Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J20/00—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof
  • B01J20/30—Processes for preparing, regenerating, or reactivating
  • B01J20/32—Impregnating or coating ; Solid sorbent compositions obtained from processes involving impregnating or coating
  • B01J20/3231—Impregnating or coating ; Solid sorbent compositions obtained from processes involving impregnating or coating characterised by the coating or impregnating layer
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
  • B01D53/02—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J20/00—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof
  • B01J20/02—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising inorganic material
  • B01J20/10—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising inorganic material comprising silica or silicate
  • B01J20/16—Alumino-silicates
  • B01J20/18—Synthetic zeolitic molecular sieves
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J20/00—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof
  • B01J20/22—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising organic material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J20/00—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof
  • B01J20/28—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof characterised by their form or physical properties
  • B01J20/28014—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof characterised by their form or physical properties characterised by their form
  • B01J20/28016—Particle form
  • B01J20/28019—Spherical, ellipsoidal or cylindrical
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J20/00—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof
  • B01J20/30—Processes for preparing, regenerating, or reactivating
  • B01J20/32—Impregnating or coating ; Solid sorbent compositions obtained from processes involving impregnating or coating
  • B01J20/3202—Impregnating or coating ; Solid sorbent compositions obtained from processes involving impregnating or coating characterised by the carrier, support or substrate used for impregnation or coating
  • B01J20/3204—Inorganic carriers, supports or substrates
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J20/00—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof
  • B01J20/30—Processes for preparing, regenerating, or reactivating
  • B01J20/32—Impregnating or coating ; Solid sorbent compositions obtained from processes involving impregnating or coating
  • B01J20/3231—Impregnating or coating ; Solid sorbent compositions obtained from processes involving impregnating or coating characterised by the coating or impregnating layer
  • B01J20/3242—Layers with a functional group, e.g. an affinity material, a ligand, a reactant or a complexing group
  • B01J20/3244—Non-macromolecular compounds
  • B01J20/3246—Non-macromolecular compounds having a well defined chemical structure
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J20/00—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof
  • B01J20/30—Processes for preparing, regenerating, or reactivating
  • B01J20/32—Impregnating or coating ; Solid sorbent compositions obtained from processes involving impregnating or coating
  • B01J20/3231—Impregnating or coating ; Solid sorbent compositions obtained from processes involving impregnating or coating characterised by the coating or impregnating layer
  • B01J20/3289—Coatings involving more than one layer of same or different nature
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J20/00—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof
  • B01J20/30—Processes for preparing, regenerating, or reactivating
  • B01J20/32—Impregnating or coating ; Solid sorbent compositions obtained from processes involving impregnating or coating
  • B01J20/3291—Characterised by the shape of the carrier, the coating or the obtained coated product
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B82—NANOTECHNOLOGY
  • B82Y—SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
  • B82Y30/00—Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D2253/00—Adsorbents used in seperation treatment of gases and vapours
  • B01D2253/10—Inorganic adsorbents
  • B01D2253/106—Silica or silicates
  • B01D2253/108—Zeolites
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D2253/00—Adsorbents used in seperation treatment of gases and vapours
  • B01D2253/30—Physical properties of adsorbents
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D2255/00—Catalysts
  • B01D2255/50—Zeolites
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D2257/00—Components to be removed
  • B01D2257/50—Carbon oxides
  • B01D2257/504—Carbon dioxide
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
  • B01D53/34—Chemical or biological purification of waste gases
  • B01D53/46—Removing components of defined structure
  • B01D53/62—Carbon oxides
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
  • F25B17/00—Sorption machines, plants or systems, operating intermittently, e.g. absorption or adsorption type
  • F25B17/08—Sorption machines, plants or systems, operating intermittently, e.g. absorption or adsorption type the absorbent or adsorbent being a solid, e.g. salt
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02C—CAPTURE, STORAGE, SEQUESTRATION OR DISPOSAL OF GREENHOUSE GASES [GHG]
  • Y02C20/00—Capture or disposal of greenhouse gases
  • Y02C20/40—Capture or disposal of greenhouse gases of CO2

Definitions

• the present application relates to a protected solid adsorbent, a method of protecting solid adsorbents against reactive fluids, and an adsorption system that includes a protected solid adsorbent.
