Treatment method for separating carbon dioxide and hydrogen from a mixture

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for treating a mixture in order to separate carbon dioxide and hydrogen from said mixture, in which: i) the mixture is cooled and partially condensed and a first liquid is separated from the rest of the mixture in a first phase separator; ii) a gas from or derived from a gas from the first phase separator is treated in a hydrogen pressure swing adsorption module in order to produce a hydrogen-rich gas and a hydrogen-depleted residual gas; and iii) said hydrogen-depleted residual gas or a gas derived from said depleted gas is cooled and partially condensed and a second liquid is separated from the remaining gas in a second phase separator, separate from the first phase separator, wherein the first and/or second liquid being rich in carbon dioxide. The invention also relates to an installation for implementing such a method.

Claims

1. A process for treating a mixture for the purpose of separating carbon dioxide and hydrogen from this mixture, the process comprising the steps of: i) cooling and partially condensing the mixture and then separating a first liquid from the mixture in a first phase separator; ii) treating a gas originating or derived from a top gas from the first phase separator in a pressure swing adsorption module for hydrogen to produce a hydrogen-rich gas and a hydrogen-depleted residual gas; and iii) cooling and partially condensing said hydrogen-depleted residual gas or a gas derived from said hydrogen-depleted gas and then separating a second liquid the remaining gas in a second phase separator that is different from the first phase separator, wherein the first liquid or second liquid or a liquid derived from the first liquid or second liquid originating from the first phase separator or from the second phase separator are rich in carbon dioxide as compared to the mixture, wherein the partial condensations in steps i) and iii) are performed in a same cryogenic unit, wherein said mixture is partially condensed in step i) at a temperature below 20 C.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partial condensations in steps i) and iii) are performed in one heat exchanger.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mixture is partially condensed in step i) at a temperature below 40 C.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein step i) comprises the following substeps: a first partial condensation of said mixture at a temperature below 20 C.; separation of the liquid from the rest of the mixture in a phase separator; a second partial condensation of said rest of the mixture at a temperature below 40 C.; separation of the liquid from the remaining gas in another phase separator; wherein the liquid or a liquid derived from the liquid originating from at least one of the phase separators being rich in carbon dioxide.

5. The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first partial condensation of said mixture is at a temperature close to about 40 C. and wherein the second partial condensation of said rest of the mixture is at a temperature of about 50 C.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, before step i), a preliminary step of generating a mixture rich in CO and H.sub.2.

7. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of generating a mixture rich in CO and H.sub.2 is selected from the group consisting of an auto-thermal reforming (ATR), steam reforming of hydrocarbons (SMR), partial oxidation (PDX) process, and combinations thereof.

8. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein said mixture rich in CO and H.sub.2 is treated in a shift reactor to give a mixture enriched in CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2.

9. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein said mixture is compressed, dehydrated, or compressed and dehydrated.

10. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hydrogen-depleted residual gas or said gas derived from said hydrogen-depleted gas is partially condensed in step iii) at a temperature below 20 C.

11. The process as claimed in claim 10, wherein the temperature for partial condensation in step iii) is below 40 C.

12. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid or a liquid derived from the liquid originating from at least one of the phase separators is distilled to give a CO.sub.2-rich fraction and a CO.sub.2-depleted fraction.

13. The process as claimed in claim 12, wherein said CO.sub.2-depleted fraction is recycled by mixing the CO.sub.2-depleted fraction with said mixture, before step i), upstream of the first phase separator or by mixing the CO.sub.2-depleted fraction with said hydrogen-depleted gas, between steps ii) and iii), upstream of the second phase separator.

14. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said remaining gas originating from the second phase separator is filtered by at least one membrane system.

15. An installation for treating a mixture for the purpose of separating carbon dioxide and hydrogen from this mixture, the installation comprising: a pressure swing adsorption module for hydrogen; and a cryogenic unit comprising a first and second phase separators, and a heat exchanger comprising a first cooling circuit, one inlet of which is configured to be connected to a source of said mixture, and an outlet of which is connected to the first phase separator, a gas outlet of which is connected to an inlet of the pressure swing adsorption module for hydrogen, the pressure swing adsorption module for hydrogen comprising a hydrogen-depleted gas outlet which is connected to an inlet of a second cooling circuit of the heat exchanger or of another heat exchanger of the cryogenic unit, an outlet of this second cooling circuit being connected to the second phase separator.

16. The installation as claimed in claim 15, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a heating circuit, an inlet of which is connected to the gas outlet of the first phase separator and the outlet of which is connected to the inlet of the pressure swing adsorption module for hydrogen.

