Engineering topics

Baxter, Andrew

Publications and source records attributed to Baxter, Andrew.

13 records

DOE OSTI2024

Vessel and method for solid-liquid separation

Devices, systems, and methods for separating solids from liquids are disclosed. A vessel includes an inlet, a carrier liquid outlet, a product outlet, a purifying section, and a heater. The inlet directs a slurry into the purifying section. The slurry comprises particles of a solid and a carrier liquid. The purifying section preferentially drives the particles of the solid towards a heating zone of the purifying section versus the carrier liquid. This displaces a first portion of the carrier liquid away from the heating zone of the purifying section. The heater heats the slurry. The carrier liquid outlet drives a majority of the carrier liquid out of the vessel. The product outlet is adjacent to the heating zone of the purifying section.

Baxter, Larry↗

DOE OSTI2022

Energy-Storing Cryogenic Carbon Capture™ for Utility and Industrial-scale Processes (Final Report)

This project leverages work completed under funding from previous U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) projects and other sources of funding around the Cryogenic Carbon Capture Process™ (CCC). The purpose of this project is to further develop a perturbation of the CCC process that stores energy called the Cryogenic Carbon Capture™ Energy Storing (CCC-ES) process. The successful completion of the tasks in this project has prepared the CCC-ES process for scaling and developed initial plans and a feasibility analysis for an engineering-scale or small-commercial scale system that can store at least 10 MWh of energy. The specific areas of work in this project are: (1) Develop a conceptual, site-specific integrated process flow diagram: Sustainable Energy Solutions (SES) developed a conceptual, site-specific plan including a process flow diagram for integrating CCC-ES at a specific location. The proposed system was based on a typical engineering-scale CCC system designed to capture 30-50 metric tonnes of CO 2 per day (TPD), with modifications and additional changes and equipment put in place to add the energy storage element to the system. The 30-50 TPD scale corresponds to the required 10 MWh of stored energy. This task includes updating simulation software for transient analysis. SES also coordinated with the Jim Bridger Power Plant in Point of Rocks, Wyoming to get site-specific data. Using these data, SES completed site-specific preliminary process flow diagrams, estimated capital and operating costs for the CCC-ES system, and used the upgraded software package to estimate the primary figures of merit. (2) Complete a technoeconomic analysis (TEA): SES completed a full-scale TEA of the CCC-ES system to meet specific success criteria. This TEA used process information from the host site selected above. (3) Technology and data gap assessment for the CCC-ES process: As part of the technology gap assessment, SES performed an assessment of the best alternative energy storage solutions including figures of merit and operational strengths and weaknesses. SES then compared the proposed system with a discussion of how it addresses the weaknesses of alternative systems, showing for example a cost of stored energy at less than $50/MWh and with a roundtrip efficiency of greater than 95%. This assessment includes technical and other risk analyses and technology gaps with research and development needs to commercialize the process by 2030. Finally, work includes a commercialization roadmap/development pathway outlining the major milestones to move to a commercially operating CCC-ES system. (4) Phase II pre-FEED project plan: SES completed a project plan for the Phase II pre-FEED analysis using the same host site as in the Phase I conceptual study.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Cryogenic Carbon Capture™ (CCC) Status Report

The Cryogenic Carbon Capture™ (CCC) process separates CO2 from light gases in essentially any continuous process. CCC cools the gases to the frost or desublimation point of CO2 (-100 to -135 °C), separates and pressurizes the solids, and warms all streams to produce a CO2-depleted stream at ambient pressure and a pure (99+%) pressurized liquid CO2 stream typically to about 150 bar, both at ambient temperature. The process also recovers all gas moisture and most gas impurities less volatile than CO2 (NOx, SOx, Hg, PM, UHC, CCC, etc.) in separable streams. CCC nearly eliminates refrigeration energy for sensible temperature changes through heat integration. CCC does require energy to change the CO2 phase from a mixed vapor to a pressurized fluid, which represents the minimum energy required of any process for this separation. CCC uses additional energy for turbomachinery inefficiencies, heat losses, moisture removal and overall process pressure drop. Aside from these real-world energy demands, CCC operates near the minimum energy required to perform this gas separation by minimizing stream recycling. CCC compresses CO2 as a liquid, which is one of several reasons it costs about about half as much and consumes about half as much energy as an amine process when using flue gases with about 15% CO2. The process also has several major additional advantages, including (a) it is a bolt-on retrofit technology that does not need steam or any modification of existing equipment, (b) it recovers water and nearly all pollutants in addition to CO2 from the flue gas, (c) it enables highly efficient and cost effective energy storage at grid scale and on time scales of minutes, (d) it enables NG storage if the energy storage option is used, and (d) it has a small footprint and is minimally disruptive to existing plants, requiring only electrical power and a gas source to operate. Sustainable Energy Solutions (SES) has scaled this technology through several levels, the largest of which captures nominally 1 tonne of CO2/day and is called the skid system. Skid system field tests include utility-scale power plants, cement plants, heating plants, and other utility or industrial sites that burn natural gas, biomass, coal, shredded tires, municipal waste, and combinations of these fuels. These field tests produced 95-99% CO2 capture with CO2 purities of 99+% and initial CO2 contents that range from 4 to 28%. SES currently seeks to scale the system to merchant scale (10-80 tonnes of CO2 per day). In the process of doing so, SES has demonstrated the potential for CCC to contribute to energy storage and direct air capture in innovative and cost-effective ways. This presentation discusses the overall process and highlights results from field and in-house tests. These include (a) measured CO2 capture rates and operating conditions from in-house and field tests, and (b) predicted utility-scale costs and energy demands. This discussion also includes the application of the CCC technology to energy storage and direct air capture.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Method for separating components using solids producing multi-stage direct and indirect-contact exchange

