EP2178620A2

EP2178620A2 - Method for the purification of a gas containing co2

Info

Publication number: EP2178620A2
Application number: EP08826329A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bruno Alban; Christophe Claeys; Philippe Court; Arthur Darde; Guillaume De Smedt; Bao Ha; Vladimir Hasanov; Simon Jallais; Christian Monereau; Serge Moreau; Elise Renou; Ivan Sanchez-Molinero; Jean-Pierre Tranier
Original assignee: Air Liquide SA; LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Current assignee: Air Liquide SA; LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Priority date: 2007-07-13
Filing date: 2008-07-08
Publication date: 2010-04-28
Also published as: JP5362716B2; AU2008277535A1; US20100263529A1; AU2008277535B2; CA2693054A1; US8465570B2; CN101743050A; FR2918578A1; WO2009010690A2; ZA200908605B; CN101743050B; JP2010533117A; FR2918578B1; WO2009010690A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the purification of a feed gas stream containing CO2 and at least one impurity, comprising the following successive steps: a) a pre-treatment step; b) a compression step; c) a step comprising the elimination of at least one impurity contained in the compressed gas stream, selected from nitrogen, oxygen, argon and noble gases, using exchangers combined with separators in a cold cycle, i.e. temperature 2-enriched purified gas stream is recovered in liquid, gaseous or supercritical form. The invention is characterised in that a purification step is performed between steps (a) and (c) in order to eliminate at least paritally at least one impuritiy selected from nitrogen oxides and water.

Description

Process for purifying a gas containing CO ₂

The invention relates to a method for purifying a flow of feed gas containing at least CO2 and at least one impurity characterized by the integration of a purification step, allowing at least partial elimination of the water.

It is more precisely to develop a complete CO ₂ treatment process from an oxy-combustion (combustion with pure oxygen or with a gas lower in nitrogen than air) of an industrial character, allowing the condition for transportation and storage for different uses.

Indeed, the combustion gases of fossil fuels and / or biomass or incineration of waste or gases from glass furnaces mainly contain heavy metals such as mercury arsenic, iron, nickel ..., organic pollutants and SOx or NOx compounds.

Solutions exist for the atmospheric pressure treatment of pollutants on which atmospheric emissions are regulated (SO2, NOx, Hg and CO for example).

For example, EP-A-1332786 discloses a process for purifying a gas stream by removing NOx, SOx, Hg and HgO by oxidation with ozone.

Furthermore, it is known from EP-A-1308198 to remove mercury by gas-liquid contact in the presence of H2S. A flash of the liquid phase provides a mercury-enriched gas which is trapped by adsorption on Al 2 O 3, TiO 2, SiO 2, activated carbon or zeolite, doped with sulfur compounds. However, these processes do not guarantee a high elimination of treated pollutants, but aim at a limit discharge content to the atmosphere, as required by the standards in place.

On the other hand, they treat combustion fumes in the air, less concentrated because containing mainly nitrogen. Indeed, if we consider the stoichiometry of the combustion reactions, the amount of oxygen (oxidizer) to bring is conditioned by the amount of fuel. Also, if we use air and not pure oxygen, since there is only 21% oxygen in this air, it is necessary to enter a flow well higher to guarantee an identical concentration of oxygen in order to carry out this combustion in good conditions. Thus, the flows are more diluted and so we find nitrogen in large quantities in the fumes since it is the major compound of the air

(-78%). However, the application capture and storage of CO2 from an oxy-combustion creates additional needs for purification of other compounds and / or these same compounds in different proportions.

Indeed, this application capture and storage of CO2 from an oxy-combustion requires not a treatment to remove large amounts of non-minor components but a thorough purification treatment (polishing) of the product which aims to remove impurities harmful to the environment. the whole process as well as the storage of this CO2 in the appropriate geological layers.

