Inner surface features for co-current contractors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10717039-B2
Application number	US-201615004348-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2016
Priority date	Feb 17, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

A co-current contactor for separating components in a fluid stream, the co-current contactor comprising a first inlet configured to receive the fluid stream proximate to a first end of the co-current contactor, a second inlet configured to receive a solvent proximate the first end of the co-current contactor, and a mass transfer section configured to receive the fluid stream and the solvent and to provide a mixed, two-phase flow, wherein the mass transfer section comprises a surface feature along an inner surface of the mass transfer section configured to reduce film flow along an inner wall of the mass transfer section, and wherein the surface feature comprises at least one of a hydrophobic surface, a superhydrophobic surface, a porous wall surface, and a nonlinear surface irregularity extending radially inward or radially outward along the inner surface of the mass transfer section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A co-current contactor for separating components in a fluid stream, the co-current contactor comprising:
an inlet section having a first inlet configured to receive the fluid stream proximate to a first end of the co-current contactor and a second inlet configured to receive a solvent proximate the first end of the co-current contactor, the inlet section further including an inlet nozzle for atomizing the solvent into droplets and introducing the fluid stream;
a mass transfer section configured to receive the fluid stream and the solvent and to provide a mixed, two-phase flow; and
a separation section that removes entrained liquid droplets from the mixed, two-phase flow;
wherein the mass transfer section comprises a surface feature that is an integral part of a surface of an inner wall of the mass transfer section, the surface feature configured to reduce film flow along an inner wall of the mass transfer section, and wherein the surface feature comprises a nonlinear surface irregularity extending radially inward or radially outward along the inner surface of the mass transfer section; and
wherein no surface features are present in the inlet section.

2. The co-current contactor of claim 1 , wherein the nonlinear surface irregularity comprises a texture of the surface of the inner wall, and wherein the texture is selected from the group consisting of a curved texture, a scalloped texture, a ridged texture, a dimpled texture, a sawtooth texture, and a sandpaper texture.

3. The co-current contactor of claim 1 ,
wherein the nonlinear surface irregularity comprises a groove for directing flow along a path that is not parallel to a direction of flow of the two-phase flow.

4. The co-current contactor of claim 1 , wherein the nonlinear surface irregularity has an impingement angle for redirecting a film flow away from the wall.

5. The co-current contactor of claim 4 , wherein the impingement angle is non-orthogonal relative to a direction of flow of the two-phase flow, and wherein the nonlinear surface irregularity does not extend across the diameter of the mass transfer section.

6. The co-current contactor of claim 4 , wherein the nonlinear surface irregularity comprises a first raised surface and a second raised surface, and wherein the impingement angle of the first raised surface is greater than the impingement angle of the second raised surface.

7. The co-current contactor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a liquid boot that collects the entrained liquid droplets removed from the fluid stream.

8. The co-current contactor of claim 7 , further comprising:
a recycle gas inlet connecting the liquid boot with the separation section, the recycle gas inlet supplying the separation with recycle gas collected in the liquid boot.

9. The co-current contactor of claim 7 , further comprising:
a liquid collection line running from a lower end of the inner wall of the mass transfer section to the liquid boot, the liquid collection line passing liquid separated from the mixed, two-phase flow in the mass transfer section to the liquid boot, thereby permitting the separated liquid to bypass the separation section.

10. A co-current contacting system for separating a contaminant from an initial gas stream, comprising:
a gas stream supply;
a solvent supply;
a first co-current contactor and a second co-current contactor, wherein each co-current contactor is configured (i) to receive a gas stream and a liquid solvent, and (ii) to release a treated gas stream and a separate gas-treating solution;
wherein the treated gas stream released by the first co-current contactor comprises the gas stream received by the second co-current contactor;
wherein the gas-treating solution released by the second co-current contactor comprises the liquid solvent received by the first co-current contactor; and
wherein each of the co-current contactors comprises the elements of claim 1 .

11. A co-current contactor for separating components in a fluid stream, the co-current contactor comprising:
an inlet section having a first inlet configured to receive a first portion of the fluid stream proximate to a first end of the co-current contactor and a second inlet configured to receive a solvent proximate the first end of the co-current contactor, the inlet section further including an inlet nozzle for atomizing the solvent into droplets and introducing the fluid stream;
a mass transfer section configured to receive the first portion of the fluid stream and the solvent and to provide a mixed, two-phase flow; and
a separation section that removes entrained liquid droplets from the mixed, two-phase flow;
wherein the mass transfer section comprises a surface feature on a surface of an inner wall of the mass transfer section, the surface feature configured to reduce film flow along an inner wall of the mass transfer section, and wherein the surface feature comprises a porous wall surface, the porous wall surface having holes for injecting a second portion of the fluid stream into the mass transfer section, to thereby direct the mixed, two phase flow radially inward into the mass transfer section; and
wherein no surface features are present in the inlet section.

12. A method of separating components in a co-current contactor, comprising:
passing a first portion of a fluid into an inlet section of the co-current contactor;
passing a solvent into the inlet section of the co-current contactor;
using an inlet nozzle, atomizing the solvent into droplets and introducing the fluid stream, wherein the inlet nozzle places
the first portion of the fluid in contact with the solvent to create a combined stream;
passing the combined stream through a mass transfer section of the co-current contactor;
impeding an amount of liquid from propagating along a wall of the mass transfer section using a surface feature of an inner wall of the mass transfer section, the surface feature being an integral part of the inner wall, and wherein no surface features are present in the inlet section; and
separating the fluid from the solvent.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein impeding the amount of liquid from propagating along the wall comprises impinging the amount of liquid on a surface such that the amount of liquid is directed radially inward.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein impeding the amount of liquid from propagating along the wall comprises directing the amount of liquid along a path that is not parallel to a direction of flow of the combined stream.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein impeding the amount of liquid from propagating along the wall comprises reducing the surface area of the amount of liquid contacting the wall.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising impinging the liquid on a raised wall surface extending radially inward.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein impeding the amount of liquid from propagating along the wall comprises injecting a second portion of the fluid through holes in at least a portion of the wall such that the amount of liquid is directed radially inward.

Assignees

• Northrop P Scott
• Freeman Stephanie A
• Cullinane J Tim
• Grave Edward J
• Yeh Norman K
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Northrop P Scott
• Freeman Stephanie A
• Cullinane J Tim
• Grave Edward J
• Yeh Norman K

Classifications

• B01F23/23211

  the liquid flowing in a thin film to absorb the gas · CPC title

• C10L3/106

  of water · CPC title

• C10L3/103

  Sulfur containing contaminants · CPC title

• C10L3/102

  of acid contaminants · CPC title

• B01D2257/308

  Carbonoxysulfide COS · CPC title