Integrated air separation and oxygen fired power generation system

An integrated air separation and power generation system comprising:

• a gas turbine unit including an air compressor, a gas turbine expander coupled to the air compressor and a combustion unit located upstream from the expander to feed drive gas to the expander;
• an air separation unit to receive compressed air from the air compressor and produce at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen, a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit being fed to the combustion unit;
• a second turbine coupled to the air compressor and located downstream from the expander to receive drive gas discharged from the expander;
• wherein each of the expander and the second turbine drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the expander and the second turbine;
• and
• a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the third turbine;
• wherein the combustion unit is located downstream from the third turbine to receive drive gas discharged from the third turbine;
• wherein the operating pressure of the second turbine is no greater than about 1.5 bar (absolute), and the operating pressure of the third turbine is at least about 15 bar (absolute).

An integrated air separation and power generation system comprising:

• a gas turbine unit including an air compressor, a gas turbine expander coupled to the air compressor and a combustion unit located upstream from the expander to feed drive gas to the expander;
• an air separation unit to receive compressed air from the air compressor and produce at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen, a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit being fed to the combustion unit;
• a second turbine coupled to the air compressor and located downstream from the expander to receive drive gas discharged from the expander;
• wherein each of the expander and the second turbine drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the expander and the second turbine;
• and
• a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the third turbine;
• wherein the combustion unit is located downstream from the third turbine to receive drive gas discharged from the third turbine;
• wherein system operating conditions are controllable such that an inlet temperature of the third turbine is about 400-600° C., an inlet pressure of the third turbine is about 50-150 bar (absolute), and an outlet pressure of the third turbine is about 10-30 bar (absolute).

An integrated air separation and power generation system comprising:

• a gas turbine unit including an air compressor, a gas turbine expander coupled to the air compressor and a combustion unit located upstream from the expander to feed drive gas to the expander;
• an air separation unit to receive compressed air from the air compressor and produce at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen, a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit being fed to the combustion unit;
• a second turbine coupled to the air compressor and located downstream from the expander to receive drive gas discharged from the expander;
• wherein each of the expander and the second turbine drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the expander and the second turbine;
• and
• a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the third turbine;
• wherein the combustion unit is located downstream from the third turbine to receive drive gas discharged from the third turbine;
• wherein system operating conditions are controllable such that an inlet temperature of the expander is about 800-1400° C., an inlet pressure of the expander is about 10-30 bar (absolute), and an outlet pressure of the expander is about 1 bar (absolute).

An integrated air separation and power generation system comprising:

• a gas turbine unit including an air compressor, a gas turbine expander coupled to the air compressor and a combustion unit located upstream from the expander to feed drive gas to the expander;
• an air separation unit to receive compressed air from the air compressor and produce at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen, a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit being fed to the combustion unit;
• a second turbine coupled to the air compressor and located downstream from the expander to receive drive gas discharged from the expander;
• wherein each of the expander and the second turbine drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the expander and the second turbine;
• and
• a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the third turbine;
• wherein the combustion unit is located downstream from the third turbine to receive drive gas discharged from the third turbine;
• wherein system operating conditions are controllable such that an inlet temperature of the second turbine is about 300-700° C., an inlet pressure of the second turbine is about 1 bar (absolute), and an outlet pressure of the second turbine is about 0.05-0.30 bar (absolute).

An integrated air separation and power generation system comprising:

• a gas turbine unit including an air compressor, a gas turbine expander coupled to the air compressor and a combustion unit located upstream from the expander to feed drive gas to the expander;
• an air separation unit to receive compressed air from the air compressor and produce at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen, a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit being fed to the combustion unit;
• a second turbine coupled to the air compressor and located downstream from the expander to receive drive gas discharged from the expander;
• wherein each of the expander and the second turbine drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the expander and the second turbine;
• and
• a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the third turbine;
• wherein the combustion unit is located downstream from the third turbine to receive drive gas discharged from the third turbine;
• wherein the air separation unit further produces a high pressure stream of primarily nitrogen, and the system further comprises;
• a heat exchanger to elevate the temperature of the high pressure nitrogen stream to a temperature in the range of about 400-1400° C.;
• a nitrogen turbine positioned to receive at least a portion of the heated high pressure nitrogen stream discharged from the heat exchanger;
• wherein the nitrogen turbine drives at least one of the air compressor and an electrical generator coupled to the nitrogen turbine when the high pressure nitrogen stream flows through the nitrogen turbine.

A method of providing power to an air separation unit via an integrated power generation system including a first turbine, a second turbine, an air compressor, and a combustion unit, wherein the first and second turbines are coupled to the air compressor, the method comprising:

• reacting oxygen with a hydrocarbon fuel in the combustion unit to produce a drive gas for the first turbine;
• driving the air compressor by feeding the drive gas from the combustion unit directly through the first turbine and subsequently through the second turbine;
• generating a compressed air stream by the air compressor as a result of the air compressor being driven by the first and second turbines;
• feeding the compressed air stream from the air compressor to the air separation unit;
• processing the compressed air stream in the air separation unit to yield at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen;
• and
• feeding a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit to the combustion unit;
• wherein the system further includes a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to further drive the air compressor when drive gas is fed through the third turbine, and the method further comprises:
• feeding drive gas discharged from the third turbine to the combustion unit;
• wherein the system further includes a second combustion unit, and the method further comprises:
• producing a drive gas for the third turbine in the second combustion unit;
• and
• feeding drive gas from the second combustion unit to the third turbine.

