Component Separation from Gas Streams

1 . A system for separating carbon dioxide from a process fluid stream comprising:

a. a process fluid feed line;

b. a dryer contact liquid feed line;

c. a drying heat exchanger having a combined stream cooling passage and a refrigeration passage;

d. a junction configured to combine a process fluid from the process fluid feed line and a dryer contact liquid from the dryer contact liquid feed line so that a combined stream containing a dryer contact liquid portion, a dryer contact vapor portion and the process fluid is formed and directed to the combined stream cooling passage;

e. said combined stream cooling passage and the refrigeration passage configured so that a coolant stream in the refrigeration passage reduces a temperature of the combined stream so that water from the process fluid and at least a portion of the dryer contact vapor portion condense and combine with the dryer contact liquid portion to form a combined liquid stream;

f. a combined stream phase separator configured to receive and separate the combined liquid stream from the combined stream cooling passage into a gaseous process fluid stream and a wet dryer contact liquid stream;

g. an extraction heat exchanger having a carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage and an extraction heat exchanger refrigerant warming passage, said carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage having a gaseous process fluid inlet, a treated process fluid outlet, an extraction contact liquid inlet configured to receive an extraction contact liquid and a carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid outlet, and said extraction heat exchanger refrigerant warming passage configured to receive a first refrigerant or a second refrigerant for cooling the carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage;

h. a gaseous process fluid line configured to direct gaseous process fluid from the combined stream phase separator to the gaseous process fluid inlet of the carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage of the extraction heat exchanger;

i. said carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage of the extraction heat exchanger configured so that extraction contact liquid therein contacts gaseous process fluid so that carbon dioxide is extracted from the gaseous process fluid to form a treated process fluid and a carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid, where the treated process fluid exits the carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage through the treated process fluid outlet and the carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid exits the carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage through the carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid outlet.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage of the extraction heat exchanger is configured so that the extraction contact liquid flows counter-current to the gaseous flue gas therein.

3 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a wet dryer contact liquid line configured to direct a wet dryer contact liquid stream from the combined stream phase separator to the at least one refrigeration passage of the drying heat exchanger to provide cooling for the combined stream cooling passage.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a treated process fluid line configured to direct a treated process fluid from the treated process fluid outlet of the extraction heat exchanger to the refrigeration passage of the drying heat exchanger to provide cooling for the combined stream cooling passage.

5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the combined stream phase separator is incorporated into the drying heat exchanger.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the combined stream phase separator is a flash vessel configured to receive the combined stream from the drying heat exchanger and separate the combined stream into a gaseous process fluid stream and a wet dryer contact liquid stream.

7 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a first feed stream cooling heat exchanger configured to receive a process fluid feed stream and a first cooling fluid stream so that the process fluid feed stream is cooled by the first cooling fluid stream, said first feed stream cooling heat exchanger having a first wet process fluid feed stream outlet in fluid communication with the process fluid feed line.

8 . The system of claim 7 further comprising:

j. a second feed stream cooling heat exchanger having a wet process fluid inlet in fluid communication with the first wet process fluid feed stream outlet of the first feed stream cooling heat exchanger and a cooled cooling water inlet configured to receive a cooled cooling water stream so that a flue gas feed stream is cooled by direct contact with the cooled cooling water stream in the second feed stream cooling heat exchanger and so that a warmed cooling water stream is produced, said second feed stream cooling heat exchanger having a second wet process fluid feed stream outlet in fluid communication with the process fluid feed line;

k. a third feed stream cooling heat exchanger configured to receive the warmed cooling water stream from the second feed stream cooling heat exchanger and a treated process fluid stream inlet in fluid communication with the treated process fluid outlet of the extraction heat exchanger and to directly contact and cool the received warmed cooling water stream so that a cooled cooling water stream is produced, said third feed stream cooling heat exchanger having a cooled cooling water stream outlet in fluid communication with the cooled cooling water inlet of the second feed stream cooling heat exchanger.

9 . The system of claim 8 further comprising a cooled cooling water pump configured to pump cooled cooling water from the cooled cooling water stream outlet of the second feed stream cooling heat exchanger to the cooled cooling water inlet of the second feed stream cooling heat exchanger.

10 . The system of claim 8 further comprising a cooled process fluid feed stream compressor having an inlet in fluid communication with the first wet process fluid feed stream outlet of the first feed stream cooling heat exchanger and an outlet in fluid communication with the wet process fluid inlet of the second feed stream cooling heat exchanger.