• Solid adsorbents such as zeolites can be used in heat-to-power (HTP) and heat-to-chilling (HTC) sorption processes.
• HTP heat-to-power
• HTC heat-to-chilling
• active agents in the form of gas molecules such as CO 2
• adsorb onto the solid adsorbent at temperatures close to ambient at an initial pressure in a closed vessel.
• the high pressure gas can be converted to power using a turbine and/or chilling through an expansion valve.
• the adsorbent must be then cooled down to a temperature close to the initial value.
• the heating and cooling processes must be carried out in a very short period of time.
• Heating and cooling the adsorbent from outside the vessel requires a long period of time due to the low effective thermal conductivity between the heating/cooling fluid and the adsorbent and the large heat capacity of the shell and tube vessel and its contents.
• HTC and HTP processes utilizing direct heating and cooling of the adsorbent that reduce the cycle time needed to achieve temperature swings ( ⁇ ) that are required to drive sorption systems (e.g., adsorption systems), reduce the overall size of the system, and more efficiently makes use of available heat sources available to the sorption system.
• adsorbents that are non-reactive, or substantially non-reactive, toward the heating or cooling fluid so that adsorption of the gas onto the adsorbent is not unduly inhibited and the adsorbent is not degraded or destroyed by direct contact with the heating or cooling fluid.
• porous adsorbent materials e.g., zeolite pellets
• an active gas e.g., CO 2
• the high temperature treatment burns off the organic part of the coating and leaves additional Si on the pellets, thereby increasing the Si:Al ratio.
• the methodology makes the pellet partially hydrophobic and reduces the water vapor adsorption by 33%.
• the approach outlined by Gang Li et al is not effective in producing a solid adsorbent that is capable of adsorbing CO2 while having no interaction with the liquid heating/cooling fluid.
• a HTC or HTP process utilizing direct heating and cooling of the solid adsorbent that reduces and/or eliminates the reactions between a heating/cooling fluid and the adsorbent is provided.
• the selectivity of the protective layer eliminates the interaction between
• heating/cooling fluid while ensures the access of the active gas to the adsorbent for adsorption and desorption necessary in HTC and HTP processes.
• one embodiment of the present application provides a selective protected solid adsorbent that includes a solid adsorbent substrate and a surface layer at least partially coating the solid adsorbent substrate, the surface layer being generally permeable to an active agent.
• the surface layer is a nano layer.
• the heating or cooling fluid for the system is aqueous, the surface layer preferably is
• the surface layer can include an organometallic compound (e.g., octadecyltrichlorosilane or OTS).
• organometallic compound e.g., octadecyltrichlorosilane or OTS.
• the present application also provides a process for protecting a solid adsorbent that includes selecting a solid adsorbent substrate and applying a selective surface layer to the solid adsorbent substrate to at least partially coat the solid absorbent, the surface layer being generally permeable to an active agent.
• the solid adsorbent is protected from reaction with a heating or cooling fluid.
• the present application also provides an adsorption system that includes a vessel containing any one of the protected solid adsorbents described herein, a supply of working fluid in fluid communication with the vessel, the working fluid including the active agent, and a supply of heating or cooling fluid in fluid communication with the vessel.
• the heating or cooling fluid and the working fluid are added together in the vessel.
• Figure 1 is a protected solid adsorbent in accordance with an embodiment of the present application.
• Figure 2 is an illustration of a coated solid adsorbent in accordance with an aspect of the present invention compared to an uncoated adsorbent.
• Figure 3 is an illustration of a nano layer coated solid adsorbent pellet before (a) and after (b) contacting a water droplet.
• Figure 4 is an illustration of an activated solid adsorbent pellet before (a) and after (b) contacting a water droplet.
• Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a testing apparatus for use in conducting the experiments set forth in Examples 8-13.