On the basis of this, a problem is to provide an improved method for purifying a CO2-containing gas stream, i.e. a process which ensures a thorough removal of treated pollutants, in particular a thorough elimination of the water. The solution of the invention is then a process for purifying a feed gas stream containing CO2 and at least one impurity selected from water, nitrogen, oxygen, argon, rare gases , SOx, CS ₂ H ₂ S, NOx, HCN, HCl, CHCl ₃ , HF, volatile organic compounds and the following metals: mercury, arsenic, iron, nickel, tin, lead, cadmium, vanadium, molybdenum and selenium, and the compounds derived from these metals, comprising the following successive steps: a) pretreatment step of the feed gas stream for at least partially removing one of the impurities; b) step of compressing the pretreated gas flow at a pressure of between 10 and 50 bar; c) step of removing at least one impurity at a temperature <5 ° C, present in the compressed gas stream, selected from nitrogen, oxygen, argon and noble gases with the aid of exchangers combined with separators; d) step of recovering a stream of purified gas, enriched in CO ₂ , in the liquid, gaseous or supercritical state; characterized in that between steps a) and c) is carried out a purification step for removing at least partially the water contained in the gas stream.

The pretreatment step a) may be any purification for removing at least one solid, liquid or gaseous component. This purification is located upstream of at least one compression phase; and if the feed gas stream is an oxy-fuel smoke, this purification is also located downstream of the oxy-fuel combustion boiler.

By separators is meant both gas / liquid separators of various types

(separators by gravity, with or without coalescer system, cyclones ...) and / or distillation columns of any type (stripper, distillation, washing, phlegmator ...) whose outputs can be in liquid or vapor form . It can also be voluntary solid deposition separation then cyclically revaporized.

Depending on the case, the method according to the invention may have one of the following characteristics: after step d), the gas flow is in the liquid state and stored, or in the supercritical state and transported and / or stored, or in the gaseous state and transported;

the purification step makes it possible to eliminate at least partially at least one other impurity chosen from nitrogen, oxygen, argon, rare gases, SOx, CS2, H2S, NOx, HCN, HCl and CHCl3; , HF, volatile organic compounds, the following metals: mercury, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, iron and carbonyl nickel, and compounds derived therefrom, preferably at least partially SOx;

the purification step is carried out between step a) and step b);

the purification step is carried out between step b) and step c);

the compression step b) comprises successive compression phases and in that the purification step is carried out between two successive compression phases of said compression step b);

that the purification step is carried out at a pressure of between 2 bar absolute and 25 bar absolute, preferably between 3 and 9 bar absolute, more preferably between 3.5 and 6 bar absolute; in the purification step, one or more organic or inorganic materials are used to at least partially remove the water contained in the gas stream; in the purification step, one or more organic or inorganic materials, which are identical or different from those for removing water, are also used to at least partially eliminate at least one impurity chosen from nitrogen, oxygen and , argon, rare gases, SOx, CS ₂ , H ₂ S, NOx, HCN, HCl, CHCl ₃ , HF, volatile organic compounds, the following metals: mercury, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, iron and nickel, and compounds derived from these metals, preferably at least partially SOx;

the organic or inorganic materials are adsorbent materials;

the adsorbent materials are used in at least one fluidized bed reactor; the adsorbent materials are used in at least one fixed-bed reactor;

each fluidized bed reactor in the adsorption phase corresponds to at least one fluidized-bed or falling-bed reactor in the regeneration phase;

all the reactors are subjected to the same cycle of PSA, VSA or TSA type;

at least one of the reactors is subjected to a TSA cycle and at least one of the reactors is subjected to a PSA cycle;

at least one reactor is subjected to both a TSA cycle and a PSA cycle;

at least one waste gas is recovered during the purification step;

in the purification step, a first waste gas having a content of NOx Tl and a second waste gas having a content of NOx T2 such as T2 <T1 are recovered; the first waste gas is recycled in an oxy-boiler;

at least one waste gas, preferably the first waste gas is recycled upstream of the purification step in the main stream; In fact, the recycled waste gas can be recycled anywhere upstream of the last liquid water outlet. This liquid water outlet can be in the low-pressure wash (s) of the pretreatment stage, in the condensers located between two compression phases or in an eventual high-pressure washing tower, located downstream of the compression;

the second waste gas is either released directly to the atmosphere, or treated and then released into the atmosphere;

the second waste gas is treated by washing and / or refrigeration followed by a gas-liquid separation; at least a portion of the stream of CO2-enriched gas resulting from the purification step makes it possible to regenerate at least part of the adsorbent materials of the purification unit;

