Rotary contactor for vehicle carbon dioxide capture
10563555 ยท 2020-02-18
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
Y02C20/40
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
F01N3/0857
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B01J20/28035
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F01K25/103
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B01D53/06
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
F01N5/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B01J20/28
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F01K25/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B01D53/06
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Abstract
Systems and methods for capturing carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in exhaust gases of a vehicle include delivering the exhaust gas to a cooled section of a rotary contactor, the rotary contactor including openings that extend from a first side of the rotary contactor to a second side of the rotary contactor. The CO.sub.2 of the exhaust gas is adsorbed with a sorbent of the cooled section of the rotary contactor, where the non-CO.sub.2 components of the exhaust gas pass through the openings. The cooled section of the rotary contactor is heated with a hot fluid of the vehicle to release the adsorbed CO.sub.2 and convert the cooled section of the rotary contactor to a heated section of the rotary contactor. The heated section of the rotary contactor is cooled to convert the heated section of the rotary contactor back to the cooled section of the rotary contactor.
Claims
1. A method for capturing carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in exhaust gas of a vehicle, the method including: locating a rotary contactor onboard the vehicle; delivering a stream of the exhaust gas of the vehicle to a cooled section of a rotary contactor, the rotary contactor including openings that extend from a first side of the rotary contactor to a second side of the rotary contactor opposite the first side; adsorbing the CO.sub.2 of the exhaust gas with a sorbent of the cooled section of the rotary contactor, where non-CO.sub.2 components of the exhaust gas pass through the openings; heating the cooled section of the rotary contactor with a hot fluid of the vehicle to release the adsorbed CO.sub.2 as a released CO.sub.2 stream and converting the cooled section of the rotary contactor to a heated section of the rotary contactor; directing a mixture of the released CO.sub.2 stream and the exhaust gas towards the stream of the exhaust gas with a purge sector; and cooling the heated section of the rotary contactor to convert the heated section of the rotary contactor back to the cooled section of the rotary contactor.
2. The method of claim 1, where the exhaust gas is delivered to the cooled section of the rotary contactor in a direction perpendicular to a plane of rotation of the rotary contactor.
3. The method of claim 1, where the sorbent is a solid sorbent coating and the method further includes locating the solid sorbent on a structured sheet.
4. The method of claim 3, where the structured sheet includes the openings and the method further includes maximizing a sorbent capacity per unit volume of the rotary contactor.
5. The method of claim 3, where the structured sheet includes the openings and the method further includes minimizing a pressure drop of the exhaust gas as it passes through the openings from the first side to the second side.
6. The method of claim 1, further including before delivering the exhaust gas of the vehicle to the cooled section of the rotary contactor, passing the exhaust gas through an energy recovery device, the energy recovery device generating energy for compressing the released CO.sub.2.
7. The method of claim 6, where the hot fluid of the vehicle is a working fluid of an organic Rankine cycle energy recovery device.
8. The method of claim 1, where the hot fluid of the vehicle is a hot coolant of the vehicle and heating the cooled section of the rotary contactor with a hot fluid of the vehicle includes heating the cooled section of the rotary contactor with the hot coolant.
9. The method of claim 1, where the hot fluid of the vehicle is a fluid heated by the exhaust gas in a heat exchanger.
10. The method of claim 9, where cooling the heated section of the rotary contactor includes cooling the heated section of the rotary contactor with the exhaust gas downstream of the heat exchanger.
11. The method of claim 1, further including compressing and storing the released CO.sub.2 onboard the vehicle.
12. A method for capturing carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in exhaust gas of a vehicle, the method including: locating a rotary contactor onboard the vehicle; delivering a stream of the exhaust gas of the vehicle to a cooled section of a rotary contactor, the rotary contactor including openings that extend from a first side of the rotary contactor to a second side of the rotary contactor opposite the first side; adsorbing the CO.sub.2 of the exhaust gas with a sorbent of the cooled section of the rotary contactor; rotating the rotary contactor so that the cooled section of the rotary contactor is in a path of a hot fluid of the vehicle and heating the cooled section of the rotary contactor to release the adsorbed CO.sub.2 as a released CO.sub.2 stream, converting the cooled section of the rotary contactor to a heated section of the rotary contactor; directing a mixture of the released CO.sub.2 stream and the exhaust gas towards the stream of the exhaust gas with a purge sector; and rotating the rotary contactor so that the heated section of the rotary contactor is in a path of the exhaust gas and cooling the heated section of the rotary contactor with the exhaust gas to convert the heated section of the rotary contactor back to the cooled section of the rotary contactor; where the exhaust gas passes through an energy recovery device, the energy recovery device generating energy for compressing the released CO.sub.2; and the rotary contactor and the energy recovery device are located onboard the vehicle.
