US 2010/0249251 A1 · SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CYCLIC OPERATIONS IN A FUEL SYNTHESIS PROCESS

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system for a fuel synthesis system including a multiple methanol reactor train, operated in parallel from a common input of 1) synthesis gas from a solar driven chemical reactor and 2) synthesis gas from a storage tank. In some embodiments, the multiple methanol reactor trains are idled as needed based on a variable amount of synthesis gas fed into the process. Additionally, some embodiments may include a controller to control operation of the multiple methanol trains by potentially idling one or more of the methanol reactor trains, switching to an operational state, or altering the output from the reactor trains, based on the amount of synthesis gas being generated by the solar driven chemical reactor, which is subject to marked variations in volume of synthesis gas output based on a seasonal, diurnal and weather effects.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A fuel synthesis system comprising:

a multiple methanol reactor train, operated in parallel from a supply input of 1) synthesis gas from a solar driven chemical reactor and 2) synthesis gas from a storage unit, or 3) a combination of both, wherein the multiple methanol reactor trains are idled as needed based on a variable amount of synthesis gas fed into the process;
and
a controller to control operation of the multiple methanol trains by 1) idling one or more of the methanol reactor trains, 2) altering an output amount being generated by one or more of the methanol reactor trains, 3) switching one or more of the methanol reactor trains to an operational state and 4) any combination of the three, based on an amount of synthesis gas being generated by the solar driven chemical reactor, which is subject to marked variations in volume of synthesis gas output based on seasonal, diurnal and weather effects.

A control system for a fuel synthesis system comprising control algorithms on reactor operation, the control algorithms specifically allowing rapid and efficient reactor cycling by 1) using synthesis gas from a solar driven chemical reactor, 2) synthesis gas from a storage unit, and 3) recycling synthesis gas and methanol product gas from the outlet of the reactor trains to keep at least one of the trains operating at some percent of its maximum throughput;

and wherein the control system keeps an idle reactor at or near reaction temperature and with a pressure change of no more than 30% during the idle periods.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for cyclic operations in a fuel synthesis process

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for cyclic operations in a fuel synthesis process

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20