- In the purification step is implemented a coal bed and said used coal is mixed with the fuel of an oxy-combustion boiler; the flow of feed gas is an oxy-combustion smoke;

the volatile organic compounds are chosen from formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, formic acid, acrolein and acetic acid;

the pretreatment step comprises at least one of the following treatments: catalysis, filtration, washing and desulfurization, with the washing being able to be coupled with a cooling of the feed gas.

The term "oxycombustion" is understood to mean combustion during which the coal is burned in a fluid that is low in nitrogen, which may range from pure oxygen (> 95%) to a fluid containing the same quantity of oxygen as air (about 21%) obtained by mixing pure oxygen (> 95%) with recycled fumes rich in CO2. The invention will now be described in more detail.

By way of example, a TSA process for purifying a gaseous mixture can comprise the following steps:

1) purification of a gaseous mixture by adsorption of impurities at superatmospheric pressure and at room temperature, 2) depressurization of the adsorber up to atmospheric pressure,

3) regeneration of the adsorbent at atmospheric pressure at a temperature usually between 100 and 250 ^° C. using one or more heat exchangers,

4) cooling at ambient temperature of the adsorbent,

5) repressurization of the adsorber. FIG. 1 represents a device making it possible to carry out a method according to the present invention characterized by the location of the purification step at the end of the compression cycle, that is to say between steps b) and c).

The first step a) of the present invention aims at treating the fumes using known methods forming part of the state of the art. Washing is commonly found, which uses different liquids (or solvents) such as water, alcohols

(methanol for example), amine solutions, basic solutions ... these are the most conventional but there are many others, or desulphurization units or filtration units. It will also be noted that a washing, in particular a washing with water, may be coupled with the partial cooling of the feed gas stream, thus ensuring the triple function of condensation of the heavier compounds, adsorption of the most soluble compounds and retention of solid particles, in particular containing metal compounds.

The gas resulting from step a) may in general contain: a large majority of CO2 (generally greater than 80%); nitrogen oxides, called NOx, such as NO, NO2, N2O4 ...; - sulfur oxides, called SOx, such as SO2, SO3, H2SO4 ...; water at saturation (at the conditions of temperature and pressure of the flow). Indeed, the treatment processes in the first stage almost all require the contact of the gas with an aqueous solution; oxygen up to a few percent (derived from the excess compared to the stoichiometry necessary to ensure a good combustion efficiency); CO (unburnt combustion); incondensables vis-à-vis CO2: nitrogen, argon, oxygen and rare gases, mainly from the air inlets on the oxy-combustion boiler and the purity of oxygen; - heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, iron, nickel, tin, lead, cadmium, vanadium, molybdenum, selenium and compounds derived from these metals; volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and unburned hydrocarbons.

Then, during the second step b), the gas flow is compressed to a sufficient pressure level to be able firstly to separate a part of the undesirable compounds in doing so (separators generally located immediately after each compression step followed a heat exchange to cool the flow of gas to remove the condensables that appeared during this cooling (water for example) and on the other hand to bring the gas under the right conditions (temperature and pressure) to prepare the elimination of other impurities in the following steps. A penultimate step c) will see the elimination of incondensable compounds. This third step can be optimized if it is carried out at low temperature, that is to say at a temperature <5 ° C., preferably at a negative temperature, more preferably between -20 ^° C. and -60 ^° C. using exchangers combined with separators in a cold cycle.

The fourth step d) then aims to recover a stream of purified gas, enriched in CO ₂ .