13. The method of claim 12, where the exhaust gas is delivered to the cooled section of the rotary contactor in a direction perpendicular to a plane of rotation of the rotary contactor.
14. The method of claim 12, where the sorbent is a solid sorbent coating located on a structured sheet that includes the openings.
15. The method of claim 12, where the exhaust gas passes through the energy recovery device before delivering the exhaust gas to the cooled section of the rotary contactor.
16. The method of claim 12, where the exhaust gas passes through the energy recovery device after delivering the exhaust gas to the cooled section of the rotary contactor.
17. A system for capturing carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in exhaust gas of a vehicle, the system including: a rotary contactor located onboard the vehicle, the rotary contactor having a cooled section operable to receive delivery of a stream of the exhaust gas of the vehicle, the rotary contactor including openings that extend from a first side of the rotary contactor to a second side of the rotary contactor opposite the first side; a sorbent located on the cooled section of the rotary contactor operable to adsorb the CO.sub.2 of the exhaust gas; and a hot fluid directed at the cooled section of the rotary contactor operable to release the adsorbed CO.sub.2 as a released CO.sub.2 stream and convert the cooled section of the rotary contactor to a heated section of the rotary contactor; a purge sector operable to direct a mixture of the released CO.sub.2 stream and the exhaust gas towards the stream of the exhaust gas; where the rotary contactor is rotatable so that the heated section of the rotary contactor is cooled to convert the heated section of the rotary contactor back to the cooled section of the rotary contactor.
18. The system of claim 17, where the exhaust gas is delivered to the cooled section of the rotary contactor in a direction perpendicular to a plane of rotation of the rotary contactor.
19. The system of claim 17, where the sorbent is a solid sorbent coating located on a structured sheet.
20. The system of claim 19, where the structured sheet includes the openings and is shaped to maximize a surface area multiplied by a thickness of the sorbent per a unit volume of the rotary contactor.
21. The system of claim 19, where the structured sheet includes the openings and has a monolith structured packing.
22. The system of claim 17, further including an energy recovery device operable to generate energy for compressing the released CO.sub.2.
23. The system of claim 17, further including a compressor operable to compress the released CO.sub.2 and a storage unit for storing the compressed CO.sub.2.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) So that the manner in which the previously-recited features, aspects and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure, as well as others that will become apparent, are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the disclosure briefly summarized previously may be had by reference to the embodiments that are illustrated in the drawings that form a part of this specification. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only certain embodiments of the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of the disclosure's scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
(6) The disclosure refers to particular features, including process or method steps. Those of skill in the art understand that the disclosure is not limited to or by the description of embodiments given in the specification. The subject matter is not restricted except only in the spirit of the specification and appended Claims.
(7) Those of skill in the art also understand that the terminology used for describing particular embodiments does not limit the scope or breadth of the embodiments of the disclosure. In interpreting the specification and appended Claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context of each term. All technical and scientific terms used in the specification and appended Claims have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs unless defined otherwise.
(8) As used in the Specification and appended Claims, the singular forms a, an, and the include plural references unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(9) As used, the words comprise, has, includes, and all other grammatical variations are each intended to have an open, non-limiting meaning that does not exclude additional elements, components or steps. Embodiments of the present disclosure may suitably comprise, consist or consist essentially of the limiting features disclosed, and may be practiced in the absence of a limiting feature not disclosed. For example, it can be recognized by those skilled in the art that certain steps can be combined into a single step.
(10) Where a range of values is provided in the Specification or in the appended Claims, it is understood that the interval encompasses each intervening value between the greater limit and the lesser limit as well as the greater limit and the lesser limit. The disclosure encompasses and bounds smaller ranges of the interval subject to any specific exclusion provided.
(11) Where reference is made in the specification and appended Claims to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously except where the context excludes that possibility.
(12) Looking at
(13) In the embodiment of
(14) One synergy of the use of turbocompounding is the use of the heat of exhaust gases 14 to generate energy output 18 to provide either electrical or mechanical energy for all or part of the energy needed for compressor 20 to compress CO.sub.2. As an example, compressor 20 can compress the CO.sub.2 to about 100 bar. When sorbent with a lower regeneration temperature is used, another possible synergy is the use of heat remaining in exhaust gases 14 leaving energy recovery device 16 being removed in a heat exchanger and used as hot fluid 30, which will also provide the benefit of further reducing the temperature of exhaust gases 14.
(15) In alternate examples, energy recovery device 16 can be any known type of energy recovery system capable of utilizing the heat of exhaust gases 14 to generate energy for compressing CO.sub.2. Energy output 18 generated by energy recovery device 16 can be either electrical or mechanical energy that can provide all or part of the energy needed for compressor 20 to compress CO.sub.2.
