System and method for separating high molecular weight gases from a combustion source

Abstract

High molecular weight (HMW) gases are separated from an exhaust gas of a combustion source using a blower and an interior vent within the exhaust stack. The interior vent includes a vent wall having a top portion attached to the interior surface of the exhaust stack along the entire inner perimeter of the exhaust stack and a lower portion that extends downward into the exhaust stack to form an annular space or gap between the vent wall and the interior surface of the exhaust stack, and at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack between the top and bottom portions of the vent wall. The blower creates a tangential flow of the exhaust gas with sufficient centrifugal force to concentrate substantially all of the HMW gases along the inner surface of the exhaust stack. A transfer pipe removes the HMW gases from the interior vent.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for separating high molecular weight gases in an exhaust stack from an exhaust gas of a combustion source comprising:
 a blower attached coupled to an intake of the exhaust stack and configured to receive the exhaust gas from the combustion source and create a tangential flow of the exhaust gas within the exhaust stack, wherein the blower imparts sufficient centrifugal force on the exhaust gas to concentrate the high molecular weight gases along the inner surface of the exhaust stack; 
 an interior vent within the exhaust stack that collects the configured to collect high molecular weight gases concentrated along the inner an interior surface of the exhaust stack, the interior vent comprising (i) a vent wall having a top portion attached coupled to the interior surface of the exhaust stack along the an entire inner perimeter of the exhaust stack and a lower bottom portion that extends downward into the exhaust stack to form a gap between the vent wall and the interior surface of the exhaust stack, and (ii) at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack between the top and bottom portions of the vent wall; and 
 a transfer pipe connected coupled to the at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack, configured to remove the high molecular weight gases from the interior vent. 
 
     
     
       2. The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tank connected to the transfer pipe; or 
 a compressor attached to the transfer pipe to compress the removed high molecular weight gases. 
 
     
     
       3. The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the high molecular weight gases have a molecular weight greater than 35. 
     
     
       4. The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the high molecular weight gases comprise CO 2 . 
     
     
       5. The system as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising one or more bubble trays containing sodium hydroxide attached to the transfer pipe such that the removed CO 2  is combined with the sodium hydroxide to produce sodium carbonate. 
     
     
       6. The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sufficient centrifugal force is provided by the blower in combination with a stationary tabulator, spin vanes, or in-stack centrifuge; and   the blower is located inside or outside of the exhaust stack.   
     
     
       7. The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a bustle attached to or integrated into the exhaust stack between the at least one opening in the inner surface of the exhaust stack and the transfer pipe. 
     
     
       8. The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the vent wall is substantially parallel to the interior surface of the exhaust stack, curved, or is angled with respect to the interior surface of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       9. The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least 85% of the high molecular weight gases are concentrated along the inner interior surface of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       10. The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the gap comprises an area of approximately 10% of a cross-sectional area of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       11. The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one opening is positioned such that the high molecular weight gases have spun around the exhaust stack approximately fifteen to twenty times. 
     
     
       12. The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the blower causes the exhaust gases to spin around the exhaust stack at least five times within a height approximately equal to one diameter of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       13. The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one opening is positioned at a height above the bottom of the exhaust stack approximately equal to three diameters of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       14. The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion of the vent wall extends down to a height above the bottom of the exhaust stack approximately equal to one half diameter of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       15. The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a motor attached to the vent wall that adjusts a size of the gap. 
     
     
       16. The system as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the motor is used to adjust the size of the gap based on one or more parameters comprising temperature, humidity, velocity, gas composition, fuel type, or exhaust gas mixture. 
     
     
       17. The system as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 one or more sensors attached to the blower, exhaust stack, interior vent or transfer pipe; and   a controller communicably coupled to the motor and the one or more sensors, wherein the controller to adjusts the size of the gap using the motor based on one or more parameters detected by the one or more sensors.   
     