However, in the third step c), the generally used temperature level below 0 ^° C. requires a reduction in the water content, and possibly some other compounds not sufficiently retained during the pre-treatment stage or during successive compressions and condensations. Indeed, the presence of water or these other compounds likely to be deposited in equipment such as heavy hydrocarbons, sulfur compounds or nitrogen compounds ... would prohibit reaching in the penultimate step c) the temperature levels sufficiently cold, preferably between -20 ° C and -60 ° C, to effectively produce a flow of CO ₂ content in accordance with current standards. Producing efficiently means a global cost encompassing investment and energy related to this industrially acceptable production, aligned with the expectations of international organizations. Thus, it appears that the purification step (or so-called polishing) is required between the first step a) which pretreat the flow of feed gas for their subsequent processing and the third step c) which allows to to separate the incondensable compounds from the CO2 contained in the gas flow.

This purification step may be placed throughout the second step b) which aims to gradually compress the gases from around atmospheric pressure to the pressure required mainly to separate the inert from the majority CO2.

From there, the choice of the location of the purification step will be a function of a number of criteria such as the investment, the type of materials in the second step b), the nature and the concentration of the impurities. The first possibility is to place the purification step at the beginning of step b), that is to say to carry out the purification at low pressure. However, this position has two disadvantages, namely:

on the one hand, a non-optimal purification, because the lower the operating pressure, and the smaller the quantity of impurities that an adsorbent can retain, if an adsorption process is used for example; and - secondly the use of non-liquid separations / gas will be systematically arranged behind each compression stage compression train component (2 ^nd step b)). Indeed, these separations can recover a good amount of condensable molecules that have been condensed during compression, such as for example the remainder of water and volatile organic compounds. In doing so, the amount of impurities to be removed as a result of b) will be much lower. This will inevitably have significant advantages in terms of investment on this purification step.

On the other hand, the position of the purification stage upstream of the compressor train constituting the second step b) makes it possible to envisage removing the impurities that are detrimental to the rest of the process: that is to say water, organic compounds volatile, metal-based compounds ... also, it may result in a certain advantage as to the nature of the materials to be used in the following, particularly in the steps of compressions.

The second possibility is to place the purification step between two compression stages of the second step b). This second possibility makes it possible to dispose of the gas at an intermediate pressure between that which is close to the atmospheric (beginning of the second step b) and that which is required in the third step c) of the process. This necessarily results in a significant reduction in the installed volume and therefore the cost of the unit compared to an installation upstream of the compression step. This is all the more true that we move the purification step towards the end of the second step. Indeed, the water may be the key element in the design of the purification unit implemented in step e) (in the case of cyclic adsorption for example). On the one hand, the compression step (s) upstream of the purification step make it possible to condense water, thereby decreasing the quantity of water to be stopped at the level of the purification step and therefore the volume adsorbent of said purification. On the other hand, the increase in pressure makes it possible to reduce the volume real gas to be treated and allows to optimize flow section and / or pressure losses compared to a low pressure purification.

The compression step b) makes it possible to bring the flow of feed gas to a pressure such that at least one of the condensable gases can be removed. This pressure is between 10 and 50 bar depending on the amount of incondensable and the impurity specification of the CO2 produced. The pressure upstream of the compression step is close to atmospheric pressure.

In the general case where the compression step b) comprises successive compression phases and where the purification step is placed between two successive compression stages, said purification will be carried out between 2 and 25 bar abs, preferably between 3 and 9 bar abs still preferably between 3.5 and 6 bar abs. The type or types of compressors will be chosen according to the flow rate and the pressures among the types of conventional compressors. The exact staging of the pressures, the systematic presence or not of refrigerant after each stage of compression will be optimized according to the type of the machines and the local economic conditions.

Note that in the case where the purification step for removing water from the feed gas stream is located between two compression stages, it is always possible to add additional purification means, preferably downstream of said purification step, for example a means for trapping at least one heavy metal or a compound derived from a heavy metal at the final pressure of compression.

The major disadvantage will come from the amount of impurities that will be contained in the compression stages upstream of step c). It is therefore likely that it is necessary to adapt the compressors to the types of impurities.

Finally, the third possibility is to place the purification step at the end of the second step b).

Thus, in this case, the volume of the purification unit implemented in the purification step will be minimal but the whole of the second compression step b) will be performed with the flow of unpurified gas.

