A process for removing a foulant from a gas stream. The gas stream is cooled in a series of heat exchangers, causing a portion of the foulant to desublimate and become entrained in a cryogenic liquid. This foulant slurry stream is pressurized, cooled, and separated into a pressurized foulant solid stream and the cryogenic liquid stream. The pressurized foulant solid stream is melted to produce a liquid foulant stream. Heat exchange processes, both internal and external, are provided that close the heat balance of the process. In this manner, the foulant is removed from the gas stream.

A system and method for capturing and separating carbon dioxide from mixed gas streams. The gas stream is processed in a structure including a compression module comprising a plurality of compressors, intercoolers and inter-stage condensate separators. The flow path from the compression module includes a plurality of flow separators, gas stream splitters, heat exchangers and at least a first mixer and a first expander. The gas stream is sequentially compressed and cooled to form process condensate and separate it from the compressed gas stream. The gas stream is further dried and cooled to liquefy carbon dioxide and separate it from the non-condensable portion. Selective expansion of liquid carbon dioxide streams provides cooling for the system, and further energy efficiency is achieved by selective recycling of portions of gas streams, allowing for compact equipment and economical operation, while providing for high purity product streams of carbon dioxide.

The present invention relates to an adsorption process for xenon recovery from a cryogenic liquid or gas stream wherein a bed of adsorbent is contacted with a xenon-containing liquid or gas stream selectively adsorbing the xenon from said stream. The adsorption bed is operated to at least near full breakthrough with xenon to enable a deep rejection of other stream components, prior to regeneration using the temperature swing method. After the stripping step, the xenon adsorbent bed is drained to clear out the liquid residue left in the nonselective void space and the xenon molecules in those void spaces is recycled upstream to the ASU distillation column for increasing xenon recovery. The xenon adsorbent bed is optionally purged with oxygen, followed by purging with gaseous argon at cryogenic temperature (160 K) to displace the oxygen co-adsorbed on the AgX adsorbent due to higher selectivity of argon over oxygen on the AgX adsorbent. By the end of this step, the xenon adsorbent bed is filled with argon and xenon. Then the entire adsorbent bed is heated indirectly without utilizing any of the purge gas for direct heating. Operating the adsorption bed to near full breakthrough with xenon and displacing the adsorbed oxygen and other residues with argon, prior to regeneration, along with indirect heating of the bed, enables production of a high purity product 40 vol % xenon from the adsorption bed and further enables safely heating without any purge gas and ease for downstream product collection, even in cases where hydrocarbons are co-present in the feed stream.

An apparatus for producing a purified, pressurized liquid carbon dioxide stream includes a distillation column (B) having packing (C) therein and a sump (D) below the packing, the distillation column in fluid communication with the liquid carbon dioxide supply tank for receiving the liquid carbon dioxide stream and the packing stripping volatile impurities from the liquid carbon dioxide stream; a heater (E) in contact with the liquid carbon dioxide stream in the sump (D) for vaporizing the liquid carbon dioxide stream in the sump; a vent in the distillation column (B) from which a first vaporized portion (G) of carbon dioxide vapor in the sump (D) is withdrawn from the distillation column: and a conduit (I) in fluid communication with the sump (D) and from which a second vaporized portion (H) of the carbon dioxide vapor in the sump is withdrawn into the conduit (I) to be introduced into the carbon dioxide vapor feed stream.

A batch process for producing a purified, pressurized liquid carbon dioxide stream, includes withdrawing a liquid carbon dioxide stream (A) from a liquid carbon dioxide supply (10); introducing the liquid carbon dioxide stream (A) into a distillation column (B) having packing (C) therein, and stripping volatile impurities from the liquid carbon dioxide stream with the packing; vaporizing the liquid carbon dioxide stream (A) in a sump (D) of the distillation column (B) for providing a carbon dioxide vapor; withdrawing from a vaporized portion (F) of carbon dioxide vapor in the sump (D) a first vapor stream (G) vented from the distillation column (B); withdrawing from the vaporized portion (F) of the carbon dioxide vapor in the sump (D) a second vapor portion (H) vented from the sump into a conduit (I); and introducing the second vapor portion (H) in the conduit (I) into a carbon dioxide vapor feed stream.

Processes for separating CO.sub.2 from a gas mixture containing one or more of hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, CO, and methane or a combination thereof is described. The processes involve, for example, cooling and partial condensation of the gas mixture, preferably by a single loop refrigeration system with a mixed refrigerant, phase separation of the partially condensed stream, and distillation of the CO.sub.2-rich liquid stream. At least a portion of the liquid CO.sub.2 produced from the processes during the off-peak electricity demand hours can be stored and then heated, vaporized, further heated, and expanded for power generation during the peak electricity demand hours, helping balance the supply and demand of electricity of the electricity grid.

A CO2 separation and liquefaction system such as might be used in a carbon capture and sequestration system for a fossil fuel burning power plant is disclosed. The CO2 separation and liquefaction system includes a first cooling stage to cool flue gas with liquid CO2, a compression stage coupled to the first cooling stage to compress the cooled flue gas, a second cooling stage coupled to the compression stage and the first cooling stage to cool the compressed flue gas with a CO2 melt and provide the liquid CO2 to the first cooling stage, and an expansion stage coupled to the second cooling stage to extract solid CO2 from the flue gas that melts in the second cooling stage to provide the liquid CO2.

A system and method for capturing and separating carbon dioxide from mixed gas streams. The gas stream is processed in a structure including a compression module comprising a plurality of compressors, intercoolers and inter-stage condensate separators. The flow path from the compression module includes a plurality of flow separators, gas stream splitters, heat exchangers and at least a first mixer and a first expander. The gas stream is sequentially compressed and cooled to form process condensate and separate it from the compressed gas stream. The gas stream is further dried and cooled to liquefy carbon dioxide and separate it from the non-condensable portion. Selective expansion of liquid carbon dioxide streams provides cooling for the system, and further energy efficiency is achieved by selective recycling of portions of gas streams, allowing for compact equipment and economical operation, while providing for high purity product streams of carbon dioxide.

A method for separating carbon dioxide from flue gas to generate a high purity CO2 stream.

Apparatus, systems, and methods store energy by liquefying a gas such as air, for example, and then recover the energy by regasifying the cryogenic liquid and combusting or otherwise reacting the gas with a fuel to drive a heat engine. Carbon may be captured from the heat engine exhaust by using the cryogenic liquid to freeze carbon dioxide out of the exhaust. The process of liquefying the gas may be powered with electric power from the grid, for example, and the heat engine may be used to generate electricity. Hence, in effect these apparatus, systems, and methods may provide for storing electric power from the grid and then subsequently delivering it back to the grid.