17. The installation as claimed in claim 15, further comprising at least one element from among: a reforming unit; a shift reactor; a drying unit; a distillation column; at least one membrane system; at least one compressor; at least one expander; at least one valve; and at least one pump.

18. The installation as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a hydrogen gas outlet connected to the module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, claims, and accompanying drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only several embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the invention's scope as it can admit to other equally effective embodiments.

(2) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an installation for performing a treatment process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 provides an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 provides an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 provides an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 5 provides an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 6 provides an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) The invention will be better understood, and other aims, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will emerge more clearly in the course of the detailed explanatory description that follows, of several embodiments of the invention given as purely illustrative and nonlimiting examples, with reference to the attached schematic drawings.

(9) In these drawings: FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an installation for performing a treatment process according to the invention; and FIGS. 2 to 6 schematically represent embodiment variants of the installation for performing the process according to the invention.

(10) FIG. 1 shows an installation for performing the elementary steps of the process according to the invention, for treating a mixture 1 for the purpose of separating carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) from this mixture.

(11) The installation of FIG. 1 thus comprises: a source A of mixture 1, a pressure swing adsorption module for hydrogen (PSA H.sub.2) B, and a cryogenic unit C comprising one or two heat exchangers D1 and D2 and first and second phase separators E1 and E2.

(12) In the cryogenic unit, all the elements illustrated do not operate at cryogenic temperatures. Only the low temperature part of the exchanger and the two phase separators, and also the pipes connecting them, operate at temperatures below 10 C.

(13) For greater clarity, we will use in the rest of the description the term PSA H.sub.2 to denote a pressure swing adsorption module for hydrogen.

(14) In the preferred case in which the cryogenic unit C comprises only one heat exchanger, referred to as the main exchanger D, this exchanger comprises several circuits including: a first cooling circuit F1 whose inlet F11 is configured to be connected to the source A of said mixture 1 and whose outlet F12 is connected to the inlet E11 of the first phase separator E1, a second cooling circuit F2 whose inlet F21 is connected to the hydrogen-depleted gas 2 outlet B2 of the PSA H.sub.2 B and whose outlet F22 is connected to the inlet E21 of the second phase separator E2, and a heating circuit F3, whose inlet F31 is connected to the gas outlet 3 of the first phase separator E1 and whose outlet F32 is connected to the inlet B1 of the PSA H.sub.2 B.

(15) In the case where the cryogenic unit C comprises two independent exchangers D1 and D2, as is schematically represented by the parallel dashed lines in FIG. 1, two options may be envisaged: the first exchanger D1 comprises circuit F1 and optionally circuit F3, and the second exchanger D2 comprises circuit F2 and optionally circuit F3 (if the latter circuit does not form part of the first exchanger D1).

(16) The process according to the invention comprises three successive steps i), ii) and iii):

(17) i) mixture 1 is partially condensed and a first liquid 4 obtained is separated from the rest (gas 3) of the mixture in the first phase separator E1,

(18) ii) gas 3 is treated in the PSA H.sub.2 B to produce an H.sub.2-rich gas 5 and an H.sub.2-depleted gas 2, and

(19) iii)the H.sub.2-depleted gas 2 is partially condensed and a second liquid 7 obtained is separated from the remaining gas 8 in the second phase separator E2.

(20) In the first step i), mixture 1 circulates in the cooling circuit F1 and is thus cooled, for example to a very low temperature (about 50 C.) to condense the CO.sub.2 present in mixture 1. As explained in the text hereinabove, condensation of the CO.sub.2 is obtained by applying to mixture 1 conditions close to the triple point of CO.sub.2 (5.2 bar at 56.6 C.) so that the CO.sub.2 passes into liquid form and can be separated from the remaining gases comprising uncondensables, such as CH.sub.4, CO, N.sub.2, Ar and H.sub.2. The first liquid 4 originating from the first phase separator E1 is thus rich in CO.sub.2 (from about 95% to 99%), whereas gas 3 leaving this separator E1 contains virtually all of the H.sub.2, a very large amount of the most volatile molecules (CH.sub.4, CO, N.sub.2, Ar) and still an appreciable amount of CO.sub.2.

(21) Between steps i) and ii), gas 3 circulates in the heating circuit F3 so that it exchanges heat with the fluids circulating in the other circuits F1, F2. Given that gas 3 is very cold, it will absorb heat and will release cold on circulating in the circuit F3, and will leave this circuit with a temperature above its entry temperature, which explains why this circuit D3 is known as the heating circuit.