The choice of the location of the purification step will then be made taking into account the impurities (largely related to the raw material involved in the oxycombustion, ie for example the nature of the coal), the efficiency of the meadow. - treatment, their possible impact on step b) of the process (compression) and the volume of the process to be installed.

The purification process will be chosen according to the impurity (s) to be stopped, its quantity and economic considerations that may be specific to the project (existence of utilities, synergy with neighboring units, etc.). The most conventional methods for removing impurities from a gas that will be subjected to a low temperature treatment are washes (absorption), refrigeration / condensation and / or crystallization at room temperature, catalysis, chemistry-sorption and adsorption.

In the majority of cases, adsorption appears to be the most competitive solution. It is not excluded that the purification step consists of several sub-steps, a sub-step being for example based on an adsorption process.

Moreover, different technologies can be implemented to bring into contact the gas molecules and the adsorbent materials of the purification step.

Each of these technologies may have advantages and disadvantages that may make them advantageous in a process for treating a gas stream containing CO ₂ resulting from oxycombustion, according to the invention.

Three types of technologies can be implemented.

The first technology lies in the implementation of a fixed bed adsorption.

The gas to be purified passes through a stack of adsorbent grains, also called fixed bed, which will gradually retain molecules and in doing so, purify the gas. Several types or grades of adsorbents may be used in a mixture or in superposed layers, depending on the impurities to be removed and their proportions, so as to best use the adsorption / desorption properties of each adsorbent. It remains only after regenerating the adsorbent, that is to say to remove the retained molecules so that it can adsorb again. Thus, all processes that utilize adsorption have an inherently cyclic nature; the two stages of adsorption and regeneration constituting the two main stages of the cycle.

These methods can also be characterized and named according to the adsorbent regeneration means. The means of regeneration is generally imposed by the nature of the bonds that will establish between the molecules and the adsorbent. The stronger they are, the more energy they must bring to break it. Thus, among the adsorption processes, we find:

processes of the PSA type (Pressure Swing Adsorption = adsorption at modulated pressure). Thus, the desorption engine is the pressure difference between the adsorption phase and the regeneration phase. The pressure of the latter is then above atmospheric pressure.

methods of the VSA type (Vacuum Swing Adsorption = adsorption at modulated pressure with a vacuum stage). Using the same principle as seen above, it is to exacerbate the pressure difference by maintaining an even lower regeneration pressure, therefore under atmospheric pressure. processes of the TSA type (Swing Adsorption Temperature = adsorption with temperature variation). In this case, it is used that the rise in temperature will decrease the amount adsorbed.

These different gas flow adsorption processes preferably comprise at least two adsorbers, operating alternately, that is to say that one of the adsorbers is in the production phase, while the other is in phase of production. regeneration.

The TSA process is generally the safest way to perfectly regenerate a polluted adsorbent and remains a fairly simple process.

On the other hand, the PSA and VSA methods can be complicated and, in doing so, optimized at will. The cycles are generally provided with many complementary steps all known to those skilled in the art (such as balancing between bottles ...). Their modulation and their concatenation make it possible to optimize any type of process.

The PSA and VSA processes can even be combined since we can talk about VPSA. The "driving force" of the process is increased by increasing the pressure on adsorption P and decreasing that of regeneration by using vacuum V.

In the case of the present invention, it may also be advantageous to combine the effect of temperature and pressure. We could then talk about PTSA. Indeed, a high temperature may be essential to regenerate an adsorbent polluted with water. In general, polar or little volatile molecules will strongly adsorb on the adsorbents which are specific to them; for example, the hydrogen bonds that will be established to retain water on an adsorbent such as alumina or silica gel, or the interaction of water with the cations in the case of a zeolite can only be broken by a significant energy input; it will be the objective of a hot gas so high temperature that will be sent against the current. Nevertheless, the other molecules may not require this temperature and then, the pressure alone is sufficient. Thus, by cleverly combining the different elements of the process, it will be possible to optimize the performance of the process.

