# US 2016/0355933 A1 · Method and system for producing carbon dioxide and electricity from a gaseous hydrocarbon feed

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2016/0355933 A1
- Document ID: US20160355933A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/111,839
- Filed: 2014-01-17
- Published: 2016-12-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-01-17
- Assignees: Htceramix S.A.
- Applicants: Htceramix S.A.
- Inventors: Stefan DIETHELM; Alberto RAVAGNI; Olivier BUCHELI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160355933A1

## CPC

- C25B 5/00: Electrogenerative processes, i.e. processes for producing compounds in which electricity is generated simultaneously
- B01D 53/62: Carbon oxides
- B01D 53/73: After-treatment of removed components
- B01D 71/02231: {Palladium}
- B01J 19/245: {placed in series}
- B01J 19/2475: {Membrane reactors}
- C01B 3/16: using catalysts
- C01B 3/34: by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
- C01B 3/48: followed by reaction of water vapour with carbon monoxide
- H01M 8/04097: {with recycling of the reactants (H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence)}
- H01M 8/0618: {Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming}
- H01M 8/0668: Removal of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide
- H01M 8/0687: {Reactant purification by the use of membranes or filters}
- H01M 8/1231: with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised
- B01D 2256/16: Hydrogen
- B01D 2256/22: Carbon dioxide
- B01D 2257/502: Carbon monoxide
- B01D 2258/0208: from fuel cells
- B01J 2219/24: Stationary reactors without moving elements inside
- C01B 2203/0233: the reforming step being a steam reforming step
- C01B 2203/0283: containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
- C01B 2203/041: In-situ membrane purification during hydrogen production
- C01B 2203/066: with fuel cells
- C01B 2203/1064: Platinum group metal catalysts
- C01B 2203/1235: Hydrocarbons
- C01B 2203/1241: Natural gas or methane
- C01B 2203/148: involving a recycle stream to the feed of the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
- C01B 2203/84: Energy production
- H01M 2008/1293: {Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes}
- H01M 2250/00: Fuel cells for particular applications; Specific features of fuel cell system
- H01M 2300/0074: Ion conductive at high temperature
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B)
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A method and system for producing carbon dioxide and electricity from a gaseous hydrocarbon feed using a solid oxide fuel cell, a water-gas shift reactor and a reformer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing concentrated carbon dioxide and electricity from a gaseous hydrocarbon feed using a solid oxide fuel cell SOFC, the method comprising the steps of:
introducing a hydrogen enriched gaseous hydrocarbon feed into a reformer, introducing steam;
in the reformer, generating a reformed process gas by at least partially converting methane and steam into carbon monoxide and hydrogen;
introducing the reformed process gas into an anode side of the solid oxide fuel cell;
in the solid oxide fuel cell, introducing air into a cathode side of the solid oxide fuel cell and converting hydrogen and carbon monoxide of the reformed process gas in combination with oxygen into an anode off-gas comprising steam, carbon dioxide and unconverted process gas;
wherein
introducing the gaseous hydrocarbon feed into a permeate side of a water gas shift membrane reactor, wherein the gaseous hydrocarbon feed is used as a sweep gas in the permeate side of the water gas shift membrane reactor, and wherein the sweep gas is hydrogen enriched in the permeate side of the water gas shift membrane reactor and leaves the water gas shift membrane reactor as the hydrogen enriched gaseous hydrocarbon feed,
introducing the anode off-gas into a feed side of the water gas shift membrane reactor; and
in the feed side of the water-gas shift membrane reactor converting carbon monoxide and steam of the anode off gas into concentrated carbon dioxide and hydrogen and depleting the anode off-gas of hydrogen to create a carbon dioxide rich gas stream, and enriching the sweep gas with hydrogen.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein steam is added to the gaseous hydrocarbon feed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein steam is introduced into the reformer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein steam is added to the hydrogen enriched gaseous hydrocarbon feed.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen enriched gaseous hydrocarbon feed is compressed to an operating pressure in the range of 2 to 8 bars before entering the reformer, and wherein the air is preferably compressed to the same operating pressure before entering the solid oxide fuel cell.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein an amount of steam is added with a steam to carbon ratio of at least 15, and wherein the hydrogen enriched gaseous hydrocarbon feed is cooled after leaving the water gas shift membrane reactor to condensate and separate an excess amount of water, so that the hydrogen enriched gaseous hydrocarbon feed after condensation and separation has a steam to carbon ratio of 2 to 4.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the water-gas shift membrane reactor is an integrated water-gas shift membrane reactor with a palladium alloy based membrane for selectively removing hydrogen from the anode off-gas.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide rich gas stream is introduced into a separation system;
in the separation system, separating steam from the carbon dioxide rich gas stream, wherein the carbon dioxide is compressed in a compressor to provide a compressed concentrated carbon dioxide.

### Claim 9

A system for producing concentrated carbon dioxide and electricity from a gaseous hydrocarbon feed using a solid oxide fuel cell SOFC, the system comprising:
a water-gas shift reactor,
a reformer,
the solid oxide fuel cell SOFC comprising an anode side and a cathode side,
an inlet for the gaseous hydrocarbon feed,
wherein the reformer is fluidly connected with a hydrogen enriched gaseous hydrocarbon feed and a steam feed, and wherein the reformer generates a reformed process gas by at least partially converting methane and steam into carbon monoxide and hydrogen;
wherein the anode side of the solid oxide fuel cell is fluidly connected with the reformer for receiving the reformed process gas and for converting the reformed process gas in combination with oxygen into an anode off-gas comprising steam, carbon dioxide and unconverted reformed process gas;
wherein
the water gas shift reactor is a water gas shift membrane reactor,
that there is an outlet for a carbon dioxide rich gas stream,
that the water gas shift membrane reactor comprises a permeate side, a feed side, a catalyst and a hydrogen selective membrane between the permeate side and the feed side,
that the permeate side having an input side and an exit side and the feed side having an input side and an exit side,
that the inlet is fluidly connected with the input side of the permeate side,
that the exit side of the permeate side providing the hydrogen enriched gaseous hydrocarbon feed and being fluidly connected with the reformer,
that the input side of the feed side of the water gas shift membrane reactor is fluidly connected with the solid oxide fuel cell for receiving the anode off-gas, and for converting carbon monoxide and steam into concentrated carbon dioxide and hydrogen in the feed side, and for separating the hydrogen through the membrane to create a hydrogen enriched gaseous feed on the permeate side, so that the anode off-gas is depleted of hydrogen and carbon monoxide to create the carbon dioxide rich gas stream comprising mainly carbon dioxide and steam on the feed side,
and that the exit side of the feed side is fluidly connected with the outlet.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein a compressor is arranged between the water gas shift membrane reactor and the reformer, so that the exit side of the permeate side is fluidly connected with the compressor, and that the reformer is fluidly connected with the exit side of the compressor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein a condenser is arranged between the water gas shift membrane reactor and the reformer, so that the exit side of the permeate side is fluidly connected with the condenser, and that the reformer is fluidly connected with the exit side of the condenser.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the membrane is a palladium alloy based membrane for selectively removing hydrogen.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the input side of the permeate side of the water gas shift membrane reactor is also fluidly connected with a steam providing unit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein a separation system is fluidly connected with the exit side of the feed side of the water-gas shift membrane reactor, to introduce the carbon dioxide rich gas stream into the separation system to separate steam from the carbon dioxide rich gas stream to provide the concentrated carbon dioxide.