     
       18. A system for separating high molecular weight gases from an exhaust gas of a combustion source comprising:
 an exhaust stack; 
 a blower attached to an intake of the exhaust stack to receive the exhaust gas from the combustion source and create a tangential flow of the exhaust gas within the exhaust stack, wherein the blower imparts sufficient centrifugal force on the exhaust gas to concentrate the high molecular weight gases along the inner an interior surface of the exhaust stack; 
 an interior vent within the exhaust stack that collects the high molecular weight gases concentrated along the inner interior surface of the exhaust stack, the interior vent comprising (i) a vent wall having a top portion attached to the interior surface of the exhaust stack along the an entire inner perimeter of the exhaust stack and a lower bottom portion that extends downward into the exhaust stack to form a gap between the vent wall and the interior surface of the exhaust stack, and (ii) at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack between the top and bottom portions of the vent wall; and 
 a transfer pipe connected to the at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack to remove the high molecular weight gases from the interior vent; and 
 
       wherein (a) the high molecular weight gases have a molecular weight greater than 35, (b) at least 85% of the high molecular weight gases are concentrated along the inner interior surface of the exhaust stack, (c) the gap comprises an area of approximately 10% of a cross-sectional area of the exhaust stack, (d) the at least one opening is positioned at a height above the a bottom of the exhaust stack approximately equal to three diameters of the exhaust stack, and (e) the blower causes the exhaust gases to spin around the exhaust stack at least five times within a height approximately equal to one diameter of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       19. The system as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a tank connected to the transfer pipe; or 
 a compressor attached to the transfer pipe to compress the removed high molecular weight gases. 
 
     
     
       20. The system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the high molecular weight gases comprise CO 2 . 
     
     
       21. The system as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising one or more bubble trays containing sodium hydroxide attached to the transfer pipe such that the removed CO 2  is combined with the sodium hydroxide to produce sodium carbonate. 
     
     
       22. The method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein:
 the sufficient centrifugal force is provided by the blower in combination with a stationary tabulator, spin vanes, or in-stack centrifuge; and   the blower is located inside or outside of the exhaust stack.   
     
     
       23. The system as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising a bustle attached to or integrated into the exhaust stack between the at least one opening in the an inner surface of the exhaust stack and the transfer pipe. 
     
     
       24. The system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the vent wall is substantially parallel to the interior surface of the exhaust stack, curved, or is angled with respect to the interior surface of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       25. The system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the bottom portion of the vent wall extends down to a height above the bottom of the exhaust stack approximately equal to one half diameter of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       26. The system as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising a motor attached to the vent wall that adjusts a size of the gap. 
     
     
       27. The system as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the motor is used to adjust the size of the gap based on one or more parameters comprising temperature, humidity, velocity, gas composition, fuel type, or exhaust gas mixture. 
     
     
       28. The system as recited in  claim 26 , further comprising:
 one or more sensors attached to the blower, exhaust stack, interior vent or transfer pipe; and   a controller communicably coupled to the motor and the one or more sensors, wherein the controller to adjusts the size of the gap using the motor based on one or more parameters detected by the one or more sensors.   
     
     
       29. A system for separating high molecular weight gases in an exhaust stack from an exhaust gas of a combustion source comprising:
 a blower coupled to an intake of the exhaust stack and configured to receive exhaust gas from the combustion source and create a tangential flow of the exhaust gas within the exhaust stack;   an interior vent within the exhaust stack configured to collect high molecular weight gases concentrated, by the tangential flow of the exhaust gas, along an inner surface of the exhaust stack;   an opening in the inner surface of the exhaust stack; and   a transfer pipe coupled to the opening in the inner surface of the exhaust stack and configured to remove the high molecular weight gases from the interior vent,   wherein the interior vent includes a vent wall having a top portion coupled to the inner surface of the exhaust stack and a lower portion that extends downward into the exhaust stack to form a gap between the vent wall and the inner surface of the exhaust stack.   
     
     
       30. A system for removing high molecular weight gases from an exhaust stream, comprising:
 an exhaust stack;   means for concentrating high molecular weight gases toward an inner surface of the exhaust stack, wherein the means for concentrating high molecular weight gases toward an inner surface of the exhaust stack comprises means for spinning the exhaust gas and imparting centrifugal force, and wherein the means for spinning the exhaust gas and imparting centrifugal force comprises a blower coupled to an exhaust stack inlet, the inlet being configured to introduce exhaust gas into the exhaust stack tangentially, with respect to movement of gases within the stack, and further wherein the means for spinning the exhaust gas and imparting centrifugal force comprises an exhaust stack outlet coupled to the blower and configured to withdraw gas from the stack, tangentially, with respect to movement of gases within the stack, the blower being configured to reintroduce the withdrawn gas into the stack at the exhaust stack inlet; and   means for removing high molecular weight gases concentrated along the inner surface of the exhaust stack.   
     