(16) Energy recovery device 16 will cause the temperature of exhaust gases 14 to decrease so that the exhaust gases 14 exiting energy recovery device 16 are cooled exhaust gases 14b. Depending on the absorption temperature of the solid sorbent, the cooled exhaust gases 14b are delivered to cooled section 22 of rotary contactor 24. If the exhaust gases are not cool enough, then the exhaust gases could be further cooled by passing the exhaust gases through a heat exchanger with ambient air or liquid coolant. Rotary contactor 24 can be a rotating wheel shaped device with openings or ducts made of, or covered with, a solid sorbent with affinity to CO.sub.2. As discussed further in this disclosure, cooled section 22 of rotary contactor 24 can adsorb CO.sub.2 from exhaust gases 14, while the remaining unadsorbed gas, such as non-CO.sub.2 components 26 of exhaust gases 14, can pass through rotary contactor 24. As an example, the non-CO.sub.2 components 26 of exhaust gases 14 can include nitrogen gas (N.sub.2), water (H.sub.2O), and other known components of exhaust gases from the combustion of carbon containing fuels. After passing through rotary contactor 24, non-CO.sub.2 components 26 can pass to the atmosphere.
(17) Rotary contactor 24 also includes heated section 28. Heated section 28 can be heated by a hot fluid 30 of vehicle 12 to release the adsorbed CO.sub.2 as a stream of released CO.sub.2 29. Hot fluid 30 can be, for example, hot coolant, hot engine oil, a hot portion of exhaust gases 14, a working fluid of energy recovery device 16, or a heating fluid that has been heated by any such example hot fluid 30. As an example, hot coolant of some vehicles could be used regenerate sorbents at temperatures between 75-100 degrees Celsius ( C.). There are a number of suitable sorbent material that can release CO.sub.2 in this temperature range.
(18) Heated section 28 can be heated by conduction, convection, or radiation, or any combination of conduction, convection, and radiation. In certain examples, the hot portion of exhaust gases 14 can be a hot carrier that is easily separated from CO.sub.2, such as steam. The flow of exhaust gases 14 and hot fluid 30 can be in countercurrent (
(19) In embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in
(20) Having only two sections will allow the system to be simpler, more compact and more cost effective than systems with rotary contactors having more than two zones. Embodiments of this disclosure can meet a target of capturing and compressing 60% or less of the CO.sub.2 in exhaust gases 14 without burning additional fuel in engine 13 that would be required to operate systems that have more than two zones.
(21) CO.sub.2 is adsorbed from exhaust gases 14 in cooled section 22. The cooling of cooled section 22 takes place simultaneously with adsorption by cooled exhaust gases 14b. CO.sub.2 is released from the sorbent of rotary contactor 24 in heated section 28 as released CO.sub.2 29. Released CO.sub.2 29 that is released from the sorbent of rotary contactor 24 can be collected and delivered to compressor 20 and then stored onboard vehicle 12 in storage unit 32. CO.sub.2 that is stored in storage unit 32 can be unloaded at a later time, such as when vehicle 12 is being refueled. Rotary contactor 24, energy recovery device 16, compressor 20 and storage unit 32 are all located onboard vehicle 12.
(22) Looking at
(23) At the increased pressure section of turbocompounding the temperature will still be greater (250 to 600 C.) and little cooling of exhaust gases 14 would be needed if a high temperature sorbent is used, such as metal oxides or carbonates. An additional advantage of this arrangement is that the CO.sub.2 will be at a greater pressure leaving rotary contactor 24, which will reduce the power needed for further compression of CO.sub.2 in compressor 20.
(24) In embodiments where energy recovery device 16 is a waste heat recovery system using an organic Rankine cycle, additional synergies can be realized. One synergy is the use of the heat of exhaust gases 14 to generate energy output 18 to provide either electrical or mechanical energy for all or part of the energy needed for compressor 20 to compress CO.sub.2. Another synergy is the use of the working fluid from the organic Rankine cycle as hot fluid 30, as shown in
(25) In the example embodiment of
(26) Looking at
(27) Openings 34 extend from first side 36 of rotary contactor 24 to second side 38 of rotary contactor 24 opposite first side 36. Openings 34 can be arranged as a structured sheet in a manner to minimize the pressure drop of exhaust gases 14 as it flows through cooled section 22 of rotary contactor 24 by way of openings 34 from first side 36 to second side 38. Openings 34 can alternately be arranged as a structured sheet and shaped to maximize the sorbent capacity per unit volume of rotary contactor 24 by maximizing the surface area by the thickness of sorbent per unit volume of rotary contactor 24. Rotary contactor 24 can be optimized by minimizing the pressure drop of exhaust gases 14 as it flows through cooled section 22 of rotary contactor 24 while maximizing the sorbent capacity per unit volume of rotary contactor 24. As an example, rotary contactor 24 can have monolith structured packing, or monolith structured packing with corrugation or wire gauze. The size of openings 34 of the structured packing can be in a range of 1-3 millimeters (mm). The thickness and the diameter of the rotary contactor 24 will depend on exhaust gas flow rate, the percentage of CO.sub.2 to be removed, the solid sorbent capacity and the acceptable pressure drop of exhaust gases 14.
