Method and apparatus for producing high-purity liquefied carbon dioxide

Abstract

A liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus that can generate high-purity liquid CO.sub.2 free from moisture and organic matter such as oil includes: a recirculating system that carries out a recirculating treatment on CO.sub.2; and an introduction device that introduces CO.sub.2 from an external source of CO.sub.2 into the recirculating system. The recirculating system includes at least an evaporator that vaporizes CO.sub.2, a condenser that condenses CO.sub.2 from an outlet of the evaporator, and a storage tank that stores liquid CO.sub.2 generated by the condenser. The liquid CO.sub.2 in the storage tank is fed to a point-of-use and to the evaporator. An adsorption device that removes moisture and organic matter (oil) is provided on a line from the external source of CO.sub.2 to the condenser at a position where CO.sub.2 gas flows.

Claims

1. A liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus that supplies carbon dioxide in a liquid state to a destination, the apparatus comprising: a recirculating system comprising at least a storage tank that stores carbon dioxide in the liquid state, an evaporator that vaporizes carbon dioxide, a condenser that condenses carbon dioxide in a gaseous phase flowing out through an outlet of said evaporator to generate carbon dioxide in the liquid state, a supply line through which the carbon dioxide in the liquid state in said storage tank is supplied to the destination, a recirculating line which branches from said supply line and through which part or all of the carbon dioxide in the liquid state is fed to said evaporator via a pressure regulating valve, and a return line through which the carbon dioxide in the liquid state generated by said condenser is fed to said storage tank; and introduction means for receiving a supply of carbon dioxide from an external source of liquid carbon dioxide and introducing the carbon dioxide in a gaseous state, the liquid state, or a gas-liquid mixed state into said recirculating system, wherein an adsorption device is provided on a line from the source of liquid carbon dioxide to said condenser at a position where the carbon dioxide flows in the gaseous phase, said adsorption device removing at least one of moisture and organic matter from the carbon dioxide in the gaseous phase flowing through the position, wherein, in said recirculating system, said adsorption device is provided on a line between the outlet of said evaporator and an inlet of said condenser, and wherein said introduction means introduces carbon dioxide in the liquid state on said recirculating line of at an inlet of said evaporator, and a filter disposed between an outlet of said adsorption device and said condenser to carry out a filter treatment.

2. The liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said evaporator is a gas-liquid separator with a gas-liquid interface of carbon dioxide formed inside.

3. The liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a cooler that cools carbon dioxide flowing through said recirculating line.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a conventional liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus of a recirculating purification type.

(2) FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus including a bypass line.

(4) FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus according to another embodiment.

(5) FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus according to yet another embodiment.

(6) FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus according to still another embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(7) A liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus based on the present invention can be configured similarly to a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus of a recirculating purification type shown in FIG. 1 but is characterized by including an adsorption device provided on a line from a source of liquid CO.sub.2 to a condenser at a position where CO.sub.2 flows in a gaseous phase so that the adsorption device removes at least one of moisture and organic matter from CO.sub.2 gas. The adsorption device includes an adsorbent that adsorbs the at least one of the moisture and the organic matter.

(8) When moisture or organic matter typified by oil is brought into a recirculating system for high-purity CO.sub.2, the moisture or organic matter is difficult to remove by a filter or the like and thus becomes impurities in liquid CO.sub.2 supplied to a point-of-use. Removal of the moisture or organic matter by the adsorption device allows high-purity liquid CO.sub.2 to be stably supplied to the point-of-use. Since CO.sub.2 in a vaporized state is passed through the adsorption device, the performance of the adsorbent filled in the adsorption device can be maximized. Furthermore, an adsorption treatment carried out on CO.sub.2 in a gaseous state serves to reduce elution from the adsorbent and the discharge of particles from the adsorption device itself.