• Figure 6 is a graph illustrating increases in CO2 pressure
• Figure 7 is a graph illustrating increases in temperature associated with the use of solid adsorbents in accordance with the present invention.
• solid adsorbent refers to a material that reversibly binds to a fluid.
• working fluid refers to a liquid or gas including an active agent that can reversibly bind to the solid adsorbent.
• organometallic compound refers to a compound which contains at least one bond between a carbon atom and a metal or metalloid.
• the metallo component of the organometallic compounds is from Groups 4-15 based on the IUPAC format for the Periodic Table having Groups 1-18, preferably Group 14,more preferably silicon and tin, especially silicon.
• the organo components of the organometallic compounds are hydrocarbyl groups having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms, preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1-10 carbon atoms.
• the hydrocarbyl group may be aliphatic or aromatic groups which aliphatic or aromatic groups may be substituted with functional groups such as oxygen, halogen, hydroxy and the like.
• Preferred hydrocarbyl groups include methyl, ethyl, methoxy, ethoxy and phenyl.
• Preferred organometallic compounds include alkoxysilanes, silanes, silazanes and phenyl siloxanes. Especially preferred compounds include alkoxysilanes having from 1 to 4 alkoxy groups, especially tetraalkoxy compounds such as tetraethoxy-silane, dialkoxysilanes having from 1 to 6 alkoxy groups, especially hexamethyl-disiloxane.
• the organometallic coating on the adsorbent pellets surface should have a high water contact angle, higher than 90 degrees, preferably higher than 110 degrees. The amount of covering of the
• organometallic coating layer ranges from greater than 25% of the pellets surface to 100% of the pellet surface, preferably from 50 to 100%,more preferably from 80 to 100%.
• the amount of pellet surface covered is most preferably 100% or as close to 100% as possible.
• Heating and cooling an adsorbent from outside a vessel requires a long period of time due to the low effective thermal conductivity between the heating/cooling fluid and the adsorbent and the large heat capacity of the shell and tube vessel and its contents.
• direct heating and cooling of the adsorbent has been proposed, as described in an application entitled “Sorption Systems Having Improve Cycle Times", filed on March 9, 2010, as US
• a heating/cooling fluid such as water or triethylene glycol (TEG)
• TEG triethylene glycol
• a protected solid adsorbent includes a solid adsorbent substrate and a surface layer at least partially coating the solid adsorbent substrate, the surface layer being generally permeable to an active agent.
• the protected solid adsorbent 100 includes a solid adsorbent substrate 111 and a surface layer 121 at least partially coating the solid adsorbent substrate.
• the solid adsorbent substrate is selected from the group consisting of zeolites, metal organic frameworks (MOFs), zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), silicagel, adsorbing polymers, carbon, and activated carbon, and combinations thereof.
• the solid adsorbent substrate is a zeolite, such as zeolite 13X.
• the solid adsorbent substrate can be provided in a variety of shapes and sizes, as appropriate for the desired use and environment.
• the solid adsorbent substrate can be provided in the form of one or more pellets.
• the pellets can be spherical, semi-spherical, substantially spherical, or substantially semi-spherical or any other suitable shape.
• the pellets are spherical or substantially spherical having an average diameter of 2mm, although any other suitable shape and sizes can be used (i.e., there is no size limit).
• a plurality of pellets can be provided to form an adsorption bed in a vessel or the like as is known in the art.
• MOF-based sorbents suitable for the present application include, but are not limited to, MOF-based sorbents, including MOF-based sorbents with a plurality of metal, metal oxide, metal cluster or metal oxide cluster building units. As disclosed in International Published Application No.
• the metal can be selected from the transition metals in the periodic table, and beryllium.
• Exemplary metals include zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), beryllium (Be) and copper (Cu).
