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US 12,252,461 B2Granted
Autonomous modular flare gas conversion systems and methods
AssigneeM2X Energy Inc.
InventorsPaul E Yelvington, Bunmi Tolu Adekore, Joshua B. Browne, John Anthony Dean, Andrew Randolph
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There are provided systems and methods for using fuel-rich partial oxidation to produce an end product from waste gases, such as flare gas. In an embodiment, the system and method use air-breathing piston engines and turbine engines for the fuel-rich partial oxidation of the flare gas to form synthesis gas, and reactors to convert the synthesis gas into the end product. In an embodiment the end product is methanol.
Claims24
A continuous method of converting a flare gas to methanol, the method comprises:
- a. receiving a flare gas flow from a source, wherein:
- i. the flare gas flow has a rate of about 50,000 scfd to about 30,000,000 scfd;
- ii. the flare gas flow has a composition, wherein the composition varies over time;
- b. compressing the flare gas flow to provide a compressed flare gas flow, wherein the compressed flare gas flow has a pressure of about 8 bar to about 60 bar;
- c. mixing the compressed flare gas flow with air to provide a rich fuel/air mixture;
- d. partially oxidizing the rich fuel/air mixture at a temperature of from about 700° C. to about 1,200° C. in a reformer to provide a reprocessed gas flow;
- wherein the reprocessed gas flow comprises a syngas having a syngas composition;
- e. passing the reprocessed gas flow through a deoxygenation reactor, whereby oxygen is removed from the reprocessed gas flow, thereby providing a deoxygenated reprocessed gas flow;
- f. removing water from the deoxygenated reprocessed gas flow to thereby provided a syngas flow;
- g. controlling the pressure and the temperature of the syngas flow to provide a predetermined synthesis temperature and synthesis pressure of the syngas flow;
- h. flowing the syngas flow at the predetermined synthesis temperature and synthesis pressure into a synthesis unit;
- i. converting the syngas flow in the synthesis unit to thereby provide a first product stream comprising methanol;
- j. removing a material from the first product stream, the material comprising hydrogen;
- to thereby provide a second product stream;
- wherein the second product stream comprises at least about 80% methanol, and is thereby at least about 80% pure;
- and,
- k. wherein the predetermined synthesis pressure is from about 30 bar to about 100 bar.
14 more elements
A continuous method of converting a flare gas to methanol, the method comprises:
- receiving a flare gas flow from a source, wherein the flare gas flow has a composition, wherein the composition varies over time;
- compressing the flare gas flow to provide a compressed flare gas flow;
- mixing the compressed flare gas flow with air to provide a rich fuel/air mixture;
- partially oxidizing the rich fuel/air mixture in a reformer to provide a reprocessed gas flow;
- wherein the reprocessed gas flow comprises a syngas having a syngas composition;
- passing the reprocessed gas flow through a deoxygenation reactor, thereby providing a deoxygenated reprocessed gas flow;
- removing water from the deoxygenated reprocessed gas flow to thereby provided a syngas flow;
- controlling the pressure and the temperature of the syngas flow to provide a predetermined synthesis temperature and synthesis pressure of the syngas flow;
- flowing the syngas flow at the predetermined synthesis temperature and synthesis pressure into a synthesis unit;
- converting the syngas flow in the synthesis unit to thereby provide a first product stream comprising methanol;
- removing a material from the first product stream, the material comprising hydrogen;
- to thereby provide a second product stream;
- wherein the second product stream comprises at least about 80% methanol, and is thereby at least about 80% pure;
- wherein the reformer is a reciprocating engine;
- and the reciprocating engine has one, more than one, or all of:
- a. a compression ratio in the range of about 8:1 to about 17:1;
- b. an inlet manifold air temperature of ambient temperature to about 300° C.;
- c. an inlet manifold air pressure of ambient to about 5 bar;
- d. a spark timing between TDC and 50 degrees before TDC;
- and,
- e. an engine speed from about 1,500 rpm to about 8,000 rpm.
18 more elements
A method of converting a flare gas to methanol, the method comprises:
- receiving a flare gas flow from a source, wherein the flare gas flow has a composition, wherein the composition varies over time;
- compressing the flare gas flow to provide a compressed flare gas flow;
- mixing the compressed flare gas flow with air to provide a rich fuel/air mixture;
- partially oxidizing the rich fuel/air mixture in a reformer to provide a reprocessed gas flow;
- wherein the reprocessed gas flow comprises a syngas having a syngas composition;
- passing the reprocessed gas flow through a deoxygenation reactor, thereby providing a deoxygenated reprocessed gas flow;
- removing water from the deoxygenated reprocessed gas flow to thereby provided a syngas flow;
- controlling the pressure and the temperature of the syngas flow to provide a predetermined synthesis temperature and synthesis pressure of the syngas flow;
- flowing the syngas flow at the predetermined synthesis temperature and synthesis pressure into a synthesis unit;
- converting the syngas flow in the synthesis unit to thereby provide a first product stream comprising methanol;
- removing a material from the first product stream, the material comprising hydrogen;
- to thereby provide a second product stream;
- wherein the second product stream comprises at least about 80% methanol, and is thereby at least about 80% pure;
- wherein a variation in a composition of the flare gas does not change a composition of the end product;
- and wherein the variation in the composition of the flare gas does not require a change in one or more than one, of the predetermined synthesis temperature, the predetermined synthesis pressure, and the predetermined reformer temperature, and the predetermined reformer temperature.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.