(9) The adsorption device may be, for example, an adsorption column filled with an adsorbent for moisture removal or for organic matter (oil) removal. In this case, an adsorption column for moisture removal and an adsorption column for organic matter removal may be separately provided and connected together in series. Alternatively, a single adsorption column may be filled with an adsorbent suitable for moisture removal and an adsorbent suitable for organic matter removal. What source of liquid CO.sub.2 is used determines the type of the organic matter and the amounts of moisture and organic matter contained in the source of liquid CO.sub.2, and thus, the adsorbent is preferably selected according to the source of liquid CO.sub.2. Well-known adsorbents such as zeolite, molecular sieves, activated alumina, and silica gel may be used as the adsorbent for moisture removal. A well-known adsorbent such as activated carbon may be used as the adsorbent for organic matter removal. Dry gas with moisture therein sufficiently reduced in a controllable manner is preferably passed through these adsorbents to remove moisture from the adsorbents regardless of whether each of the adsorbents is for moisture removal or for organic matter removal.

(10) The source of liquid CO.sub.2 may be stored in a cylinder or a cold evaporator. Alternatively, the source of liquid CO.sub.2 may be recovered CO.sub.2 obtained by recovering CO.sub.2 which has been used at the point-of-use. Commercially available liquid CO.sub.2 which has a certain degree of purity and which is relatively inexpensive is food CO.sub.2, that is, CO.sub.2 produced in accordance with standards for CO.sub.2 as a food additive. However, the food CO.sub.2 contains small amounts of moisture and organic matter. The liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus based on the present invention includes the adsorption device as described above and can generate high-purity liquid CO.sub.2 applicable to, for example, a semiconductor device manufacturing process by using food CO.sub.2 as an external source of liquid CO.sub.2.

(11) An evaporator provided in the recirculating system may provide a function to simply vaporize liquid CO.sub.2. Alternatively, the evaporator may be a gas-liquid separator having a gas-liquid interface formed inside and providing a function to vaporize liquid CO.sub.2 and to shift refractory particles (particulates) contained in the liquid CO.sub.2 to a liquid phase side. The use of an evaporator that is a gas-liquid separator allows the liquid phase content to be purged (discharged) as necessary to discharge the particles out of the system.

(12) FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is configured similarly to the liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, supplies liquid CO.sub.2 (carbon dioxide) to point-of-use 30, and generally includes recirculating system 10 and introduction device 20.

(13) Recirculating system 10 is configured identically to the recirculating system shown in FIG. 1. That is, recirculating system 10 includes storage tank 11 that temporarily stores high-purity liquid CO.sub.2, pump 12 provided at an outlet of storage tank 11, filter 13 provided at an outlet of pump 12, pressure regulating valve 14 for regulating the pressure of liquid CO.sub.2 to be supplied to point-of-use 30, cooler 15 that cools liquid CO.sub.2 flowing out from pressure regulating valve 14, evaporator 16 that carries out gas-liquid separation on the liquid CO.sub.2 flowing out from cooler 15, filter 17 connected to outlet of evaporator 16, and condenser 18 that condenses gaseous CO.sub.2 flowing out from filter 17 so that the CO.sub.2 liquefied by condenser 18 is returned to storage tank 11. Liquid CO.sub.2 from an outlet of filter 13 is supplied to point-of-use 30 in such a manner as to branch from recirculating system 10, and the remaining liquid CO.sub.2 not used at point-of-use 30 is fed to pressure regulating valve 14. Storage tank 11 also includes valve 22 configured to forcibly discharge (blow out) other low-boiling point components (for example, air) and the like which are present therein as impurity components to the exterior. Cooler 15 need not be provided. However, to allow gas-liquid separation to be precisely performed in evaporator 16, liquefaction into liquid CO.sub.2 is preferably reliably achieved, and for that purpose, cooler 15 is preferably provided.

(14) In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, a line from storage tank 11 through pump 12 and filter 13 to point-of-use 30 is a supply line through which liquid CO.sub.2 is supplied to point-of-use 30. A line branching from the supply line and extending to an inlet of evaporator 16 via pressure regulating valve 14 is a recirculating line for liquid CO.sub.2. Furthermore, a line from condenser 18 to storage tank 11 is a return line for liquid CO.sub.2.

