Contacting a gas stream with a liquid stream

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10130897-B2
Application number	US-201314760539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2013
Priority date	Jan 25, 2013
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A co-current contacting system is described herein. The co-current contacting system includes a co-current contactor located in-line within a pipe. The co-current contactor includes an annular support ring configured to maintain the co-current contactor within the pipe and a number of radial blades configured to allow a liquid stream to flow into the co-current contactor. The co-current contacts also includes a central gas entry cone configured to allow a gas stream to flow through a hollow section within the co-current contactor, wherein the co-current contactor provides for efficient incorporation of liquid droplets formed from the liquid stream into the gas stream. The co-current contacting system also includes a separation system configured to remove the liquid droplets from the gas stream.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A co-current contacting system, comprising:
a co-current contactor located in-line within a pipe, the co-current contactor comprising:
an annular support ring configured to maintain the co-current contactor in-line within the pipe;
a plurality of radial blades extending from the annular support ring;
gas exit slots included in the plurality of radial blades;
injection orifices disposed on the plurality of radial blades;
wherein the annular support ring comprises a hollow channel configured to allow a liquid stream to flow into the plurality of radial blades and out of the injection orifices, the injection orifices configured to inject the liquid stream into a gas stream flowing into the co-current contactor; and
a central gas entry cone that is supported by the plurality of radial blades and having a hollow section, the central gas entry cone configured to allow the gas stream to flow into the co-current contactor, wherein a first portion of the gas stream flows through the hollow section of the central gas entry cone and through the gas exit slots, and wherein a second portion of the gas stream flows around the central gas entry cone and between the plurality of radial blades;
wherein the co-current contactor provides for efficient incorporation of liquid droplets formed from the liquid stream exiting the injection orifices into the gas stream; and
a separation system configured to remove at least a portion of the liquid droplets from the gas stream.

2. The co-current contacting system of claim 1 , wherein the gas stream comprises impurities that are incorporated into the liquid droplets within the co-current contactor.

3. The co-current contacting system of claim 2 , wherein the separation system generates a purified gas stream by removing at least a portion of the liquid droplets comprising the impurities from the gas stream.

4. The co-current contacting system of claim 2 , wherein the gas stream comprises a natural gas stream, and wherein the impurities comprise water.

5. The co-current contacting system of claim 2 , wherein the gas stream comprises a natural gas stream, and wherein the impurities comprise an acid gas.

6. The co-current contacting system of claim 1 , wherein the separation system comprises a cyclonic separator.

7. The co-current contacting system of claim 1 , wherein the separation system comprises a distillation column.

8. The co-current contacting system of claim 1 , wherein a downstream portion of the central gas entry cone comprises a blunt ended cone.

9. The co-current contacting system of claim 1 , wherein a downstream portion of the central gas entry cone comprises a tapered ended cone.

10. The co-current contacting system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid stream comprises an absorbent liquid stream.

11. The co-current contacting system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of co-current contacting systems connected in series within the pipe.

12. The co-current contacting system of claim 1 , wherein the co-current contacting system is implemented within a gas processing system.

13. The co-current contacting system of claim 1 , wherein the co-current contacting system is used for quench applications.

14. The co-current contacting system of claim 1 , wherein the co-current contacting system is used for water wash applications.

15. A method for separating impurities from a gas stream, comprising:
flowing a liquid stream into a co-current contactor via a hollow channel in an annular support ring and a plurality of radial blades extending from the annular support ring, wherein the annular support ring secures the co-current contactor in-line within a pipe and wherein injection orifices are disposed on the plurality of radial blades;
injecting the liquid stream into a gas stream flowing into the co-current contactor via the injection orifices;
flowing the gas stream into the co-current contactor via a central gas entry cone that is supported by the plurality of radial blades, wherein a first portion of the gas stream flows through the central gas entry cone, and wherein a second portion of the gas stream flows around the central gas entry cone and between the plurality of radial blades;
flowing the first portion of the gas stream through a hollow section in the central gas entry cone and through gas exit slots included in the plurality of radial blades;
contacting the gas stream with the liquid stream to provide for incorporation of liquid droplets formed from the liquid stream exiting the injection orifices into the gas stream; and

separating the liquid droplets from the gas stream within a separation system.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising flowing the gas stream through a plurality of co-current contactors and separation systems connected in series within the pipe.

17. The method of claim 15 , comprising incorporating impurities from the gas stream into the liquid droplets within the co-current contactor.

18. The method of claim 17 , comprising generating a purified gas stream by removing at least a portion of the liquid droplets comprising the impurities from the gas stream within the separation system.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the gas stream comprises a natural gas stream, and wherein the impurities comprise water.

20. The method of claim 19 , comprising generating a dehydrated natural gas stream by removing liquid droplets comprising incorporated water from the natural gas stream.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the gas stream comprises a natural gas stream, and wherein the impurities comprise acid gas.

22. The method of claim 21 , comprising generating a sweetened natural gas stream by removing liquid droplets comprising incorporated acid gas from the natural gas stream.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the acid gas comprises hydrogen sulfide or carbon dioxide, or any combination thereof.

24. A co-current contactor, comprising:
an annular support ring configured to maintain the co-current contactor in-line within a pipe;
a plurality of radial blades extending from the annular support ring;
gas exit slots included in the plurality of radial blades;
injection orifices disposed on the plurality of radial blades;
wherein the annular support ring comprises a hollow channel configured to allow a liquid stream to flow into the plurality of radial blades and out of the injection orifices, the injection orifices configured to inject the liquid stream into a gas stream flowing into the co-current contactor;
a central gas entry cone that is supported by the plurality of radial blades and having a hollow section, the central gas entry cone configured to allow the gas stream to flow into the co-current contactor, wherein a first portion of the gas stream flows through the hollow section of the central gas entry cone and through the gas exit slots, and wherein a second portion of the gas stream flows around the central gas entry cone and between the plurality of radial blades;
wherein the co-current contactor is configured to provide for incorporation of liquid droplets formed from the liquid stream exiting the injection orifices into the gas stream.

25. The co-current contactor of claim 24 , wherein the central gas entry cone terminates with at least one of a blunt ended cone and a tapered ended cone.

26. The co-current contactor of claim 24 , wherein the central gas entry cone comprises a central obstructio

Assignees

• Grave Edward J
• Cullinane John T
• Hendriks Antonious J A M
• Meekhof Tom
• Lammers Frederik A
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Grave Edward J
• Cullinane John T
• Hendriks Antonious J A M
• Meekhof Tom
• Lammers Frederik A

Classifications

• C10L2290/541

  Absorption of impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel · CPC title

• C10L2290/08

  Drying or removing water · CPC title

• B01D53/185

  Liquid distributors · CPC title

• C10L2290/46

  Compressors or pumps · CPC title

• C10L3/104

  Carbon dioxide · CPC title