(22) In step the PSA H.sub.2 B makes it possible to separate the hydrogen from the rest of the constituents of gas 3 leaving the circuit F3, with a yield of between 75% and 95%. The purity of the hydrogen produced (gas 5) is then greater than 99 mol %. The H.sub.2-depleted gas 2 produced by the PSA H.sub.2 B contains, for its part, virtually all of the CO.sub.2 present in the gas entering the PSA H.sub.2 B, the other constituents (CH.sub.4, CO, N.sub.2, Ar) and especially an appreciable amount of H.sub.2 resulting from the non-total yield of PSA H.sub.2 B. In the third step iii), gas 2 circulates in the cooling circuit F1 and is thus cooled, for example to a very low temperature (about 50 C.), to condense the CO.sub.2 present in this gas 2, under the same conditions as those outlined above (close to the triple point of CO.sub.2). The second liquid 7 originating from the second phase separator E2 is thus rich in CO.sub.2, whereas gas 8 leaving this separator E2 contains virtually all of the uncondensables (CH.sub.4, CO, N.sub.2, Ar) and an appreciable amount of H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2.

(23) The liquids 4 and 7 originating from the phase separators E1 and E2 are rich in CO.sub.2. Such a process makes it possible to achieve an overall CO.sub.2 recovery yield of more than 90%.

(24) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment variant of the installation for performing the process according to the invention, in which mixture 1 to be treated is a synthesis gas.

(25) In this variant, the source A of mixture 1 comprises: a reforming unit G, a shift reactor H, a drying unit I, and optionally a compressor J1.

(26) The reforming unit G makes it possible to generate via an ATR, SMR or PDX process a mixture 10 rich in CO and in H.sub.2. The outlet G2 of the reforming unit G is connected to the inlet H1 of the shift reactor H which transforms the mixture 10 into a gaseous mixture 11 enriched in CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2. The outlet H2 of the shift reactor H is connected to inlet I1 of the drying unit I, optionally via the compressor J1, to produce a synthesis gas corresponding to mixture 1.

(27) The technology used for the shift reaction (H) may be a high temperature shift or a high temperature then low temperature shift (High Temperature Shift+Low Temperature Shift) or an isothermal shift or an isothermal shift then a low temperature shift (Isothermal Shift+Low Temperature Shift). The isothermal shift technology may be preferred since it allows a higher degree of conversion. In this technology, the reforming gas passes through tubes filled with catalyst immersed in water. The heat of the reformed gas is reused to produce the steam required for the reaction.

(28) The drying unit I makes it possible to dehydrate the gaseous mixture 11, for example by desiccation. Advantageously, this is the only drying step. Placing this step at high pressure before the abovementioned step i) makes it possible to maximize the drying efficiency and to increase the yield of the PSA H.sub.2 B in step ii).

(29) Depending on the pressure at which the step for generating mixture 10 takes place, a step of compressing the gaseous mixture 11 may optionally be added before the drying step in unit I.

(30) The positioning of this optional compression relative to the drying step may result from an optimum between adsorbing the humidity at a high pressure and the cost of the adsorption bottles at such a pressure.

(31) Mixture 1 thus obtained is constituted mainly of H.sub.2, CO and CO.sub.2.

(32) In the variant of FIG. 2, the cryogenic unit C comprises a single multi-fluid heat exchanger, known as the main exchanger D. This exchanger comprises the first and second cooling circuits F1 and F2 and the heating circuit F3 described previously. It also comprises a second heating circuit F4, the inlet F41 of which is connected to the outlet for the remaining gas 8 of the second phase separator E2 and the outlet F42 of which provides a gas 12 containing virtually all of the uncondensables (CH.sub.4, CO, N.sub.2, Ar) and optionally an appreciable amount of H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2. The passage of the gas 8 in circuit F4 of the exchanger allows the gas 8 to absorb heat and to release cold, which is thus recovered for the condensation in steps i) and iii).

(33) The installation also comprises a compressor J2 whose inlet J21 is connected to the outlet B2 of the PSA H.sub.2 B and whose outlet J22 is connected to the inlet F21 of the second cooling circuit F2. This compressor J2 makes it possible to compress the hydrogen-depleted gas 2 produced by the PSA H.sub.2 B, which is at low pressure (from about 1.0 to 5.0 bar), up to a high pressure (for example of the same order of magnitude as that of mixture 1 entering the main exchanger D).

(34) In the example represented, the installation also comprises a third heating circuit F5, expanders K, valves L and a compressor M.