Two solutions can be implemented to combine a TSA and a PSA The first solution consists in implementing at least one adsorber subjected to a TSA cycle and at least one adsorber subjected to a PSA cycle. The main advantage lies in the use of two different modes of regeneration. Thus, since only TSA will be regenerated at temperature, the energy expended for the entire separation will be minimized. On the other hand, this will be done to the detriment of the investment costs related to the implementation of two different processes, and the operation which will be more delicate since they are two independent processes. The second solution is to implement at least one adsorber subjected to both a TSA cycle and both a PSA cycle. Thus, the adsorbent material or materials contained in said adsorber will be regenerated at the same time by the pressure (depressurization) and by the temperature (hot elution). The main drawback will come from the energy expended to regenerate all of the adsorbent beds (and not just the one that would require it to adsorb the water). Another disadvantage comes from the obligation to use adsorbents all capable of withstanding the high temperature of regeneration. On the other hand, the advantages in terms of investment and operation are undeniable.

A possible variant of this second solution consists in dividing said adsorber into two parts and regenerating one of the parts according to the TSA mode and regenerating the other part according to the PSA mode.

The advantages of using a process using a fixed-bed adsorption essentially lies in a lower energy implementation because the gas-solid contact is made static, so without moving the solid. Moreover, it does not need to have highly desirable mechanical properties since it suffers only its own weight in the adsorbent bed that is and remains immobile. The major disadvantage of fixed bed technology is that gradients will occur around and in the adsorbent grains that are immobile. In doing so, a certain number of resistances to material and heat transfer are encountered, as well as losses of charge which adversely affect the performance of the adsorption. We can then overcome this problem by using the second technology.

The second technology lies in the implementation of a fluidized bed adsorption.

The gas to be purified passes through a fluidized bed, that is to say a bed in which the adsorbent is in constant motion. Then, the constant renewal of the molecules on the surface of the adsorbent grains makes it possible to maximize the gradients and, in doing so, to maximize the fluxes of material and heat transfer.

The performances of this type of process are better than those of processes using fixed lilies.

However, the main disadvantage is that the adsorbent grains must have physical characteristics sufficiently advanced to be moved relatively easily and to prevent them from being worn out by generating dust of adsorbent material. We are talking about attrition. Indeed, they must be of adequate size for the gas to carry them, that is to say that the speed of the gas must cause an upward force on the grain greater than its weight. Furthermore, the fluidized bed technique is similar to the homogeneous reactor which has a transfer function different from a fixed bed reactor, in particular as regards its ability to lead to a very pure gas.

In addition, the fluidized bed used must be stopped to be regenerated. It is to overcome this problem that we can use the third technology. The third technology lies in the implementation of at least one adsorber containing at least one fluidized bed and at least one regeneration reactor.

Thus, for each adsorber in the adsorption phase corresponds a reactor in the regeneration phase. The rate of circulation of the adsorbent makes it possible to regulate the purity of the gas.

The reactor in the regeneration phase may contain a simple falling bed. In other words, the adsorbent material falls and regenerates on contact with the regeneration gas. The advantage of the falling bed lies in the simplicity of the regeneration. However, the residence time for regeneration will be limited by the size of the device. From there, we observe a limited performance for this type of bed.

Another possibility is to implement a reactor in the fluidized bed regeneration phase.

In contrast, in a falling bed, the fluidized bed makes it possible to control the residence time for the regeneration and to increase the performance.

On the other hand, it is possible to integrate the outputs of the purification unit within the CO ₂ treatment chain. For example, a portion (el) of the gas stream from the purification step can be used to regenerate the purification unit implemented in this same step.

The regeneration gas itself, after removing impurities trapped in the purification unit, may be recycled in whole or in part in the overall process.