     
       31. An exhaust system, comprising:
 an exhaust stack, including:
 an exhaust inlet positioned and configured such that gases introduced into the exhaust stack via the exhaust inlet tend to spin within the exhaust stack, 
 an exhaust port positioned on a side of the exhaust stack opposite the exhaust inlet and configured to receive gases introduced via the exhaust inlet and spinning within the exhaust stack, and 
 an opening extending through an interior surface of the exhaust stack, positioned above the exhaust inlet and below a top of the exhaust stack; 
   a blower, including a blower inlet coupled to the exhaust port and a blower outlet coupled to the exhaust inlet, the blower being configured to draw gases from the exhaust stack via the exhaust port and to blow the drawn gases into the exhaust stack via the exhaust inlet; and   an interior vent coupled to the opening, positioned and configured to collect gases from along the interior surface of the exhaust stack, wherein the blower is positioned external to the exhaust stack.   
     
     
       32. The system of claim 31, wherein the blower outlet is coupled to the exhaust inlet via a first pipe, and the blower inlet is coupled to the exhaust port via a second pipe. 
     
     
       33. The system of claim 31, wherein the interior vent includes a gap configured to collect gases from along the interior surface of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       34. The system of claim 33, wherein the gap has an annular shape, and extends around the interior surface of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       35. The system of claim 33, wherein a size of the gap is adjustable. 
     
     
       36. The system of claim 31, wherein the interior vent includes a gap defined by a space between a vent wall and the interior surface of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       37. The system of claim 36, wherein a top portion of the interior vent is closed, the vent wall extending downward from the top portion to the gap at a bottom portion of the interior vent. 
     
     
       38. The system of claim 37, wherein the opening is positioned between the top and bottom portions of the interior vent. 
     
     
       39. The system of claim 38, wherein the opening is coupled to a transfer pipe configured to remove the collected gases from the interior vent. 
     
     
       40. The system of claim 38, wherein the transfer pipe is coupled to a compressor. 
     
     
       41. The system of claim 38, wherein the transfer pipe is coupled to a storage tank. 
     
     
       42. The system of claim 38, wherein the transfer pipe is coupled to a bubble tray. 
     
     
       43. The system of claim 36, wherein the vent wall extends downward substantially parallel to the interior surface of the exhaust stack. 
     
     
       44. A system for removing high molecular weight gases from an exhaust stream, comprising:
 an exhaust stack;   means for concentrating high molecular weight gases toward an inner surface of the exhaust stack, wherein the means for concentrating high molecular weight gases toward an inner surface of the exhaust stack comprises means for spinning the exhaust gas and imparting centrifugal force, and wherein the means for spinning the exhaust gas and imparting centrifugal force comprises a blower coupled to an exhaust stack inlet, the inlet being configured to introduce exhaust gas into the exhaust stack tangentially, with respect to movement of gases within the stack; and   means for removing high molecular weight gases concentrated along the inner surface of the exhaust stack, wherein the exhaust stack inlet and the exhaust stack outlet are positioned in a bottom portion of the exhaust stack, substantially opposite each other.   
     
     
       45. A system for separating high molecular weight gases in an exhaust stack from an exhaust gas of a combustion source comprising:
 a blower coupled to an intake of the exhaust stack and configured to receive exhaust gas from the combustion source and create a tangential flow of the exhaust gas within the exhaust stack;   an interior vent within the exhaust stack configured to collect high molecular weight gases concentrated, by the tangential flow of the exhaust gas, along an inner surface of the exhaust stack;   an opening in the inner surface of the exhaust stack; and   a transfer pipe coupled to the opening in the inner surface of the exhaust stack and configured to remove the high molecular weight gases from the interior vent,   wherein the interior vent extends along an entire inner perimeter of the exhaust stack.