Gas purification process utilizing engineered small particle adsorbents

摘要

A gas separation process uses a structured particulate bed of adsorbent coated shapes/particles laid down in the bed in an ordered manner to simulate a monolith by providing longitudinally extensive gas passages by which the gas mixture to be separated can access the adsorbent material along the length of the particles. The particles can be laid down either directly in the bed or in locally structured packages/bundles which themselves are similarly oriented such that the bed particles behave similarly to a monolith but without at least some disadvantages. The adsorbent particles can be formed with a solid, non-porous core with the adsorbent formed as a thin, adherent coating on the exposed exterior surface. Particles may be formed as cylinders/hollow shapes to provide ready access to the adsorbent. The separation may be operated as a kinetic or equilibrium controlled process.

主权项

1. A gas separation process comprising contacting a gas mixture containing at least one contaminant with an adsorbent bed of structured adsorbent particles comprising a thin film adsorbent coating on the exterior of a low permeability core,
wherein the adsorbent particles have:
(i) a minimum crosssectional dimension of less than 1 centimeter and greater than 100 microns;(ii) a length to maximum cross-sectional dimension of at least 2:1; and(iii) a longitudinal dimension of at least 20 mm; and wherein the adsorbent particles are positioned in the adsorbent bed with a void fraction not more than 30%, and in an ordered configuration to provide substantially longitudinally extensive, substantially aligned gas channels by which the gas mixture to be separated can access the adsorbent material along the length of at least a proportion of the particles to cause adsorption of at least some of the contaminants and to form a purified gas product having a reduced content of the adsorbed contaminant material.