(35) The heating circuit F5 comprises several inlets F51 (here, four inlets F51 are represented) connected to the outlets E12 and E22 of the two phase separators E1 and E2, via valves L and expanders K, and several outlets F52 (here, four outlets F52 are represented) connected to the compressor M. The liquids 4 and 7 leaving the two phase separators E1 and E2 are mixed and then expanded to different pressure levels and heated in the circuits F5, releasing cold by vaporization, and then leave these circuits to produce a stream 13 of purified CO.sub.2.

(36) Before expansion, the liquids 4, 7 may be undercooled through the main exchanger D (step not shown in the figure) especially so as to limit the flash during the expansions known as the LP and HP expansions and thus to limit the loss of cold generated by these flashes.

(37) The compressor M may be associated with a pump to deliver a stream 14 of purified CO.sub.2 at a predetermined pressure.

(38) FIG. 3 shows another embodiment variant of the installation for performing the process according to the invention, which differs from the preceding variant of FIG. 2 essentially by the fact that the first cooling circuit F1 and the first phase separator E1 are replaced by two cooling circuits F1a, F1b and two phase separators E1a, E1b. This installation makes it possible to cool the mixture 1 in two steps and thus to reduce the cold consumption of the installation.

(39) Thus, the heat exchanger D of the cryogenic unit C of the installation of FIG. 3 comprises several circuits: a first cooling circuit F1a configured to cool the mixture 1 to a temperature below 20 C., for example, an intermediate cooling circuit F1b configured to cool to a temperature below 40 C., for example, a second cooling circuit F2, and heating circuits F3, F5.

(40) The second cooling circuit F2 and the heating circuits F3, F5 are identical to those of the variant of the installation described previously with reference to FIG. 2.

(41) The first cooling circuit F1a comprises an inlet F1a1 configured to be connected to the source A of said mixture 1 and an outlet F1a2 connected to the inlet E1a1 of a phase separator E1a. The intermediate cooling circuit F1b comprises an inlet F1b1 connected to the gas 3a outlet E1a2 of this phase separator E1a and an outlet F1b2 connected to the inlet E1b1 of another phase separator E1b. As described in the text hereinabove, the gas 3b leaving the phase separator E1b feeds the heating circuit F3.

(42) In this variant, the process performed comprises, in the condensation and separation step i), the following substeps: a first partial condensation of the mixture 1 at a temperature below 20 C. and more particularly of about 40 C., separation of the liquid 4a from the rest of the mixture 3a in the phase separator E1a, a second partial condensation of the rest of the mixture 3a at a temperature below 40 C., and more particularly of about 50 C., and separation of the liquid 4b from the remaining gas 3b in the other phase separator E1b.

(43) The liquids 4a and 4b originating from the phase separators E1a and E1b are rich in CO.sub.2 and are mixed here with the liquid 7 originating from the phase separator E2, before being expanded and vaporized, as explained in the text hereinabove.

(44) FIG. 4 shows another embodiment variant of the installation for performing the process according to the invention. This variant differs from that described in reference to FIG. 2 essentially in that the installation comprises a distillation column N. This distillation column N comprises an inlet N1 connected, for example via a valve, to the outlets E12 and E22 of liquids 4, 7 of the two phase separators E1 and E2. The distillation column N also comprises a first outlet N2 providing a CO.sub.2-rich fraction 15 with a high purity, and a second outlet N3 providing a CO.sub.2-depleted fraction 16.

(45) The first outlet N2 of the column N is connected to the heating circuit F5 via valves L and expanders K. Fraction 15 is thus converted into a stream 13 of purified CO.sub.2 and then into a stream 14 of purified CO.sub.2 at a predetermined pressure, as described previously.

(46) The second outlet N3 of column N may be connected to the inlet of at least one of the cooling circuits F1 and F2, either directly or via a heating circuit F6 and optionally a compressor, which may be a dedicated compressor J3 or the compressor J2 described in the text hereinabove. The CO.sub.2-depleted fraction 16 is thus recycled by mixing it: with the mixture 1, before step i), upstream of the first phase separator E1, optionally being first compressed in the compressor J3 to reach a predetermined pressure, and/or with the H.sub.2-depleted gas 2 leaving the PSA B, between steps ii) and iii), upstream of the second phase separator E2, in this case at the compressor J2.

(47) Thus, the CO.sub.2 still present in fraction 16 may be at least partly recovered in the cryogenic unit C, which makes it possible to maintain a high CO.sub.2 recovery yield.

(48) FIG. 5 shows another embodiment variant of the installation for performing the process according to the invention. This variant differs from that of FIG. 2 essentially in that the installation also comprises two membrane systems O1 and O2. The first membrane system O1 makes it possible to recover the hydrogen remaining in the gas 8 leaving the second phase separator E2, whereas the second system O2 makes it possible to recover the CO.sub.2 therefrom.

