Method of using solar energy in a chemical synthesis process
AssigneeFoster Wheeler Energy Corporation
InventorJames P. Van Hook
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of using solar energy in a chemical synthesis process comprising steam reforming hydrocarbons or gasifying carbonaceous fuel, converting the product of the steam reforming of hydrocarbons or the gasifying of carbonaceous fuels to an ammonia synthesis gas, converting the ammonia synthesis gas to ammonia, supplying the heat required for the steam reforming of hydrocarbons or the gasifying of carbonaceous fuels by a heat transfer fluid, heating the heat transfer fluid in a solar receiver when solar energy is available, heating the heat transfer fluid by combusting a portion of the ammonia when sufficient solar energy is not available to supply the necessary heat to the heat transfer fluid.
Claims7
A method of using solar energy in a chemical synthesis process comprising:
- (a) steam reforming hydrocarbons or gasifying carbonaceous fuels;
- (b) converting the product of said steam reforming of hydrocarbons of said gasifying of carbonaceous fuels to an ammonia synthesis gas;
- (c) converting said ammonia synthesis gas to ammonia;
- (d) supplying the heat required for said steam reforming of hydrocarbons or said gasifying of carbonaceous fuels by a heat transfer fluid;
- (e) heating said heat transfer fluid in a solar receiver when solar energy is available;
- (f) heating said heat transfer fluid by combusting a portion of said ammonia when sufficient solar energy is not available to supply the necessary heat to said heat tranfer fluid wherein the product of said combusting of said ammonia is nitric oxides and said nitric oxides are combined with air and used to produce nitric acid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.