Integration of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells in Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsPaul J. Berlowitz, Timothy Andrew Barckholtz, Frank H. Hershkowitz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for integration of molten carbonate fuel cells with a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process. The molten carbonate fuel cells can be integrated with a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process in various manners, including providing synthesis gas for use in producing hydrocarbonaceous carbons. Additionally, integration of molten carbonate fuel cells with a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process can facilitate further processing of vent streams or secondary product streams generated during the synthesis process.
Claims23
A method for synthesizing hydrocarbonaceous compounds, the method comprising:
- introducing a fuel stream comprising a reformable fuel into an anode of a molten carbonate fuel cell, an internal reforming element associated with the anode, or a combination thereof;
- introducing a cathode inlet stream comprising CO2 and O2 into a cathode inlet of the molten carbonate fuel cell;
- generating electricity within the molten carbonate fuel cell;
- generating an anode exhaust comprising H2, CO, CO2, and H2O, and having a ratio of H2 to CO of at least about 2.5:1;
- reducing the ratio of H2 to CO in at least a portion of the anode exhaust to a ratio of about 1.7:1 to about 2.3:1 to form a classic syngas stream, which also has a CO2 concentration that is at least 60% of a CO2 concentration in the anode exhaust;
- reacting the classic syngas stream under effective Fischer-Tropsch conditions in the presence of a non-shifting Fischer-Tropsch catalyst to produce at least one gaseous product and at least one non-gaseous product;
- and
- recycling at least a portion of the at least one gaseous product to the cathode inlet.
The method of embodiment 14, wherein performing the endothermic reaction consumes at least about 40% of the waste heat.
A method for synthesizing hydrocarbonaceous compounds, the method comprising:
- introducing a fuel stream comprising a reformable fuel into an anode of a molten carbonate fuel cell, an internal reforming element associated with the anode, or a combination thereof;
- introducing a cathode inlet stream comprising CO2 and O2 into a cathode inlet of the molten carbonate fuel cell;
- generating electricity within the molten carbonate fuel cell;
- generating an anode exhaust comprising H2, CO, CO2, and H2O, and having a ratio of H2 to CO of at least about 2.5:1;
- reducing the ratio of H2 to CO in at least a portion of the anode exhaust to a ratio of about 1.7:1 to about 2.3:1 to form a classic syngas stream, which also has a CO2 concentration that is at least 60% of a CO2 concentration in the anode exhaust;
- and
- reacting the classic syngas stream under effective Fischer-Tropsch conditions in the presence of a non-shifting Fischer-Tropsch catalyst to produce at least one gaseous product and at least one non-gaseous product,
- wherein an amount of the reformable fuel introduced into the anode, the internal reforming element associated with the anode, or the combination thereof, provides a reformable fuel surplus ratio of at least about 1.5.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.