(15) In the recirculating system, an evaporator with a gas-liquid interface of CO.sub.2 formed inside (that is, a gas-liquid separator) can be used as evaporator 16. Pressure regulating valve 14 is provided to regulate the pressure of liquid CO.sub.2 to be supplied to point-of-use 30 to a specified pressure value. However, pressure regulating valve 14 need not necessarily be provided depending on, for example, the range of supply pressures or supply speeds needed for point-of-use 30.

(16) Introduction device 20 functions as introduction means that receives a supply of carbon dioxide from an external source of liquid carbon dioxide and introduces the carbon dioxide into recirculating system 10. Introduction device 20 includes vaporizer 24 that vaporizes liquid CO.sub.2 from liquid CO.sub.2 source 23, adsorption device 27 that removes moisture and organic matter from CO.sub.2 gas fed from vaporizer 24, and filter 25 that removes particles from the CO.sub.2 gas flowing out from adsorption device 27. The CO.sub.2 gas from filter 25 is supplied to condenser 18 in recirculating system 10. As described above, adsorption device 27 is used which includes an adsorbent for moisture removal and an adsorbent for organic matter (oil) removal.

(17) In this configuration, liquid CO.sub.2 from liquid CO.sub.2 source 23 is vaporized by vaporizer 24, and thus, even when the liquid CO.sub.2 contains moisture or organic matter, the moisture or organic matter is adsorbed and removed by adsorption device 27. Furthermore, adsorption device 27 may generate particles resulting from the adsorbent. However, the particles generated by adsorption device 27 are removed by filter 25 along with particles derived from liquid CO.sub.2 source 23, and particles having failed to be removed by filter 25 are removed by evaporator 16 and filter 17. Thus, moisture, organic matter, and particles are prevented from being fed to point-of-use 30. For example, refractory particles or particles which have a low vapor pressure and which are thus likely to be dispersed or dissolved into liquid CO.sub.2 are shifted to the liquid phase side in evaporator 16 and thus removed from the CO.sub.2 given that the evaporator has a gas-liquid separation function. The particles having shifted to the liquid phase side in evaporator 16 can be discharged (purged) to the exterior of recirculating system 10 by opening valve 21 provided at the liquid phase side of evaporator 16. In particular, in this configuration, even while an operation of circulating CO.sub.2 through recirculating system 10 is being performed, the particles can be discharged to the exterior of the system by opening valve 21 at an appropriate timing. Thus, loads on whole recirculating system 10 and on downstream filters 13 and 17 can be reduced, allowing high-quality liquid CO.sub.2 to be stably obtained and enabling a reduction in the frequency of maintenance work for the whole liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus. Particles remaining in the gas phase can be removed by filter 17 connected to the outlet of evaporator 16. Filter 17 carries out a filter treatment on CO.sub.2 in a gaseous phase and thus exhibits high separation removal efficiency.

(18) The liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus according to the present embodiment may include a bypass line that allows purified CO.sub.2 to be returned from the supply line to storage tank 11 without passing through cooler 15 and evaporator 16. FIG. 3 shows a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus including a bypass line. In the recirculating line, valve 31 is provided on a pipe connecting pressure regulating valve 14 and cooler 15 together. Bypass line 33 branches from a position between pressure regulating valve 14 and valve 31, with a leading end of bypass line 33 connected directly to storage tank 11. Bypass line 33 includes valve 32 cooperating with valve 31 in functioning as a selector valve.