A process for forming a solid product or products is disclosed. The process is provided with n desublimating exchangers. An exchanger E1 being associated with a first exchanger and an exchanger En being associated with an nth exchanger, n representing the number of exchangers. The n exchangers comprise at least one direct-contact exchanger comprising a contact fluid. A process fluid is passed through the n exchangers in order from E1 through En. The process fluid comprises a product component or components. The solid product or products form from the product component or components in the plurality of exchangers by desublimation. The solid product or products are separated from the process fluid. In this manner, a solid product or products is formed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Method for preventing fouling of a demister

A method for preventing fouling of a demister is disclosed. A process fluid is provided into a vessel. A gas is provided to a gas inlet of the vessel. The gas comprises a component that desublimates, crystallizes, solidifies, reacts, or a combination thereof, in the process fluid, forming a first solid. The gas is passed through the process fluid, the component of the gas forming the first solid, resulting in a component-depleted gas. The component-depleted gas is passed out of the process fluid, causing splashing or spurting of the process fluid and the first solid. The diverter section is provided between the demister and the gas inlet, the diverter section comprising a physical obstruction preventing the process fluid and the first solid from splashing or spurting onto the demister. In this manner, fouling of the demister is prevented.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2019

Circulating fluidized bed connected to a desublimating heat exchanger

Condensable vapors such as carbon dioxide are separated from light gases in a process stream. The systems and methods employ a circulating fluidized particle bed cooled by an out-bed heat exchanger to desublimate the solid form of condensable vapors from the process stream. Gas and solids may be sorted in a separator, and the solids may then be subcooled in a heat exchanger. The condensable vapors may be condensed on the bed particles or in the heat exchanger while the light gases from the process stream, which are not condensed, form a separated light-gas stream.

Baxter, Larry↗

DOE OSTI2019

Cryogenic Carbon Capture Development (Final Report)

This project extends and leverages the work completed under funding from ARPA-E and other sources by exploring aspects of the Cryogenic Carbon Capture™ (CCC) process and issues discovered during those projects, but that were not within the scope or budget of previous projects or that became apparent during field tests. Our successful completion of the tasks outlined in this project has increased the reliability, efficiency, and scalability of the CCC process and we are better prepared for pilot-scale testing. The first phase of this project improved key areas of the process through iterative design and experiment, culminating with recommendations for improvements to the existing skid-scale system developed under non-federal funding. The second phase of this project implemented the improved unit operations into the Cryogenic Carbon Capture External Cooling Loop (CCC ECL™) skid and field tests the improved system at a coal-fired power plant. The specific areas of work in this project are: Budget Period 1: 1) Selection of the most energy-efficient drying system for ambient-pressure flue gas. Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC (SES) has successfully demonstrated a dryer that removes bulk water using a low-temperature brine to remove about 99% of the water followed by a mol sieve 3A desiccant dryer to remove the remaining 1% water; 2) Selection and demonstration of efficient solution to fouling due to dissolved CO 2 . SES has tested several commercial heat exchangers that purport to be able to handle fouling issues similar to those experienced in the contact liquid chiller. Replicated tests using the CCC ECL™ skid and dimpled brazed plate heat exchangers demonstrate that quick throttling of refrigerant combined with a burst of clean gas mitigate the fouling caused by CO 2 solubility in contact liquid with only minor increases in parasitic load. SES models indicate that parasitic load would increase by approximately 0.0125 GJ/tonne, an order of magnitude less than what was determined to be the maximum allowable additional parasitic load caused by this system; 3) Selection and demonstration of efficient and scalable solid–liquid separation system. The screw press technology met or exceeded the 70% solids loading benchmark during several test runs exceeding 24 hours on the CCC ECL™ skid. The average solids loading during the entire 50-hour run was 67%. The energy demand for this system is less than 0.1 GJ e /tonne of CO 2 processed; 4) Optimize design and demonstration of patented desublimating heat exchangers. We designed and built a hybrid spray tower that was tested over many hundreds of hours and a 50-hour continuous test run was completed capturing over 0.5 tonne CO 2 /day at >90% capture; (5) Plan for safe dilution of oxygen-depleted, cleaned flue-gas stream. The AERSCREEN simulator developed by the EPA modeled the dispersion of oxygen-depleted flue gas from the CCC process at a commercial plant. The results indicate that this plan effectively mitigates the flue gas hazards; (6) Simulation of and experimental work related to multi-pollutant capture. SES programmed an upgrade to its solid/vapor/liquid equilibrium (SVLE) algorithm. This enables simultaneous modeling of multiple pollutants (i.e., CO 2 , SO x , NO x , Hg, HCl). Budget Period 2; (7) Modify the CCC ECL™ skid for field testing and complete shakedown testing. The plans for modifying the CCC ECL™ skid were finalized and put into place. Shakedown testing of the updated CCC ECL™ skid occurred at SES using closed-loop mode (i.e., using a synthetic flue gas consisting of only N 2 and CO 2 ) and at the Hunter Power Plant using flue gas from the coal-fired boiler. Shakedown testing took longer than expected due to delays in receiving equipment and unexpected equipment performance in the field; (8) Operate the CCC ECL™ skid in the field. Longer testing of the CCC ECL™ skid occurred at the Hunter Power Plant. Multiple tests exceeding 35 hours were completed, with a total of over 600 hours of CO 2 capture completed using flue gas at the Hunter Power Plant with an average CO 2 capture rate of over 91% during those hours. Extensive notes and documentation were acquired informing improved methods for controls, startup, operation, and shut down; (9) Determine figures of merit and quantify process improvement. SES defined figures of merit for unit operation performance and overall CCC ECL™ process performance. All figures of merit were achieved or surpassed, except for 500 continuous hours of demonstration at the Hunter Power Plant; (10) Complete an Environmental Health and Safety Risk assessment by a third party. Tri-State completed an Environmental Health and Safety Risk assessment; (11) Update techno-economic analysis with third-party validation. The techno-economic analysis has been completed. It confirms the potential large reduction in energy and cost of the CCC process compared with leading alternatives and that the estimates and estimation techniques are reliable.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2019