• the metal building units can be linked by organic compounds to form a porous structure, where the organic compounds for linking the adjacent metal building units can include 1,3,5-benzenetribenzoate (BTB); 1 ,4-benzenedicarboxylate (BDC); cyclobutyl 1 ,4-benzenedicarboxylate (CB BDC); 2-amino 1,4 benzenedicarboxylate (H2N BDC); tetrahydropyrene 2,7- dicarboxylate (HPDC); terphenyl dicarboxylate (TPDC); 2,6 naphthalene dicarboxylate (2,6-NDC); pyrene 2,7-dicarboxylate (PDC); biphenyl
• BDC 1,3,5-benzenetribenzoate
• BDC 1 ,4-benzenedicarboxylate
• CB BDC cyclobutyl 1 ,4-benzenedicarboxylate
• HPDC tetrahydropyrene 2,7- di
• BDC dicarboxylate
• MOF-based sorbent materials include: MOF-177, a material having a general formula of Zn O(l, 3, 5-benzenetribenzoate)2; MOF-5, also known as IRMOF-I, a material having a general formula of Zn 4 O(l,4- benzenedicarboxylate) 3 ; IRMOF-6, a material having a general formula of Zn O(cyclobutyl 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate); IRMOF-3, a material having a general formula of Zn O(2-amino 1,4 benzenedicarboxylate) 3 ; and IRMOF-11, a material having a general formula of Zn O(terphenyl dicarboxylate) 3 , or
• Exemplary zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF) sorbent materials include, but are not limited to, ZIF-68, ZIF-60, ZIF-70, ZIF-95, ZIF- 100 developed at the University of California at Los Angeles and generally discussed in Nature 453, 207-211 (8 May 2008), hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
• Zeolite adsorbent materials include, but are not limited to,
• zeolites that are represented by the formula M 2/n O Al 2 O 3 ySiO 2 wH 2 O, where y is 2 or greater, M is the charge balancing cation, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, N is the cation valence, and w represents the moles of water contained in the zeolitic voids.
• M is the charge balancing cation, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium
• N is the cation valence
• w represents the moles of water contained in the zeolitic voids.
• Examples of zeolites that can be included in the methods and systems of the present application include natural and synthetic zeolites.
• Natural zeolites include, but are not limited to, chabazite (CAS Registry No. 12251-32-0; typical formula Ca 2 [(AlO 2 ) 4 (SiO 2 ) 8 ] 13H 2 O), mordenite (CAS Registry No. 12173-98-7; typical formula
• Synthetic zeolites include, but are not limited to, zeolite A (typical formula: Na 12 [(AlO 2 ) 12 (SiO 2 ) 12 ] 27H 2 O), zeolite X (CAS Registry No.68989-23- 1 ; typical formula: Na 86 [AlO 2 ) 86 (SiO 2 )i 06 ] 264H 2 O), zeolite Y (typical formula: Na 56 [(AlO 2 ) 56 (SiO 2 )i 36 ] 250H 2 O), zeolite L (typical formula:
• Zeolites that can be used in the embodiments of the present application also include the zeolites disclosed in the Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology by Kirk-Othmer, Volume 16, Fourth Edition, under the heading "Molecular Sieves,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
• Synthetic zeolite sorbent materials are commercially available, such as under the Sylosiv ® brand from W.R. Grace and Co. (Columbia, Md.) and from Chengdu Beyond Chemical (Sichuan, P.R. China).
• Sylosiv ® A10 is one commercially available zeolite 13 X product.
• the surface layer can be a nano layer, wherein the surface layer has a thickness of less than 60 nm, although a thickness of less than 15 nm is preferred. In a preferred
• the surface layer allows a cooling or heating fluid to come close to the surface of the solid adsorbent for rapid heat transfer but at the same time prevents the interaction or reaction between the heating or cooling fluid and the solid adsorbent.
• the permeability of the surface layer can be provided by a porous structure that allows the active agent of the working fluid to penetrate through the surface layer and interact with the solid adsorbent.
• the surface layer may comprise hydro- or fluoro- carbon organosilicon compounds with a carbon number between 5 and 50, but preferably between 10 and 25.
• permeability can be achieved by the material of the surface layer.
• the surface layer when the heating or cooling fluid is aqueous, the surface layer is hydrophobic to reduce or inhibit interaction of the heating or cooling fluid with the substrate.