(49) The first system O1 comprises an inlet O11 connected to the outlet F42 of the heating circuit F4, a first outlet O12 providing an H.sub.2-rich permeate 17 and a second outlet O13 providing a CO.sub.2-rich residue 18.

(50) The first outlet O12 of the system O1 may be connected to an inlet B1 or B3 of the PSA H.sub.2 B and/or to the inlet I1 of the drying unit I, either directly or via a compressor which may be a dedicated compressor J4 connected to the PSA or the abovementioned compressor J1 connected to the drying unit I. It may in fact be necessary to compress the permeate 17 that is recovered at a pressure largely inferior to that of the remaining gas 8 entering the first system O1 due to the pressure difference on which is based the principle of permeation and separation in a membrane.

(51) The H.sub.2-rich permeate 17 may thus be recycled: by mixing it with the mixture 1, before step i), and more particularly with the mixture 11, by mixing it with the gas 9 originating from the first phase separator E1 and from the circuit F3, between steps i) and ii), before entering the PSA H.sub.2 B (inlet B1), and/or into the PSA H.sub.2 B (inlet B3).

(52) Depending on the pressure of the permeate 17, it may optionally be compressed before being recycled. In the case where its pressure is below the operating pressure of the PSA H.sub.2 B, it may be compressed in the dedicated compressor J4 before recycling into the PSA H.sub.2 B or compressed in the compressor J1 placed after the shift reactor H, before step i). If its pressure is greater than or equal to the operating pressure of the PSA H.sub.2 B, the permeate may be recycled directly into the PSA H.sub.2 B.

(53) Said residue 18 leaving the first system O1 is recovered at a pressure that is still high and contains a large majority of the CO.sub.2 present at the inlet of the first module O1, the H.sub.2 and also all of the other constituents (CH.sub.4, CO, N.sub.2, Ar) not evacuated in the permeate 17. It is thus treated in the second membrane system O2, the inlet O21 of which is connected to the second outlet O13 of the first module O1. This second system O2 comprises a first outlet O22 providing a CO.sub.2-rich permeate 19 and a second outlet O23 providing a residue 20 rich in CH.sub.4, CO, N.sub.2 and Ar and poor in H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2.

(54) The first outlet O22 may be connected to the inlet F21 of the cooling circuit F2 directly or via a compressor, especially the compressor J2, depending on the pressure of the permeate 19. Thus, this CO.sub.2-rich permeate may be recycled by mixing it with the H.sub.2depleted gas 2, between steps ii) and iii), upstream of the phase separator E2.

(55) Such a variant makes it possible to recover the CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 contained in an appreciable amount (from 40% to 60% of H.sub.2 and from 15% to 35% of CO.sub.2) in the remaining gas 8 originating from the second phase separator E2 and thus to achieve very high CO.sub.2 recovery yields, of more than 95%, and H.sub.2 recovery yields from about 75% to more than 98%, for example.

(56) FIG. 6 shows another embodiment variant of the installation for performing the process according to the invention. This variant substantially corresponds to the combination of the variants of FIGS. 4 and 5, the installation comprising here a distillation column N and two membrane systems O1 and O2. This variant makes it possible to obtain a CO.sub.2-rich liquid with a high purity and a high recovery yield of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2.

(57) It should be noted that other embodiment variants are, of course, possible and that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments represented. In particular, it is possible to combine the above variants with each other as a function of the various needs, such as the desired purity of the CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2.

(58) While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. The present invention may suitably comprise, consist or consist essentially of the elements disclosed and may be practiced in the absence of an element not disclosed. Furthermore, if there is language referring to order, such as first and second, it should be understood in an exemplary sense and not in a limiting sense. For example, it can be recognized by those skilled in the art that certain steps can be combined into a single step. The singular forms a, an and the include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

(59) Comprising in a claim is an open transitional term which means the subsequently identified claim elements are a nonexclusive listing (i.e., anything else may be additionally included and remain within the scope of comprising). Comprising as used herein may be replaced by the more limited transitional terms consisting essentially of and consisting of unless otherwise indicated herein.

(60) Providing in a claim is defined to mean furnishing, supplying, making available, or preparing something. The step may be performed by any actor in the absence of express language in the claim to the contrary.

(61) Optional or optionally means that the subsequently described event or circumstances may or may not occur. The description includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not occur.

(62) Ranges may be expressed herein as from about one particular value, and/or to about another particular value. When such a range is expressed, it is to be understood that another embodiment is from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value, along with all combinations within said range.

(63) All references identified herein are each hereby incorporated by reference into this application in their entireties, as well as for the specific information for which each is cited.