Systems and methods for removing organic compounds from water used to generate steam

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11649178-B2
Application number	US-202017071100-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2020
Priority date	Oct 15, 2019
Publication date	May 16, 2023
Grant date	May 16, 2023

Abstract

A system for producing steam includes a source of superheated water with superheated water output; a membrane filtration system in fluid communication with the superheated water output and including a membrane filter with a permeate side and an opposing retentate side. The membrane filter includes a separation membrane constructed to reject organic molecules. The system may be used for removing organic compounds, such as anti-corrosion agents or contaminants, from superheated water to produce steam. A method for producing steam includes directing a cross-flow of heated pressurized water including a first concentration of an organic compound across a membrane filter. The membrane filter includes a separation membrane constructed to reject the organic compound; and one or more support layers adjacent the separation membrane. A steam permeate including a second concentration of the organic compound is collected, where the second concentration is lower than the first.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for producing steam, the system comprising:
a source of superheated water comprising a hot water output capable of delivering heated water under pressure;
a membrane filtration system in direct fluid communication with the hot water output, the membrane filtration system comprising:
a first membrane filter with a permeate side and an opposing retentate side, the membrane filter comprising:
a separation membrane adjacent the retentate side, the separation membrane being constructed to reject organic molecules; and
one or more support layers adjacent the permeate side, wherein permeate exiting the permeate side is steam.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an organic molecule injection line operatively connected to the source of superheated water.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the separation membrane comprises a perfluorinated polymer membrane.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the separation membrane comprises a one or more support layers comprising polyamide, polyimide, polysulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, PVDF, PTFE, or a combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the membrane filter comprises a plurality of layers of separation membranes separated by spacers, and wherein the spacers are constructed from polyamide, polyimide, polypropylene, polyethylene, PTFE, PVDF, or a combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the organic molecules comprise volatile organic contaminants, optionally wherein the volatile organic contaminants comprise an amine.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the separation membrane is constructed to reject at least 90 wt-% of the organic molecules.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a return line from the retentate side to the source of superheated water or hot water source feed line.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more additional filters upstream of the membrane filter or downstream of the membrane filter permeate side, the one or more additional filters comprising a second membrane filter, an adsorbent filter, a particle filter, or a combination thereof.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more additional filters comprise a second membrane filter arranged in parallel or in series with the first membrane filter.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more additional filters comprise a first adsorbent filter and a second adsorbent filter arranged in parallel or in series with one another.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the separation membrane does not substantially degrade at a temperature of about 100° C. to about 180° C. and/or at a pressure of above atmospheric pressure and up to about 100 psi.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is in fluid communication with a point of use comprising a sterilizer, a humidifier, or a culinary steam outlet.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system and the point of use are separated by a distance no greater than 10 meters.

15. A method for producing steam, the method comprising:
directing a cross-flow of heated pressurized water comprising a first concentration of an organic compound across a membrane filter, the heated pressurized water having a temperature of about 100° C. to about 150° C., the membrane filter comprising:
a separation membrane constructed to reject the organic compound; and
one or more support layers adjacent the separation membrane; and

collecting a steam permeate comprising a second concentration of the organic compound that is lower than the first concentration.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the organic molecules comprise volatile organic contaminants, optionally wherein the volatile organic contaminants comprise an amine.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the amine is selected from cyclohexylamine, morpholine, diethylethanolamine, diethylaminoethanol (DEAE), and diethylhydroxylamine (DEHA).

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first concentration is greater than 20 ppm and the second concentration is lower than 10 ppm.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising recovering a retentate comprising the organic compound and reusing the organic compound.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising generating the heated pressurized water in a steam boiler and returning the retentate to the steam boiler or boiler feed line.

Assignees

• Donaldson Co Inc

Inventors

• Goertz Matthew P
• Parsons Jonathan G

Classifications

• B01D63/10

  Spiral-wound membrane modules · CPC title

• B01D69/1216

  Three or more layers · CPC title

• B01D2311/103

  Heating · CPC title

• B01D2317/04

  Elements in parallel · CPC title

• B01D15/1871 Primary

  placed in series · CPC title