Gas treatment system with a heat exchanger for reduction of chiller energy consumption

Abstract

A gas treatment system including a heat exchanger having a first side and a second side separated from one another. The first side defines a first inlet and a first outlet and the second side defines a second inlet and a second outlet. A direct contact cooler is in fluid communication with the first outlet, a direct contact heater is in fluid communication with the first inlet and/or a gas polisher is in fluid communication with the first inlet and the first outlet. The gas treatment system includes an ammonia polishing system in fluid communication with the second inlet and/or the second outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas treatment system comprising:
 a heat exchanger having a first side and a second side separated from one another, the first side defining a first inlet and a first outlet and the second side defining a second inlet and a second outlet;   at least one of a direct contact cooler in fluid communication with the first outlet, a direct contact heater in fluid communication with the first inlet and a CO 2  absorber in fluid communication with the first inlet and the first outlet; and   an ammonia polishing system in fluid communication with at least one of the second inlet and the second outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The gas treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is operable to affect about a 5° C. to about 25° C. reduction in temperature of the gas flowing through the direct contact cooler. 
     
     
         3 . The gas treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the first inlet is in fluid communication with a cooling tower and the heat exchanger is operable to affect about a 5° C. to about a 15° C. reduction in temperature of a fluid received from the cooling tower. 
     
     
         4 . The gas treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the ammonia polishing system is operable to supply a fluid to the second inlet at a temperature of about 5° C. to about 10° C. 
     
     
         5 . The gas treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the direct contact heater is in fluid communication with the ammonia polishing system. 
     
     
         6 . The gas treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the direct contact cooler is in fluid communication with at least one additional direct contact cooler. 
     
     
         7 . The gas treatment system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one additional direct contact cooler is in fluid communication with a refrigeration based chiller. 
     
     
         8 . The gas treatment system of  claim 7 , wherein the refrigeration based chiller is operable to affect about a 10° C. to about a 15° C. reduction in temperature of the gas flowing through the at least one additional direct contact cooler. 
     
     
         9 . The gas treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is operable to affect about a 10° C. to about a 15° C. temperature increase in a fluid entering the second side. 
     
     
         10 . The gas treatment system of  claim 9 , wherein the heat exchanger is operable to affect about a 35 weight percent to about a 45 weight percent ammonium sulfate concentration of the fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The gas treatment system of  claim 1 , comprising a gas polisher in fluid communication with the direct contact cooler and the gas polisher is operable to remove at least one of SO 2 , SO 3  and particulate matter from the gas. 
     
     
         12 . The gas treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the ammonia polishing system is operable to remove ammonia from the gas. 
     
     
         13 . The gas treatment system of  claim 1 , comprising a refrigeration based chiller in communication with the CO 2  absorber. 
     
     
         14 . The gas treatment system of  claim 13 , wherein the refrigeration based chiller is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         15 . A gas treatment system comprising:
 a first stage comprising a first direct contact cooler defining a first gas inlet and a first gas outlet;   a second stage comprising a second direct contact cooler defining a second gas inlet and a second gas outlet, the first gas outlet being in fluid communication with the second gas inlet;   a third stage comprising a third direct contact cooler defining a third gas inlet and a third gas outlet, the second gas outlet being in fluid communication with the third gas inlet;   a chiller in fluid communication with the third stage;   a fourth stage comprising a first direct contact heater defining a fourth gas inlet and a fourth gas outlet;   a fifth stage comprising a second direct contact heater defining a fifth gas inlet and a fifth gas outlet, the fourth gas outlet being in fluid communication with the fifth gas inlet;   a heat exchanger having a first side and a second side separated from one another, the first side defining a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet and the second side defining a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet; and   the first fluid inlet being in fluid communication with the fifth stage, the first fluid outlet being in fluid communication with the second stage and the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet being in fluid communication with the fourth stage.   
     
     
         16 . The gas treatment system of  claim 15 , comprising an ammonium sulfate solution disposed in the fourth stage and the second side of the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger being operable to affect about a 10° C. to about a 15° C. temperature increase in the ammonium sulfate solution entering the second fluid inlet. 
     
     
         17 . The gas treatment system of  claim 15 , further comprising a gas polisher positioned upstream of and in fluid communication with the first stage. 
     
     
         18 . A gas treatment system comprising:
 a first stage comprising a first direct contact cooler defining a first gas inlet and a first gas outlet;   a second stage comprising a second direct contact cooler defining a second gas inlet and a second gas outlet, the first gas outlet being in fluid communication with the second gas inlet;   a chiller in fluid communication with the second stage;   a third stage comprising a first direct contact heater defining a third gas inlet and a third gas outlet;   a fourth stage comprising a second direct contact heater defining a fourth gas inlet and a fourth gas outlet, the third gas outlet being in fluid communication with the fourth gas inlet;   a heat exchanger having a first side and a second side separated from one another, the first side defining a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet and the second side defining a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet; and   the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet being in fluid communication with a CO 2  absorber and the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet being in fluid communication with the fourth stage.   
     
     
         19 . The gas treatment system of  claim 15 , wherein the heat exchanger is operable to affect about a 5° C. to about a 20° C. temperature reduction of a fluid entering the first fluid inlet. 
     
     
         20 . The gas treatment system of  claim 18 , further comprising a gas polisher positioned upstream of and in fluid communication with the first stage.