• the degree of hydrophobicity should be quantified by measuring the temperature rise of a coated and uncoated solid adsorbent when in contact with liquid water. When three (3) grams of water are brought in contact with one (1) gram of a solid adsorbent, the temperature rise of the coated solid adsorbent should be less than one-forth, and preferably less than one -hundredth, of the temperature rise when an activated uncoated solid is used.
• the degree of hydrophobicity can also be quantified by a contact angle measurement, if the size and porosity of the solid adsorbent allows.
• the contact angle between water and the coating should be greater than 90 degrees, and preferably greater than about 110 degrees.
• the degree of hydrophobicity may be qualitatively checked if the uncoated solid adsorbent sinks in water, as shown in Figure 2.
• the hydrophobic coated surface should float on the water surface, as shown in Figure 2.
• the surface layer includes
• OTS octadecylthrichlorosilane
• a carrier solution consists of tetrachloride (CC1 4 ) at a concentration of 0.122 by volume, hexadecane at a concentration of 0.854 by volume, and water saturated CHC1 3 :CC1 (e.g., a water saturated CHC1 3 :CC1 4 in a 2:3 volume: volume ratio) at a concentration of 0.024 by volume.
• the surface layer can be applied by a variety of known techniques. Exemplary techniques include but are not limited to dipping, spraying, and vapor deposition. Other techniques capable of providing the surface layer are considered to be well within the scope of the present invention. If necessary or desired, the solid adsorbent substrate can be treated prior to coating to enhance adhesion or permeability of the surface layer. Additionally, known additives or surfactants can be used to increase application and effectiveness of the surface layer.
• the active agent is one or more of carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, propane, butane, and chlorofluorocarbons.
• the active agent is carbon dioxide.
• the active agent is a working fluid.
• the working fluid can include the active agent.
• a process for protecting a solid adsorbent includes selecting a solid adsorbent substrate and applying a surface layer to the solid adsorbent substrate to at least partially coat the solid absorbent, the surface layer being generally permeable to an active agent.
• the process can have any of the features of the solid adsorbent or surface layer described above for the protected solid adsorbent.
• the solid adsorbent is protected from reaction with a heating or cooling fluid.
• an adsorption system in accordance with another aspect of the present application, includes a vessel containing a protected solid adsorbent as described above, a supply of working fluid in fluid communication with the vessel, the working fluid including the active agent, and a supply of heating or cooling fluid in fluid communication with the vessel.
• the protected solid adsorbent of the adsorption system can have any of the features of the solid adsorbent or surface layer described above for the protected solid adsorbent.
• the surface layer is arranged to protect the solid adsorbent from reaction with the heating or cooling fluid. Permeability of the surface layer can include sufficient porosity to allow the active agent, e.g. carbon dioxide, to penetrate through the surface layer and adsorb onto the solid adsorbent.
• the active agent e.g. carbon dioxide
• the vessel can be an adsorption vessel, such as an adsorption bed or any other suitable vessel.
• a structured adsorbent packing e.g., an adsorbent monolith
• Various solid adsorbents can be used in this embodiment, such as zeolite 13X, which serve as the solid adsorbent substrate.
• the monolith 13X substrate is at least partially coated with a surface layer as described above that does not allow heating/cooling media (e.g., water or TEG) to wet the monolith surface. This design can be incorporated by person of ordinary skill in various adsorption processes.
• a feed containing both the heating or cooling fluid (e.g. triethylene glycol (TEG)) and the working fluid are added together in the vessel, e.g. the adsorbent monolith.
• the monolith adsorption bed contains a multitude of channels, in which the adsorbent is contained along the entire length (or substantially the entire length) of the channel.
• the adsorption system can also include a source of waste heat that is introduced to the heating fluid.
• the temperature swing cycle time can be much shorter as compared to what is feasible in designs that rely on indirect heating and cooling (e.g., less than 5 minutes, or less than 3 minutes, or less than 1 minute, or less than 30 seconds, or less than 20 seconds depending on the geometry and size of the system).