A method of providing power to an air separation unit via an integrated power generation system including a first turbine, a second turbine, an air compressor, and a combustion unit, wherein the first and second turbines are coupled to the air compressor, the method comprising:

• reacting oxygen with a hydrocarbon fuel in the combustion unit to produce a drive gas for the first turbine;
• driving the air compressor by feeding the drive gas from the combustion unit directly through the first turbine and subsequently through the second turbine;
• generating a compressed air stream by the air compressor as a result of the air compressor being driven by the first and second turbines;
• feeding the compressed air stream from the air compressor to the air separation unit;
• processing the compressed air stream in the air separation unit to yield at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen;
• and
• feeding a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit to the combustion unit;
• wherein the system further includes a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to further drive the air compressor when drive gas is fed through the third turbine, and the method further comprises:
• feeding drive gas discharged from the third turbine to the combustion unit;
• wherein the operating pressure of the second turbine is no greater than about 1.5 bar (absolute), and the operating pressure of the third turbine is at least about 15 bar (absolute).

A method of providing power to an air separation unit via an integrated power generation system including a first turbine, a second turbine, an air compressor, and a combustion unit, wherein the first and second turbines are coupled to the air compressor, the method comprising:

• reacting oxygen with a hydrocarbon fuel in the combustion unit to produce a drive gas for the first turbine;
• driving the air compressor by feeding the drive gas from the combustion unit directly through the first turbine and subsequently through the second turbine;
• generating a compressed air stream by the air compressor as a result of the air compressor being driven by the first and second turbines;
• feeding the compressed air stream from the air compressor to the air separation unit;
• processing the compressed air stream in the air separation unit to yield at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen;
• and
• feeding a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit to the combustion unit;
• wherein the system further includes a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to further drive the air compressor when drive gas is fed through the third turbine, and the method further comprises:
• feeding drive gas discharged from the third turbine to the combustion unit;
• further comprising:
• controlling the system operating conditions to provide an inlet temperature of the third turbine of about 400-600° C., an inlet pressure of the third turbine of about 50-150 bar (absolute), and an outlet pressure of the third turbine of about 10-30 bar (absolute).

A method of providing power to an air separation unit via an integrated power generation system including a first turbine, a second turbine, an air compressor, and a combustion unit, wherein the first and second turbines are coupled to the air compressor, the method comprising:

• reacting oxygen with a hydrocarbon fuel in the combustion unit to produce a drive gas for the first turbine;
• driving the air compressor by feeding the drive gas from the combustion unit directly through the first turbine and subsequently through the second turbine;
• generating a compressed air stream by the air compressor as a result of the air compressor being driven by the first and second turbines;
• feeding the compressed air stream from the air compressor to the air separation unit;
• processing the compressed air stream in the air separation unit to yield at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen;
• and
• feeding a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit to the combustion unit;
• wherein the system further includes a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to further drive the air compressor when drive gas is fed through the third turbine, and the method further comprises:
• feeding drive gas discharged from the third turbine to the combustion unit;
• further comprising:
• controlling the system operating conditions to provide an inlet temperature of the first turbine of about 800-1400° C., an inlet pressure of the first turbine of about 10-30 bar (absolute), and an outlet pressure of the first turbine of about 1 bar (absolute).

A method of providing power to an air separation unit via an integrated power generation system including a first turbine, a second turbine, an air compressor, and a combustion unit, wherein the first and second turbines are coupled to the air compressor, the method comprising:

• reacting oxygen with a hydrocarbon fuel in the combustion unit to produce a drive gas for the first turbine;
• driving the air compressor by feeding the drive gas from the combustion unit directly through the first turbine and subsequently through the second turbine;
• generating a compressed air stream by the air compressor as a result of the air compressor being driven by the first and second turbines;
• feeding the compressed air stream from the air compressor to the air separation unit;
• processing the compressed air stream in the air separation unit to yield at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen;
• and
• feeding a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit to the combustion unit;
• wherein the system further includes a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to further drive the air compressor when drive gas is fed through the third turbine, and the method further comprises:
• feeding drive gas discharged from the third turbine to the combustion unit;
• further comprising:
• controlling the system operating conditions to provide an inlet temperature of the second turbine of about 300-700° C., an inlet pressure of the second turbine of about 1 bar (absolute), and an outlet pressure of the second turbine of about 0.05-0.30 bar (absolute).

A method of providing power to an air separation unit via an integrated power generation system including a first turbine, a second turbine, an air compressor, and a combustion unit, wherein the first and second turbines are coupled to the air compressor, the method comprising:

• reacting oxygen with a hydrocarbon fuel in the combustion unit to produce a drive gas for the first turbine;
• driving the air compressor by feeding the drive gas from the combustion unit directly through the first turbine and subsequently through the second turbine;
• generating a compressed air stream by the air compressor as a result of the air compressor being driven by the first and second turbines;
• feeding the compressed air stream from the air compressor to the air separation unit;
• processing the compressed air stream in the air separation unit to yield at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen;
• and
• feeding a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit to the combustion unit;
• wherein the system further includes a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to further drive the air compressor when drive gas is fed through the third turbine, and the method further comprises:
• feeding drive gas discharged from the third turbine to the combustion unit;
• further comprising:
• producing a high pressure stream of primarily nitrogen from the air separation unit;
• feeding the high pressure stream of primarily nitrogen through a heat exchanger to heat the high pressure stream of primarily nitrogen;
• and
• feeding the heated, high pressure stream of primarily nitrogen through a nitrogen turbine to drive at least one of the air compressor and an electrical generator coupled to the nitrogen turbine to produce electrical energy.