Combustion system incorporating temperature swing adsorptive gas separation

Abstract

A combustion system and process of operating the combustion system incorporating an electrostatic precipitator, an optional flue gas desulfurizer, and a temperature swing adsorptive gas separator, for post-combustion emission abatement is provided. A steam stream may be employed as a first regeneration stream for the temperature swing adsorptive gas separator. A fluid stream at a suitable temperature for regeneration of at least one adsorbent material in the temperature swing adsorptive gas separator may be employed as a second regeneration stream where the fluid stream may be recovered from an auxiliary heater.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process of operating a combustion system, the process comprising:
 a. admitting an primary oxidant stream and a secondary oxidant stream into an oxidant preheater forming a preheated primary oxidant stream, and a preheated secondary oxidant stream, admitting a fuel stream to combine with said preheated primary oxidant stream forming a combined fuel stream;   b. admitting said preheated secondary oxidant stream and said combined fuel stream into a boiler, combusting said preheated secondary oxidant stream and said combined fuel stream, producing a combustion gas stream comprising particulates and at least a first component;   c. admitting said combustion gas stream into said oxidant preheater;   d. admitting said combustion stream into a particulate collector and removing at least a portion of said particulates to produce a first treated combustion gas stream depleted in particulates relative to said combustion gas stream;   e. admitting said first treated combustion gas stream into a flue gas desulfurizer to produce a third treated combustion gas stream depleted in sulfur relative to said combustion gas stream;   f. admitting at least a portion of said third treated combustion gas stream into a direct contact cooler to produce a feed stream;   g. admitting said feed stream into a temperature swing adsorptive gas separator to adsorb at least a portion of said first component of said feed stream on at least one adsorbent material in said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator and recovering a first product stream from said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator depleted in said first component relative to said feed stream;   h. admitting a first regeneration stream into said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator to desorb a portion of said first component adsorbed on said at least one adsorbent material in said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator and recovering a second product stream from said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator, and   i. admitting a portion of at least one of said first product stream, said second product stream, a purified second product stream, a compressed second product stream, a third product stream, or a fourth product stream as a second regeneration stream into an auxiliary heater to increase a temperature of said second regeneration stream to a temperature suitable for regeneration of said at least one adsorbent material, recovering said second regeneration stream from said auxiliary heater, and admitting said second regeneration stream into said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator to desorb a portion of at least one of said first component and a third component adsorbed on said at least one adsorbent material in said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator and recovering said third product stream from said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said first regeneration stream comprises a steam stream, further comprising prior to step (h) admitting a water stream into an integrated heat exchanger converting said water stream into a high pressure steam stream, admitting said high pressure steam stream into at least one steam turbine, recovering at least said steam stream from said at least one steam turbine. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said first regeneration stream comprises a steam stream, further comprising prior to step (h) admitting at least one of a condensate stream or a water stream, into an auxiliary boiler, converting at least one of said condensate stream or said water stream into said steam stream and recovering said steam stream from said auxiliary boiler. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising at least periodically admitting said fourth product stream to combine with said primary oxidant stream and admitting said primary oxidant stream into said oxidant preheater. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising admitting said fourth product stream to combine with said secondary oxidant stream and admitting said secondary oxidant stream into said oxidant preheater. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 4 , further comprising at least periodically admitting said fourth product stream to combine with said primary oxidant stream and admitting said primary oxidant stream into said oxidant preheater. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising admitting a portion of said combustion gas stream into said auxiliary heater, recovering said portion of said combustion gas stream from said auxiliary heater and admitting said portion of said combustion gas stream into said particulate collector. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising admitting said second product stream into at least one condenser, forming a condensate stream and reducing at least one fluid pressure in said at least one condenser and said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising prior to step (h) admitting a pre-regeneration stream into said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator to desorb a portion of said first component adsorbed on said at least one adsorbent material in said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator and recovering a reflux stream from said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , further comprising prior to or subsequent to step (g) admitting said reflux stream into said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator to adsorb at least a portion of said first component of said reflux stream on said at least one adsorbent material in said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator and recovering a fifth product stream from said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator depleted in said first component relative to said feed stream. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising in step (h) admitting a plurality of said first regeneration stream, wherein said plurality of said first regeneration stream comprise at least one of a steam stream, a fluid stream enriched in said first component, and a fluid stream substantially comprising said first component. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising admitting a conditioning stream into said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator, and recovering said fourth product stream from said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator. 
     