(19) In a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 3, during the initial period of operation, valve 31 is opened and valve 32 is closed to circulate CO.sub.2 through recirculating system 10 so that the CO.sub.2 flows through evaporator 16 and condenser 18, thus generating high-purity CO.sub.2. When high-purity CO.sub.2 is sufficiently generated and starts to circulate through recirculating system 10, for example, when the purity of CO.sub.2 in recirculating system 10 has reached a predetermined level, valve 31 is closed and valve 32 is opened to circulate CO.sub.2 through recirculating system 10 while preventing the CO.sub.2 from passing through evaporator 16 and condenser 18. In some cases, both valve 31 and valve 32 may be half opened to allow part of the liquid CO.sub.2 flowing out from pressure regulating valve 14 to flow through bypass line 33 while allowing the remaining liquid CO.sub.2 to be supplied to evaporator 16. After high-purity CO.sub.2 is generated by passing CO.sub.2 through evaporator 16 and condenser 18, the high-purity CO.sub.2 need not be passed through evaporator 16 and condenser 18 again. This eliminates the need for energy otherwise needed for the treatment in evaporator 16 and condenser 18, allowing energy consumption to be suppressed.

(20) FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. A liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 4 is different from the liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 in a position where CO.sub.2 gas from introduction device 20 is introduced into recirculating system 10. In the liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 4, CO.sub.2 gas from introduction device 20 is supplied to an inlet side of cooler 15 in the recirculating line. The supplied CO.sub.2 gas is mixed with liquid CO.sub.2 from pressure regulating valve 14 and liquefied in cooler 15, and the liquefied CO.sub.2 is fed to evaporator 16 with a gas-liquid separation function. In this configuration, CO.sub.2 from liquid CO.sub.2 source 23 is invariably subjected to a gas-liquid separation treatment in evaporator 16, and thus, particles are more reliably removed. Even with a source of liquid CO.sub.2 with a large number of particles, high-purity liquid CO.sub.2 with a reduced number of particles can be supplied to point-of-use 30.

(21) Even the liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 4 may include a bypass line through which purified CO.sub.2 is returned from the recirculating line to storage tank 11 without passing through cooler 15 and evaporator 16. Provision of the bypass line allows energy consumption to be suppressed because once high-purity CO.sub.2 is generated by passing CO.sub.2 through evaporator 16 and condenser 18, the high-purity CO.sub.2 need not be passed through evaporator 16 and condenser 18 again.

(22) FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. The liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 5 is similar to the liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 except that adsorption device 27 is not provided in introduction device 20 but in recirculating system 10, that the vaporizer is not provided inside introduction device 20 and CO.sub.2 from the liquid CO.sub.2 source is introduced into recirculating system 10 on the inlet side of evaporator 16, and that no cooler is provided.

(23) The liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 5 includes no vaporizer, and thus, in introduction device 20, liquid CO.sub.2 from liquid CO.sub.2 source 23 is supplied directly to filter 28 that removes particles from the liquid CO.sub.2. Liquid CO.sub.2 flowing out from filter 28 is supplied to recirculating system 10. A position in recirculating system 10 where liquid CO.sub.2 is supplied to recirculating system 10 is on a pipe from the outlet of pressure regulating valve 14 to the inlet of evaporator 16 or at the inlet of evaporator 16. That is, liquid CO.sub.2 from pressure regulating valve 14 and liquid CO.sub.2 from introduction device 20 are joined together so that the resultant liquid CO.sub.2 is supplied to evaporator 16. However, part or all of the CO.sub.2 fed from introduction device 20 to recirculating system 10 may be vaporized at the position where the CO.sub.2 is introduced into recirculating system 10, depending on a piping length in introduction device 20, ambient temperature, or the like. In recirculating system 10, adsorption device 27 is provided between the outlet of evaporator 16 and filter 17. Adsorption device 27 may be similar to the above-described adsorption device.