The following example corresponds to the case where the purification unit is a TSA adsorption unit, that is to say for which the preponderant effect to ensure the regeneration of the adsorbent is a temperature rise. As indicated above, said regeneration will comprise a heating step, very generally a cooling step and optionally a depressurization step if the regeneration is carried out at a pressure lower than that of the purification phase. At these conventional steps can be added complementary steps such as for example a scanning of the adsorbent bed at room temperature. Similarly, the final heating temperature can be reached gradually via successive stages or a ramp. For example, to desorb water from silica gel, the final temperature (HT) will be a priori in the range 120/200 ⁰ C and preferably between 140 and 175 ° C. The regeneration step in the case of an ASD will last from one to a few hours, probably at least 4 hours in the majority of cases. Depending on their affinity with the adsorbents involved, the impurities arrested during the purification phase will be more or less easily desorbed and preferentially exit during a period of the regeneration phase. For example, the water stopped on silica gel will only be evacuated in large quantities when the heat front has flowed counter-current most of the adsorbent bed (from the shape of the water front in the adsorber, the most of the trapped water is near the inlet side adsorption). The less strongly adsorbed impurities will be released before or simultaneously with the beginning of the exit of the water. Conversely, the most adsorbed impurities, such as certain acids that may be formed during the entrapment of water (sulfuric acid for example) may exit after water when the regeneration gas becomes dry and approaches the inlet temperature (HT). During cooling, the flow leaving the adsorber has a composition close to the inflow and contains few impurities. From there, it may be interesting to split the flow from the adsorber during the regeneration phases and send this or that part, at least partially, in different equipment. The e2 fractions rich in impurities will be directed to combustion and e3 fractions poor in impurities can either be released to the atmosphere or treated and then rejected.

After possible condensation and separation of the liquid water, a fraction of the regeneration gas, if initially CO2 cleaned, can be recycled into the main flow of CO2. This flow will be recycled at a suitable point given its pressure, its temperature and its content of impurities. A fraction rich in impurities can be recycled for example upstream of the pretreatment while a fraction without impurity can be reinjected to the compression stage corresponding to its pressure. For example, the regeneration pressure or pressures may be adapted to make the best use of the different possibilities offered by the compression step, for example to carry out the cooling - or a part of the cooling - at a higher pressure than the heating.

Thus, on the one hand we will get rid of some troublesome impurities in the combustion and we will not have to treat the entire desorbed flow. In addition, among the components leaving the purification unit and can be introduced advantageously into the oxy-boiler, it will be noted:

- water whose natural acidity will be compensated in the products of combustion by the natural alkalinity of the ashes produced. At the same time, the dissolved species will be destroyed or diluted in the same ashes, which constitute a natural purge of the system. Another possibility is to mix these waters with the fuel: for example in the form of a slurry or an emulsion for liquid fuels. - oxygen that can be used as an oxidizer.

the nitrogen compounds: NO2, N2O, N2O3, N2O5, HCN, N2O4. This type of compounds can be destroyed by the flame of the oxy-boiler. In existing air boilers equipped with "burner", a fraction of the nitrogen compounds produced in the main combustion is effectively destroyed during an afterburner.

- the organic compounds will be destroyed in the flame if they are introduced into the boiler. These compounds, concentrated in the purification unit, are mostly toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic.

- Other non-oxidized species or intermediate oxidation stage, such as CO, can be reintroduced into the boiler to be oxidized during combustion.

- Heavy metals and compounds including them, once reintroduced in the boiler, will be distributed in the ashes, which usually contain most of them already. Indeed, most of the metallic trace elements remain in the ashes, and only a very minority part continues its course in the fumes towards the unit of purification of CO2.

As mentioned above, the organic compounds concentrated in the purification unit are for the most part toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic. Also, if the purification step is based on adsorption, the adsorbents that stop the organic compounds must be treated after use. A common treatment for this purpose is incineration. From there, a possibility is to implement in the purification step a succession of adsorption beds including a bed of coal. A fraction of the trace components: heavy metals, organic and organometallic compounds present in the fumes are stopped there. After having served as an adsorbent, the coal used is then periodically mixed with the fuel in the oxy-combustion boiler and thus recovered as a fuel.