Cryogenic Carbon Capture Development Final/Technical Report

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2019

Air-sparged hydrocyclone for cryogenic gas vapor separation

An air-sparged hydrocyclone for separating a vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. The cyclone comprises a porous sparger covered by an outer gas plenum. A cryogenic liquid is injected to a tangential feed inlet at a velocity that induces a tangential flow and a cyclone vortex in the air-sparged hydrocyclone. The carrier gas is injected into the cyclone through the porous sparger. The vapor dissolves, condenses, desublimates, or a combination thereof, forming a vapor-depleted carrier gas and a vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid. The vapor-depleted carrier gas is drawn through a vortex finder and the vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid is drawn through an apex nozzle outlet. In this manner, the vapor is removed from the carrier gas.

Baxter, Larry↗

DOE OSTI2019

Hydrocyclone for cryogenic gas-vapor separation

A hydrocyclone for separating a vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. The hydrocyclone comprises one or more nozzles. A cryogenic liquid is injected to a tangential feed inlet at a velocity that induces a tangential flow and a cyclone vortex in the hydrocyclone. The carrier gas is injected into the cryogenic liquid, causing the vapor to dissolve, condense, desublimate, or a combination thereof, forming a vapor-depleted carrier gas and a vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid. The vapor-depleted carrier gas is drawn through a vortex finder and the vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid is drawn through an apex nozzle outlet. In this manner, the vapor is removed from the carrier gas.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2019

Method for separating solids suspended or entrained in a liquid

A method of separating solids from a slurry or suspension is disclosed. The method includes: providing a slurry or suspension containing solids and liquid to an input port of a first side of a filter, the filter providing a filtering size between 2 microns and 70 microns; providing a liquid discharge port on a second side of the filter which receives the liquid that passes through the filter; and separating the solids from the liquid by pressing the solids into a pressure regulating solids discharge port on the first side of the filter, thereby compacting solids on the first side of the filter, forcing at least some of the liquid of the slurry or suspension through the first side of the filter to the second side of the filter causing pressure regulated solids to be discharged through a pressure regulating solids discharge port into a pressurized chamber.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2019

Method for using a hydrocyclone for cryogenic gas vapor separation

A method for separating a vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. A hydrocyclone is provided with one or more nozzles on the wall of the hydrocyclone. A cryogenic liquid is provided to the tangential feed inlet at a velocity that induces a tangential flow and a cyclone vortex in the hydrocyclone. The carrier gas is injected into the hydrocyclone through the one or more nozzles. The vapor dissolves, condenses, desublimates, or a combination thereof, forming a vapor-depleted carrier gas and a vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid. The vapor-depleted gas is drawn through the vortex finder while the vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid is drawn through the apex nozzle outlet. In this manner, the vapor is removed from the carrier gas.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2019

Method for using an air-sparged hydrocyclone for cryogenic gas vapor separation

A method for separating a vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. An air-sparged hydrocyclone is provided with a porous sparger covered by an outer gas plenum. A cryogenic liquid is provided to the tangential feed inlet at a velocity that induces a tangential flow and a cyclone vortex in the cyclone. The carrier gas is injected into the air-sparged hydrocyclone through the porous sparger. The vapor dissolves, condenses, desublimates, or a combination thereof, forming a vapor-depleted carrier gas and a vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid. The vapor-depleted gas is drawn through a vortex finder while the vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid is drawn through an apex nozzle outlet. In this manner, the vapor is removed from the carrier gas.

Baxter, Larry↗