled using a controller and metering system that are operatively coupled with the in-line extraction device.