Claims

claims

A method for purifying a feed gas stream containing CO from water and at least one impurity selected from nitrogen, oxygen, argon, rare gases, SOx, CS2 H2S, NOx, HCN, HCl, CHCl3, HF, volatile organic compounds, the following metals: mercury, arsenic, iron, nickel, tin, lead, cadmium, vanadium, molybdenum and selenium , and compounds derived from these metals, comprising the following successive steps: a) pretreatment step of the feed gas stream for at least partially removing one of the impurities; b) step of compressing the pretreated gas flow at a pressure of between 10 and 50 bar; c) step of removing at least one impurity at a temperature <5 ° C, present in the compressed gas stream, selected from nitrogen, oxygen, argon and noble gases with the aid of exchangers combined with separators; d) step of recovering a stream of purified gas, enriched in CO2, in the liquid, gaseous or supercritical state; characterized in that between steps a) and c) is carried out a purification step for at least partially removing the water contained in the gas stream and at least partially at least one other impurity selected from nitrogen, l oxygen, argon, rare gases, SOx, CS2, H2S, NOx, HCN, HCl, CHCl3, HF, volatile organic compounds, the following metals: mercury, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, iron and nickel, and compounds derived from these metals, preferably at least partially SOx.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that after step d), the gas flow is:

- in the liquid state and stored; or

- in the supercritical state and transported and / or stored; or - in the gaseous state and transported.

3. Method according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the purification step is performed between step a) and step b).

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the purification step is performed between step b) and step c).

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the compression step b) comprises successive compression phases and in that the purification step is performed between two phases of successive compressions of said step compression b).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the purification step is carried out at a pressure between 2 bar absolute and 25 bar absolute, preferably between 3 and 9 bar absolute, more preferably between 3.5 and 6 absolute bar.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the purification step is implemented one or more organic or inorganic materials to at least partially remove the water contained in the gas stream.

8. Process according to claim 7, characterized in that, in the purification step, one or more organic or inorganic materials, identical or different from those for eliminating water, are also used to eliminate at least part of the at least one impurity chosen from nitrogen, oxygen, argon, rare gases, SOx, CS2, H2S, NOx, HCN, HCl, CHCl3, HF, volatile organic compounds, the following metals: mercury, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, iron and nickel carbonyl, and compounds derived from these metals, preferably at least partially SOx.

9. Method according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the organic or inorganic materials are adsorbent materials.

10. The method of claim 9, characterized in that the adsorbent materials are implemented in at least one fluidized bed reactor.

11. The method of claim 9, characterized in that the adsorbent materials are implemented in at least one fixed bed reactor.

12. The method of claim 10, characterized in that each fluidized bed reactor adsorption phase corresponds to at least one fluidized bed reactor or falling bed in the regeneration phase.

13. Method according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that all the reactors are subjected to the same cycle of PSA type, VSA or TSA.

14. The method of claim 13, characterized in that at least one of the reactors is subjected to a TSA cycle and at least one of the reactors is subjected to a PSA cycle.

15. The method of claim 13, characterized in that at least one reactor is subjected to both a TSA cycle and a PSA cycle.

16. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one waste gas is recovered during the purification step.

17. The method of claim 16, characterized in that in the purification step is recovered a first waste gas having a content of NOx Tl and a second waste gas having a content of NOx T2 such that T2 <T 1.

18. The method of claim 17, characterized in that the first waste gas is recycled in an oxy-boiler.

19. Method according to one of claims 16 or 17, characterized in that at least one waste gas, preferably the first waste gas, is recycled upstream of the purification step in the main stream.

20. Method according to one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that the second waste gas is either released directly to the atmosphere, or treated and then released into the atmosphere.

21. Method according to one of claims 17 to 20, characterized in that the second waste gas is treated by washing and / or refrigeration followed by a gas-liquid separation.

22. Method according to one of claims 9 to 21, characterized in that at least a portion of the CO2 enriched gas stream from the purification step can regenerate at least partly the adsorbent materials of the unit. of purification.

23. Method according to one of claims 9 to 22, characterized in that in the purification step is implemented a bed of coal and said used coal is mixed with the fuel of an oxy-combustion boiler.

24. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feed gas stream is an oxy-combustion smoke.

25. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the volatile organic compounds are chosen from formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, formic acid, acrolein, and acetic acid.

26. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pretreatment step a) comprises at least one of the following treatments: catalysis, filtration, washing and desulphurization, with the washing being able to be coupled with a cooling of feed gas flow.