Process and system for producing commercial quality carbon dioxide from fine particle limestone

Abstract

The invention features methods and systems for producing commercial quality carbon dioxide (CO2) of 90% to +99% purity using, wet, fine particle limestone produced in a manufacturing operation, for instance, a limestone quarry as a feedstock to a multi-stage limestone calcination process. This process may be fueled with negative cost waste water treatment plant (WWTP) sludge, biomass, coal, or other low cost solid fuels. High reactivity lime product required in the an adjacent paper mill's PCC manufacturing plant is also produced, and steam and heated boiler feed-water is generated and exported to the mill's steam distribution and generation system as well as hot process water for use in the mill's manufacturing operation. The system for calcining fine particle limestone produced in a quarry manufacturing operation and converting it to lime and CO2 comprises a calciner and a combustor linked by a moving media heat transfer (MMHT) system or apparatus. The MMHT system or apparatus thermally links separate fluid bed combustion (exothermic) and calcination (endothermic) stages with a solid particulate media. The fluid bed calcination stage is fluidized with steam. The system further comprises a dryer/pre-heater that utilizes exhausted heat from the calcination stage.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.