Low-emission fired heater
AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsThomas A. Badgwell, Frank Hershkowitz, Timothy A. Barckholtz, Paul J. Berlowitz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for integrating molten carbonate fuel cells with a fired heater for production of electrical power while also reducing or minimizing the amount of CO2 present in the flue gas generated by the fired heater. The molten carbonate fuel cells can be integrated for use with fired heater so that at least a portion of the flue gas from fired heater flows through cathodes of the fuel cells and at least a portion of the cathode exhaust is returned to a convection section of the fired heater.
Claims17
A method of treating flue gas generated by a fired heater using molten carbonate fuel cells, the method comprising:
- introducing a fuel and an oxidant into a fired heater comprising a radiant section and a convective section;
- combusting the fuel and oxidant in the radiant section of the fired heater to produce a flue gas at a first operating temperature, said flue gas comprising a first content of CO2;
- transferring heat from the flue gas to a first plurality of heating tubes within the radiant section;
- passing, after transferring the heat, at least a portion of the flue gas into cathode inlets of a plurality of molten carbonate fuel cells to generate an anode exhaust and a cathode exhaust having a second content of CO2, a ratio of the second content of CO2 to the first content of CO2 being about 0.5:1 or less;
- passing the cathode exhaust into the convective section of the fired heater;
- and
- transferring heat from the cathode exhaust to a second plurality of convection tubes within the convective section,
- wherein the fired heater and the molten carbonate fuel cells are in a contiguous insulated environment.
A fired heater for producing electricity using integrated molten carbonate fuel cells comprising an anode and cathode, the fired heater comprising:
- a radiant heating section;
- a burner in the radiant heating section that generates a flue gas that comprises CO2;
- a first plurality of heating tubes in the radiant heating section;
- a plurality of molten carbonate fuel cells, the molten carbonate fuel cells having cathode inlets in fluid communication with the radiant heating section to receive at least a portion of the flue gas, the plurality of molten carbonate fuel cells further having a plurality of cathode outlets configured to discharge a cathode exhaust and a plurality of anode outlets configured to discharge an anode exhaust;
- and
- a convection section in fluid communication with the plurality of cathode outlets to receive at least a portion of the cathode exhaust therefrom, the convection section comprising a plurality of convection tubes to remove heat energy from the cathode exhaust,
- wherein the plurality of molten carbonate fuel cells further comprise anodes configured to receive a reformable fuel and generate the anode exhaust, the anode exhaust comprising CO2 and synthesis gas and wherein the fired heater and the molten carbonate fuel cells are in a contiguous insulated environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.