US 8,968,433 B2Granted

Gasifier having integrated fuel cell power generation system

AssigneeThermoChem Recovery International, Inc.

InventorRavi Chandran

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Abstract

A direct carbonaceous material to power generation system integrates one or more solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) into a fluidized bed gasifier. The fuel cell anode is in direct contact with bed material so that the H2 and CO generated in the bed are oxidized to H2O and CO2 to create a push-pull or source-sink reaction environment. The SOFC is exothermic and supplies heat within a reaction chamber of the gasifier where the fluidized bed conducts an endothermic reaction. The products from the anode are the reactants for the reformer and vice versa. A lower bed in the reaction chamber may comprise engineered multi-function material which may incorporate one or more catalysts and reactant adsorbent sites to facilitate excellent heat and mass transfer and fluidization dynamics in fluidized beds. The catalyst is capable of cracking tars and reforming hydrocarbons.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A carbonaceous material gasifier and power generation system, comprising:

a reaction vessel having a longitudinal axis (A) extending in a vertical direction and defining a gasifier chamber suitable for receiving a feedstock comprising a carbonaceous material and producing product gas from the carbonaceous material, the gasifier chamber having a fluidized bed and being connected to a source of steam which is in communication with the fluidized bed;
a freeboard area located vertically above the fluidized bed;
an outlet coupled to the freeboard area to permit the exit of product gas from the gasifier chamber;
and
a plurality of fuel cell elements which protrude into bed material of the fluidized bed in the gasifier chamber, the fuel cell elements configured to conduct an exothermic reaction and provide heat sufficient to gasify said carbonaceous material and produce the product gas, while simultaneously generating power;
wherein:
each fuel cell element extends in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis (A);
and
an anode of each fuel cell element is in direct contact with the bed material of the fluidized bed.

6 more elements

A carbonaceous material gasifier and power generation system, comprising:

a reaction vessel having a longitudinal axis (A) extending in a vertical direction, defining a gasifier chamber and having a carbonaceous material feedstock inlet and a fluidized bed, the gasifier chamber being connected to a source of steam which is in communication with the fluidized bed;
a freeboard area located vertically above the fluidized bed;
an outlet coupled to the freeboard area to permit the exit of product gas from the gasifier chamber;
and
one or more fuel cell modules connected to the reaction vessel, each fuel cell module comprising a fuel cell element having a fuel cell anode portion immersed within the fluidized bed, the anode portion directly contacting the fluidized bed;
wherein:
each fuel cell element extends in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis (A);
and
each fuel cell element is configured to:
(a) accept H2 and CO generated from carbonaceous material within the gasifier chamber;
(b) electrochemically oxidize said H2 and CO to produce power;
and
(c) output H2O and CO2 into the fluidized bed with energy sufficient to sustain reforming and gasification reactions of said carbonaceous material and produce additional H2 and CO.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/309,354Filed 1 Dec 2011 · continuation
Priority: 2 Jun 2009
Published: US 2012/0094198 A119 Apr 2012
Granted: 3 Mar 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification65 codes

H01M 8/0631
In a modular combined reactor/fuel cell structure: reactor construction specially adapted for combination reactor/fuel cell
B01J 21/04
Boron or aluminium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof: alumina
C01B 3/02
Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen; Reversible storage…:…
C01B 3/12
By reaction of inorganic compounds containing electro-positively bound hydrogen with inorganic reducing agents: by reaction of water vapour with…