Method And An Apparatus For Producing Energy By Recycling Materials During A Fuel Combustion Process
AssigneeFortum Oyj
InventorsEsa Suoninen, Martti Surakka
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for producing energy by recycling materials during a fuel combustion process, wherein the fuel combustion process comprises combusting fuel introduced into the fuel combustion process. Further, the invention relates to an apparatus for producing energy by recycling materials during a fuel combustion process.
Claims19
A method for producing energy by recycling materials during a fuel combustion process (1) taking place in a fuel combustion device, which is a boiler or a furnace, wherein the fuel combustion process comprises combusting fuel introduced into the fuel combustion process, wherein the method comprises the following steps of:
- introducing a stream of flue gas (4) comprising carbon dioxide and produced in the fuel combustion process (1) into a biomass cultivating process (2), where the flue gas takes part in the production of biomass and oxygen;
- introducing at least part of the biomass produced in the biomass cultivating process (2) into a biogas production process (3), where the biomass takes part in the production of biogas;
- introducing at least part of the oxygen produced in the biomass cultivating process (2) into the fuel combustion process (1);
- introducing at least part of the biogas produced in the biogas production process (3) into the fuel combustion process (1), where the biogas is combusted as fuel;
- and
- introducing combustion air (9) into the fuel combustion process;
- such that the need to introduce fuel (11) selected from a group consisting of fossil fuel comprising coal, biofuel, industrial waste, municipal waste and any combination thereof, into the fuel combustion process (1) during the fuel combustion process in addition to the biogas produced in the biogas production process (3) and introduced into the fuel combustion process is reduced.
An apparatus (15) for producing energy by recycling materials during a fuel combustion process, wherein the apparatus comprises a fuel combustion device (1), which is a boiler or a furnace, for combusting fuel introduced into the fuel combustion device, wherein the apparatus further comprises:
- means (4) for introducing a stream of flue gas comprising carbon dioxide and produced in the fuel combustion device (1) into a biomass cultivating device (2);
- a biomass cultivating device (2) for producing biomass and oxygen;
- means (5) for introducing at least part of the biomass produced in the biomass cultivating device (2) into a biogas reactor (3);
- a biogas reactor (3) for producing biogas;
- means (6) for introducing at least part of the oxygen produced in the biomass cultivating device (2) into the fuel combustion device (1);
- means (7) for introducing at least part of the biogas produced in the biogas reactor (3) into the fuel combustion device (1) for combusting biogas as fuel;
- and
- means for introducing combustion air (9) into the fuel combustion device;
- and in that the apparatus is configured such that the need to introduce fuel (11) selected from a group consisting of fossil fuel comprising coal, biofuel, industrial waste, municipal waste and any combination thereof, into the fuel combustion device (1) during the fuel combustion process in addition to the biogas produced in the biogas reactor (3) and introduced into the fuel combustion device is reduced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.