• this design is particularly suitable for adsorption systems that employ low grade heat sources, such as unutilized or waste heat.
• the desorbed fluid can be directed to a driver device in fluid communication with the vessel to provide electricity or work.
• the driver device can be a turbine, a turboexpander or any other suitable device to generate power or work.
• the desorbed fluid can be directed to an expansion valve or a vessel to provide chilling.
• the vessel can be a chiller device, an evaporator apparatus, turbo alternator or any other suitable instrument.
• the desorbed fluid is directed to a driver device and a vessel to provide both power and chilling.
• an example of a protected solid adsorbent is provided in one representative embodiment of the present application, as depicted in Figure 1.
• 100 grams of 2 mm spherical zeolite 13X pellets (111 in Figure 1), obtained from Grace Davison, were heated in air at 350°C for 15 hours. The pellets were then cooled down to near ambient temperature under N 2 gas.
• a coating solution (121 in Figure 1) consisting of 140 cc of hexadecane (purchased from Sigma-Aldrich), 20 cc of carbon tetrachloride (purchased from Aldrich), 4 cc of water saturated
• CHCl 3 :CCl 4 in a 2:3 volume: volume ratio (CHC1 3 was purchased from Aldrich), and 400 micro liter of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) (purchased from United Chemical Technologies, Inc) was prepared.
• OTS octadecyltrichlorosilane
• the heat treated zeolite 13X pellets were put into the solution for 30 minutes. The pellets were then rinsed with heptane and left in a vacuum oven at 140°C for 15 hours. Processing can require re-rinsing with heptane and re-heating, as necessary.
• the above mentioned procedures provide a protective nano layer coating for the zeolite pellets. These materials, and materials that were treated in a similar manner, will be referred to as a nano layer coated 13X zeolite thereafter
• a portion of the nano layer coated zeolite 13X was placed on the surface of water in a small beaker.
• the pellets floated, which indicates a surface hydrophobicity and confirms the existence of the coating.
• a portion of the uncoated zeolite 13X pellets was placed on the surface of water in a small beaker. The uncoated pellets sank to the bottom of the beaker, as seen in Figure 2.
• the contact angle of a water droplet on a nano layer coated 13X pellet was measured.
• the water contact angle was measured using a VCA2500XE Video Contact Angle
• one (1) gram of the nano layer coated zeolite 13X was placed in a small beaker in direct contact with a thermocouple. Three (3) grams of water was poured onto the pellets at temperature of 25.9 C. There was no temperature change observed after pouring water on the nano layer coated zeolite 13X, indicating that liquid water does not interact with nano layer coated zeolite 13X.
• one (1) gram of the nano layer coated zeolite 13X was placed in a small beaker in direct contact with a thermocouple. Three (3) grams of TEG was poured onto the pellets at temperature of 23.3 C. There was no temperature change observed after pouring TEG on the nano layer coated zeolite 13X, indicating that liquid TEG does not interact with these materials.
• zeolite 13X 15.6 grams of as received zeolite 13X was left in an air oven at 350C for twenty (20) hours to activate. Activation can also be carried out under vacuum for 1 to 10 hours at 350 C. The purpose of activation is to free up all adsorption sites of the adsorbent from water moisture that adsorbed onto the adsorbent during shipping, loading and storage. This is critical step in using 13X zeolite pellets. In this example, the activated materials were cooled down under vacuum to room temperature. These materials, and materials that are treated in a similar manner, will be referred to as activated 13X zeolite thereafter.
• contact angle of a water droplet on an activated zeolite 13X pellet was measured. Water droplet completely wetted the surface of the pellet with a contact angle close to zero indicating a highly hydrophilic surface which is strongly interactive water, as shown in Figure 4.
• Figure 4 A shows the water droplet before contacting the pellet. After water droplet contacts the activated zeolite 13 X pellet it is completely wetted and adsorbed onto the pellet and cannot be visible on the surface. See Figure 4B. The strong
• the adsorption/desorption apparatus displayed in Figure 5, consists of two 300 CC high pressure stainless steel vessels, labeled "Dose Vessel” and “Test Vessel” that are mounted in an oven that can provide heat with temperatures up to 200 °C. During the operation of the oven, the temperature variation between the inside and outside of both vessels is less than 2 °C at all times.