11 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:

j. a wet dryer contact liquid line configured to direct a wet dryer contact liquid stream from the combined stream phase separator to the refrigeration passage of the drying heat exchanger to provide cooling for the combined stream cooling passage;

k. a dryer distillation column having a distillation column inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the refrigeration passage, said dryer distillation column also having a dryer distillation column treated contact liquid outlet and a dryer distillation column water outlet, said dryer distillation column configured to receive and separate wet dryer contact liquid from the outlet of the refrigeration passage of the drying heat exchanger into a dryer contact liquid stream, which is directed out of the treated contact liquid outlet, and a reboiler outlet stream which is directed out of the dryer distillation column water outlet.

12 . The system of claim 11 further comprising a dryer distillation column heat exchanger configured to receive and cool a reboiler outlet stream from the dryer distillation column and to receive and warm wet dryer contact liquid from the outlet of the refrigeration passage of the drying heat exchanger and direct and to direct warmed wet dryer contact liquid to the dryer distillation column inlet.

13 . The system of claim 11 wherein the dryer distillation column further includes a dryer contact vapor outlet and wherein dryer contact vapor is formed in the dryer distillation column and directed through the dryer contact vapor outlet.

14 . The system of claim 1 wherein the dryer contact liquid includes alcohol.

15 . The system of claim 1 wherein the dryer contact liquid includes a component selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, propanol, ketones and inorganic fluids.

16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the extraction contact liquid includes a component selected from the group consisting of ketones, alcohols, ethers, and acetates.

17 . The system of claim 1 wherein the dryer contact liquid includes an ether selected from the group consisting of dimethyl ether, diethyl ether and methyl-ethyl ether.

18 . The system of claim 1 wherein the dryer contact liquid includes an inorganic fluid selected from the group consisting of ammonia and low-melting-point amines.

19 . The system of claim 1 wherein the extraction contact liquid includes a component selected from the group consisting of ketones, alcohols, ethers, and acetates.

20 . The system of claim 1 wherein the junction is positioned within the drying heat exchanger.

21 . The system of claim 1 wherein the junction is positioned upstream from the drying heat exchanger.

22 . The system of claim 1 wherein the drying heat exchanger includes a header and the junction is positioned within the header.

23 . The system of claim 1 wherein the combined stream cooling passage of the drying heat exchanger includes a combined stream cooling passage channel that is configured so that a dryer contact liquid stream wets a surface of the combined stream cooling passage channel but leaves an open volume in the combined stream cooling passage channel for a process fluid stream to pass.

24 . The system of claim 1 wherein said coolant stream is selected from the group consisting of the wet dryer contact liquid stream from the combined stream phase separator, the treated process fluid from the treated process fluid outlet of the extraction heat exchanger, the first refrigerant and a separate refrigerant.

25 . The system of claim 1 wherein the carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage of the extraction heat exchanger includes a carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage channel that is configured so that an extraction contact liquid stream wets a surface of the carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage channel but leaves an open volume in the carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage channel for a gaseous process fluid stream to pass.

26 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:

j. a refrigerant heat exchanger including a refrigerant cooling passage in fluid communication with the refrigeration passage of the drying heat exchanger and the extraction heat exchanger refrigerant warming passage, a carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid warming passage in fluid communication with the carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid outlet of the extraction heat exchanger and an extraction contact liquid cooling passage in fluid communication with the extraction contact liquid inlet of the extraction heat exchanger;

k. an extraction distillation column having a carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid inlet in fluid communication with the carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid warming passage of the refrigerant heat exchanger, a carbon dioxide liquid outlet, an extraction contact liquid outlet in fluid communication with the extraction contact liquid cooling passage of the refrigerant heat exchanger;

l. said extraction distillation column configured to separate a warmed carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid stream received from the carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid warming passage of the refrigerant heat exchanger into a carbon dioxide liquid stream, which is directed out of the extraction distillation column through the carbon dioxide liquid outlet, and an extraction contact liquid stream, which is directed out of the extraction distillation column through the extraction contact liquid outlet.

27 . The system of claim 26 wherein the refrigerant heat exchanger includes a liquid carbon dioxide cooling passage and further comprising a liquid carbon dioxide pump configured to pump liquid carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide liquid outlet of the extraction distillation column to the liquid carbon dioxide cooling passage of the refrigerant heat exchanger.

28 . The system of claim 1 wherein the dryer contact liquid generates a sufficient dryer contact vapor portion such that the condensation of at least a portion of the dryer contact vapor portion and water vapor results in the combined liquid stream remaining above a melting point of the combined liquid stream at all temperatures present in the dryer.

