US 8,038,746 B2Granted

Reduced-emission gasification and oxidation of hydrocarbon materials for liquid fuel production

OwnerSteve L. Clarkinventor

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Abstract

A system and process are disclosed for the controlled combustion of a wide variety of hydrocarbon feedstocks to produce thermal energy, liquid fuels, and other valuable products with little or no emissions. The hydrocarbon feeds, such as coal and biomass, are first gasified and then oxidized in a two-chamber system/process using pure oxygen rather than ambient air. A portion of the intermediate gases generated in the system/process are sent to a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process for conversion into diesel fuel and other desired liquid hydrocarbons. The remaining intermediate gases are circulated and recycled through each of the gasification/oxidation chambers in order to maximize energy production. The energy produced through the system/process is used to generate steam and produce power through conventional steam turbine technology. In addition to the release of heat energy, the hydrocarbon fuels are oxidized to the pure product compounds of water and carbon dioxide, which are subsequently purified and marketed. The system/process minimizes environmental emissions.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A process for combusting hydrocarbon feedstocks, producing hydrocarbon fuels from combustion intermediates, and recovering water and carbon dioxide produced during combustion, the process comprising the steps of:

reacting a stream of hydrocarbons with a stream of substantially pure oxygen in a gasification chamber under conditions producing a first reaction product stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen;
removing particulate matter from the first reaction product stream;
sending at least a portion of the first reaction product stream to a catalytic reactor arranged and designed to synthesize hydrocarbons,
sending any remaining portion of the first reaction product stream to an oxidation chamber under conditions producing a second reaction product stream comprising carbon dioxide and water vapor;
splitting the second reaction product stream into a recycle stream and a final product stream;
sending the recycle stream back into at least one of the chambers after first passing the recycle stream through an activated carbon filter;
subjecting the final product stream to electron beam oxidation to breakdown residual organic compounds and to electrostatically charge residual particulate matter;
removing the electrostatically charged residual particulate matter from the final product stream;
scrubbing the final product stream to neutralize and remove acidic impurities;
condensing water from the final product stream;
and
refrigerating the final product stream to condense any remaining water and to liquefy any carbon dioxide.

9 more elements

A system for combusting hydrocarbon feedstocks, producing hydrocarbon fuels from combustion intermediates, and recovering water and carbon dioxide produced during combustion, the system comprising:

a gasification chamber arranged and designed to convert a non-gaseous hydrocarbon feedstock into a gasified hydrocarbon product in the presence of a substantially pure oxygen gas;
a particulate removal device disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with said gasification chamber, said particulate removal device for removing particulates from the gasified hydrocarbon product;
a catalytic reactor disposed downstream of and in fluid connection with said particulate removal device, said catalytic reactor arranged and designed to accept a portion of the gasified hydrocarbon product and to synthesize hydrocarbons from the gasified hydrocarbon product;
an oxidation chamber disposed downstream of and in fluid connection with said particulate removal device, said oxidation chamber arranged and designed to oxidize any unaccepted portion of the gasified hydrocarbon product under conditions producing a combustion product comprising carbon dioxide and water vapor;
a heat exchanger disposed downstream of said oxidation chamber and arranged and designed to recover heat from the combustion product flowing downstream of said oxidation chamber;
a baghouse disposed downstream of said heat exchanger for removing particulates from the combustion product;
a combustion product manifold disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with said baghouse, said manifold having a final product line and a recirculation line in fluid connection therewith, said recirculation line arranged and designed to send a portion of the combustion product to at least one of said chambers;
an activated carbon filter disposed at a position along said recirculation line between said manifold and said at least one chamber, said activated carbon filter arranged and designed to pass the portion of the combustion product therethrough;
a scrubbing column disposed downstream of said manifold and in fluid communication with said final product line;
a condenser disposed downstream of said scrubbing column, said condenser arranged and designed to condense water from the combustion product;
and
a purification unit disposed downstream of said condenser, said purification unit arranged and designed to separate carbon dioxide from the combustion product.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/114,820Filed 5 May 2008 · us provisional application
Priority: 4 May 2007
Published: US 2008/0275278 A16 Nov 2008
Granted: 18 Oct 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

C10J 3/00
Production of combustible gases containing carbon monoxide from solid carbonaceous fuels
C10G 2/32
From carbon monoxide with hydrogen: with the use of catalysts
C10J 3/721
Other features: multistage gasification, e.g. plural parallel or serial gasification stages
C10K 1/003
Removal of contaminants: of acid contaminants, e.g. acid gas removal