     
         13 . A combustion system comprising:
 an oxidant preheater fluidly connected to a primary oxidant source and to a secondary oxidant source and operable to provide a preheated primary oxidant stream and a preheated secondary oxidant stream;   a fuel source;   a combustor, fluidly connected to recover at least one of said preheated primary oxidant stream and said preheated secondary oxidant stream from said oxidant preheater, and a fuel stream from said fuel source for combustion, to produce a combustion gas stream, and fluidly connected to admit said combustion gas stream into said oxidant preheater;   a particulate collector fluidly connected to recover said combustion gas stream from said oxidant preheater, for forming a first treated combustion gas stream depleted in particulates relative to said combustion gas stream;   a flue gas desulfurizer fluidly connected to recover said first treated combustion gas stream from said particulate collector for forming a third treated combustion gas stream;   a direct contact cooler fluidly connected to recover at least a portion of said third treated combustion gas stream from said flue gas desulfurizer;   a temperature swing adsorptive gas separator having at least one adsorbent material fluidly connected to recover said third treated combustion gas stream from said direct contact cooler as a feed stream comprising at least a first component consisting of at least one of a carbon dioxide, a sulfur oxides, a nitrogen, an oxygen, and/or a heavy metal component, and operable to separate at least a portion of said first component from said feed stream; fluidly connected to release a first product stream into an ambient environment; fluidly connected to recover a first regeneration stream, and   an auxiliary heater fluidly connected to recover a portion of at least one of said second product stream, a purified second product stream, a compressed second product stream, a third product stream, or a fourth product stream for producing a second regeneration stream, and said auxiliary heater is fluidly connected to admit said second regeneration stream into said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator.   
     
     
         14 . The combustion system of  claim 13 , wherein said auxiliary heater is fluidly connected to at least one of said combustor, integrated heat exchanger, or said oxidant preheater to recover at least a portion of said combustion gas stream. 
     
     
         15 . The combustion system of  claim 13 , further comprising a condenser fluidly connected to recover said second product stream from said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator for forming a condensate stream, and said purified second product stream; an ejector having a low pressure port and a high pressure port, said low pressure port fluidly connected to admit said purified second product stream recovered from said condenser; and a compressor for producing a compressed second product stream, wherein said compressor is fluidly connected to receive said purified second product stream from said ejector and fluidly connected to admit said compressed second product stream into said high pressure port of said ejector. 
     
     
         16 . The combustion system of  claim 13 , wherein said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator is fluidly connected to admit a third product stream produced by said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator into said oxidant heater. 
     
     
         17 . The combustion system of  claim 13 , further comprising a conditioning source fluidly connected to admit a conditioning stream into said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator for producing a fourth product stream, wherein said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator is fluidly connected to admit said fourth product stream into said oxidant preheater. 
     
     
         18 . The combustion system of  claim 13 , further comprising an integrated heat exchanger having a hot side fluidly connected to said combustor and a cold side fluidly connected to recover at least one of a water and/or condensate stream from a feedwater source, to produce a high pressure steam stream from said cold side, and a steam turbine fluidly connected to recover said high pressure steam stream from said integrated heat exchanger where said steam turbine is fluidly connected to admit said first regeneration stream into said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator. 
     
     
         19 . The combustion system of  claim 13 , further comprising an auxiliary boiler fluidly connected to recover at least a portion of a condensate stream or a water stream to produce a steam stream where said auxiliary boiler is fluidly connected to admit said first regeneration stream into said temperature swing adsorptive gas separator.