• the dose vessel is directly connected to a source of active gas through valve VI . Through valves V4 and V5, the dose vessel is connected to the test vessel where solid adsorbents are kept. Valves V4 and V5 can be accessed from outside the oven using connecting bars.
• the pressure meter measures the pressure of various parts of the apparatus depending on the condition of the valves.
• the apparatus is capable of putting the vessel under vacuum using a vacuum pump.
• Four thermocouples are mounted inside and outside the vessels for monitoring temperatures.
• An electric band heater wrapped around the test vessel is able to heat the vessel to 350 °C for activation of uncoated adsorbents.
• valve V6 was then closed and CO 2 was sent to the vessels through valve VI at 36 °C to obtain a pressure of 504 psia.
• Valve VI and V4 were then closed and the pressure of the test vessel as a function of temperature was recorded. The temperature variation between the inside and outside of both vessels was maintained at less than 2 °C at all times.
• the marked increase in pressure is due to the adsorption of CO 2 onto 13X zeolite pellets at lower temperatures and the desorption of CO 2 from the 13X zeolite pellets at higher temperatures. Desorption of CO 2 increases the number of CO 2 molecules in the volume which is responsible for an additional pressure rise in the vessel as compared to an empty vessel described in Example 8.
• 300CC (apparent volume) of coated 13X zeolite was prepared using the procedure described above.
• the coated 13X was left in the test vessel.
• the coated 13X zeolite filled the entire test vessel.
• Thermocouple TCI was located in the middle of the test vessel and was in close contact with the solid adsorbent.
• valves VI, V2, V3 and V7 closed and valves V4, V5 and V6 open, the vessels were brought under vacuum using a vacuum pump. All valves except valves VI and V4 were then opened and the dose vessel was filled with CO 2 (the active gas) to obtain a steady pressure of 175 psia at 24 C.
• valve VI was then closed and valve V5 opened and the temperature rise in the test vessel was recorded with thermocouple TCI as a function of time.
• the temperature of the test vessel increased from 24 C to 39 C in less than 90 seconds, as shown in Figure 7.
• the temperature rise indicates that the active gas, CO 2 , penetrates through the protective nano layer coating and interacts with the coated 13X zeolite.
• this example demonstrates that the nano layer coated zeolite 13X performs better than the uncoated one, even without the high temperature activation procedure that is critical for uncoated materials.
• Example 12
• the coated zeolite pellets were taken out of the test vessel.
• the coating integrity of the pellets was examined by leaving the pellets on the surface of water.
• a portion of the nano layer coated zeolite 13X was placed in an air oven at 300 C for 14 hours, similar to procedure described by Gang Li et. al.
• the pellets were then cooled down to room temperature.
• a portion of these materials were then placed on the surface of water in a small beaker.
• These pellets sank to the bottom of the beaker similar to uncoated pellets (e.g., Figure 2).
• This example illustrates that the procedure described by Gang Li et. al cannot produce hydrophobic pellets and destroys the protective coating of the coated pellets.
• a portion of the nano layer coated zeolite 13X was placed in an air oven at 300 C for 14 hours, similar to procedure described by Gang Li et. al.
• the pellets were then cooled down to room temperature.
• One (1) gram of these materials was placed in a small beaker in direct contact with a thermocouple.
• Three (3) grams of water was poured onto the pellets at temperature of 25.7 C.
• a sudden increase in temperature to maximum value of 64.0 C was observed.
• the increase of about 38 C indicates a strong interaction between the zeolites and water. This example indicates that the procedure described by Gang Li et. al cannot prevent the adsorption of fluids.
• This representative embodiment is provided for exemplary purposes; the application is not limited to the specific embodiments discussed above, or elsewhere in the application.
• other solid adsorbents can be used in the place of, or in addition to zeolite 13X and other coatings can be used in the place of the one described above.

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