(28) The ducts or openings 34 can be arranged into a wheel shape of rotary contactor 24 and be connected to a motor that will rotate rotary contactor 24 at a given rate of revolution per unit time. The rate of revolution will depend on the flow rate of exhaust gases 14 and the working capacity of the solid sorbent. As an example, rotary contactor 24 can rotate in a range of 20 seconds to 5 minutes per revolution, depending on the kinetics of the applicable adsorption-desorption.
(29) The solid sorbent material will have an affinity for CO.sub.2 and will adsorb CO.sub.2 at the pressure and temperature at which exhaust gases 14 are delivered to rotary contactor 24. As an example, the solid sorbent of certain embodiments can adsorb CO.sub.2 at a CO.sub.2 partial pressure of 0.01 to 0.2 bars or a total pressure of about 1 bar and in a temperature range of ambient to about 100 C. The solid sorbent can also regenerate, or release CO.sub.2 at ambient pressure and temperature range of 40 to 300 C. In alternate embodiments where exhaust gases 14 are delivered at an increased pressure, the selected solid sorbent will adsorb CO.sub.2 at such increased pressure, such as at a total pressure in a range of 1.2 to 5 bars. For example for activated carbon, the adsorption could be at ambient temperature and the release temperature at 50 to 60 C. In example embodiments where the sorbent is a zeolite, the adsorption could be at ambient to 40 C. and release at 100-200 C., and where the sorbent is magnesium carbonate based, the adsorption could be around 250 C. and regeneration at 300 C.
(30) Looking at
(31) As an example, purge sector 42 can be located at a small distance apart from rotary contactor 24 adjacent second side 38 of rotary contactor 24 at the junction of cooled section 22 and heated section 28. Along one side, purge sector 42 has a lip 44 that almost touches rotary contactor 24, to prevent gases from flowing in the direction past lip 44. The opposite side the purge sector 42 is open, with no lip, to allow gases to flow out from this side. As released CO.sub.2 29 initially emerges from heated section 28 at the location of purge sector 42, released CO.sub.2 will be mixed with remnant exhaust gas due to the proximity to the flow of exhaust gas. The emerging mixture is prevented from contaminating the more pure stream of released CO.sub.2 29 by purge sector 42 and is instead directed to mix with the stream of exhaust gases 14 at the open side of purge sector 42.
(32) Looking at
(33) In the example embodiment of
EXAMPLE
(34) In an example of use of the methods and systems of this disclosure, vehicle 12 can emit on average 150 grams (g) of CO.sub.2 per kilometer, while traveling at a speed of 100 kilometers (km) per hour (km/hr). In order to reduce CO.sub.2 emissions by 60%, 9 kilograms (kg) of CO.sub.2 per hour needs to be captured. Assuming a modest working capacity of a solid sorbent material of 3 weight % and a cycle time of one minute, then the amount of solid sorbent needed is 5 kg. For a (porous) solid density of 1 gram per centimeters cubed (g/cm3), and a wheel thickness of 10 cm, rotary contactor 24 will therefore need to have a diameter of 25 cm. A 25 cm rotary contactor 24 can fit easily within many types of vehicles 12.
(35) In the example embodiments of
(36) Embodiments of this disclosure also provide systems and methods that do not require the addition of water for enhancing the control and separation of CO.sub.2. Water storage on board vehicles is not practical because carrying and refilling the required amount of water will reduce the vehicle fuel economy and be an inconvenience for the owner or operator. In addition, there will be wasted heat when the exhaust gas has to be cooled from 400 C. to less than 100 C., as in some current systems that require additional water.
(37) Embodiments of the current application further solve the problem of long cycle times of some current systems using solid sorbents in capturing CO.sub.2 in mobile applications. In addition, further efficiencies and synergies and a more compact design are realized in embodiments of the current application when using turbocompounding waste heat recovery.
(38) Embodiments of the disclosure described, therefore, are well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as others that are inherent. While example embodiments of the disclosure have been given for purposes of disclosure, numerous changes exist in the details of procedures for accomplishing the desired results. These and other similar modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and are intended to be encompassed within the spirit of the present disclosure and the scope of the appended claims.