(24) Also in this configuration, adsorption device 27 is provided on a line from liquid CO.sub.2 source 23 to condenser 18 at the position where CO.sub.2 gas flows. Even if the liquid CO.sub.2 from the liquid CO.sub.2 source contains moisture or organic matter, the moisture or organic matter is adsorbed and removed by adsorption device 27. Furthermore, even if CO.sub.2 fed from introduction device 20 to recirculating system 10 contains particles or other refractory substances, the particles or other refractory substances are removed from the CO.sub.2 by evaporator 16 and filter 17. When evaporator 16 is used which has a gas-liquid interface formed inside, even impurities having an affinity for CO.sub.2 in the liquid phase rather than for CO.sub.2 in the gaseous phase and more easily dissolved into the liquid CO.sub.2 side are removed by evaporator 16 from CO.sub.2 circulating through recirculating system 10. Even when adsorption device 27 itself generates particles, the particles are removed by filter 17. Thus, moisture, organic matter, and particles are prevented from being fed to point-of-use 30.

(25) In the liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 5, if the pressure of liquid CO.sub.2 from liquid CO.sub.2 source 23 is not sufficiently higher than the internal pressure of evaporator 16, the liquid CO.sub.2 may fail to be appropriately introduced from introduction device 20 into recirculating system 10. In such a case, for example, a pump that pumps liquid CO.sub.2 may be disposed between liquid CO.sub.2 source 23 and filter 28. To allow the particles in recirculating system 10 to be shifted to the liquid phase side in evaporator 16, CO.sub.2 is preferably supplied to evaporator 16 in a completely liquid state. Part of the CO.sub.2 flowing out from the outlet of pressure regulating valve 14 may be vaporized depending on an operating condition or the like. In such a case, to ensure that the CO.sub.2 is supplied to evaporator 16 in the liquid state, a cooler may be provided which cools CO.sub.2 flowing between pressure regulating valve 14 and the inlet of evaporator 16 so that liquid CO.sub.2 from introduction device 20 is introduced between the outlet of the cooler and the outlet of evaporator 16. Furthermore, the CO.sub.2 from introduction device 20 is preferably supplied to evaporator 16 in a completely liquid state, and may be introduced into the recirculating system at a position upstream of cooler 15. When supercritical CO.sub.2 is to be supplied to point-of-use 30, the pressure set for pressure regulating valve 14 may be set equal to or higher than the critical pressure of CO.sub.2, and a heater may be installed between pump 12 and point-of-use 30 to raise the temperature of the CO.sub.2 to a value equal to or higher than the critical temperature of CO.sub.2.

(26) Like the liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 5 may also include a bypass line that allows purified CO.sub.2 to be returned from the recirculating line to storage tank 11 without passing through cooler 15 and evaporator 16. With the bypass line, once high-purity CO.sub.2 is generated by passing CO.sub.2 through evaporator 16 and condenser 18, the high-purity CO.sub.2 need not be passed through evaporator 16 and condenser 18 again. This allows energy consumption to be suppressed.

(27) Compared to the liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 5, a liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 6 includes cooler 15 provided between pressure regulating valve 14 and the inlet of evaporator 16, heater 19 provided at the outlet of filter 13 in order to supply supercritical CO.sub.2 to point-of-use 30, and pump 26 provided between liquid CO.sub.2 source 23 and filter 28 in order to increase the pressure of liquid CO.sub.2 in introduction device 20. Cooler 15, heater 19, and pump 26 may be provided independently of one another as necessary.

(28) Like the liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the liquefied carbon dioxide producing apparatus shown in FIG. 6 may also include a bypass line that allows purified CO.sub.2 to be returned to storage tank 11 through the recirculating system without passing through cooler 15 and evaporator 16. With the bypass line, once high-purity CO.sub.2 is generated by passing CO.sub.2 through evaporator 16 and condenser 18, the high-purity CO.sub.2 need not be passed through evaporator 16 and condenser 18 again. This allows energy consumption to be suppressed.

EXPLANATION OF THE REFERENCE SIGNS

(29) 10 Recirculating system 11 Storage tank 12, 26 Pump 13, 17, 25, 28 Filter 14 Pressure regulating valve 15 Cooler 16 Evaporator 18 Condenser 19 Heater 20 Introduction device 21, 22, 31, 32 Valve 23 Liquid CO.sub.2 source 24 Vaporizer 27 Adsorption device 30 Point-of-use 33 Bypass line