29 . A system for separating carbon dioxide from a flue gas stream comprising:

a. a process fluid feed line;

b. an extraction heat exchanger having a carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage and an extraction heat exchanger refrigerant warming passage, said carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage having a process fluid inlet in fluid communication with the process fluid feed line, a treated process fluid outlet, an extraction contact liquid inlet configured to receive an extraction contact liquid and a carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid outlet;

c. said carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage of the extraction heat exchanger configured so that extraction contact liquid therein contacts process fluid so that carbon dioxide is extracted from the process fluid to form a treated process fluid and a carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid, where the treated process fluid exits the carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage through the treated process fluid outlet and the carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid exits the carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage through the carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid outlet.

30 . The system of claim 29 wherein the extraction heat exchanger includes an extraction heat exchanger refrigerant warming passage configured to receive a refrigerant for cooling the carbon dioxide extraction cooling passage.

31 . A method for separating carbon dioxide from a process fluid stream comprising the steps of:

a. combining a process fluid stream and a dryer contact liquid stream to provide a combined stream;

b. directing the combined stream through a drying heat exchanger;

c. cooling the combined stream in the drying heat exchanger by warming a coolant stream;

d. condensing water from the process fluid stream into the dryer contact liquid stream in the drying heat exchanger;

e. separating the combined stream into a gaseous process fluid stream and the wet dryer contact liquid stream;

f. contacting the gaseous process fluid stream with an extraction contact liquid stream within an extraction heat exchanger so that carbon dioxide is transferred from the gaseous process fluid stream to the extraction contact liquid and a treated process fluid stream and a carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid stream are produced;

g. warming a first refrigerant or a second refrigerant within the extraction heat exchanger so that the contacting gaseous process fluid stream and the extraction contact liquid stream are cooled in the extraction heat exchanger.

32 . The method of claim 31 wherein the coolant stream of step c. is selected from the group consisting of the treated process fluid stream, the wet dryer contact liquid stream and the first refrigerant stream.

33 . The method of claim 31 wherein the extraction contact liquid flows counter-current to the gaseous process fluid within the extraction heat exchanger during step f.

34 . The method of claim 31 wherein the dryer contact liquid includes alcohol.

35 . The method of claim 31 wherein the dryer contact liquid includes a component selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, propanol, ketones and inorganic fluids.

36 . The method of claim 35 wherein the extraction contact liquid includes a component selected from the group consisting of ketones, alcohols, ethers, and acetates.

37 . The method of claim 31 wherein the dryer contact liquid includes an ether selected from the group consisting of dimethyl ether, diethyl ether and methyl-ethyl ether.

38 . The method of claim 31 wherein the dryer contact liquid includes an inorganic fluid selected from the group consisting of ammonia and low-melting-point amines.

39 . The method of claim 31 wherein the extraction contact liquid includes a component selected from the group consisting of ketones, alcohols, ethers, and acetates.

40 . The method of claim 31 wherein combination of the process fluid stream and the dryer contact liquid stream occurs within the drying heat exchanger.

41 . The method of claim 31 wherein combination of the process fluid stream and the dryer contact liquid stream occurs upstream of the drying heat exchanger.

42 . The method of claim 31 wherein step e. occurs within the drying heat exchanger.

43 . The method of claim 31 wherein step e. occurs in a flashing vessel.

44 . The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of cooling the process fluid stream with a fluid prior to step a.

45 . The method of claim 44 further comprising the step of cooling the process fluid stream with fluid in a first feed stream cooling heat exchanger and a second feed stream cooling heat exchanger prior to step a.

46 . The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of compressing the process fluid stream between the first and second feed stream cooling heat exchangers.

47 . The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of separating the wet dryer contact liquid stream from the drying contact heat exchanger into the dryer contact liquid stream and a waste water stream.

48 . The method of claim 47 further comprising the step of cooling the wet dryer contact liquid stream from the drying heat exchanger using the waste water stream.

49 . The method of claim 31 further comprising the steps of:

h. cooling the first refrigerant in the refrigerant heat exchanger;

i. warming the carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid stream in a refrigerant heat exchanger;

j. separating the warmed carbon dioxide enriched extraction contact liquid stream in an extraction distillation column into a carbon dioxide liquid stream and the extraction contact liquid stream;

k. cooling the extraction contact liquid stream from the extraction distillation column in the refrigerant heat exchanger and directing the cooled extraction contact liquid stream from the refrigerant heat exchanger to the extraction heat exchanger.

50 . The method of claim 49 wherein the liquid carbon dioxide is warmed in the refrigerant heat exchanger.

51 . The method of claim 31 wherein during step g., carbon dioxide from the gaseous process fluid stream is condensed into the extraction contact liquid.

52 . The method of claim 31 wherein during step f., carbon dioxide from the gaseous process fluid stream is absorbed into the extraction contact liquid.