3583results about "Hydrocarbon from carbon oxides" patented technology

A process is provided for combusting a low heating value fuel gas in a combustor to drive an associated gas turbine. A low heating value fuel gas feed is divided into a burner portion and a combustion chamber portion. The combustion chamber portion and a combustion air are conveyed into a mixing zone of the combustor to form an air/fuel mixture. The burner portion is conveyed into a flame zone of the combustor through a burner nozzle while a first portion of the air/fuel mixture is conveyed into the flame zone through a burner port adjacent to the burner nozzle. The burner portion and first portion of the air/fuel mixture are contacted in the flame zone to combust the portions and produce flame zone products. The flame zone products are conveyed into an oxidation zone of the combustor downstream of the flame zone while a second portion of the air/fuel mixture is also conveyed into the oxidation zone. The second portion is combusted in the oxidation zone in the presence of the flame zone products to produce combustion products. The combustion products are conveyed into the associated gas turbine and drive the gas turbine.

Hydrogen is produced from solid or liquid carbon-containing fuels in a two-step process. The fuel is gasified with hydrogen in a hydrogenation reaction to produce a methane-rich gaseous reaction product, which is then reacted with water and calcium oxide in a hydrogen production and carbonation reaction to produce hydrogen and calcium carbonate. The calcium carbonate may be continuously removed from the hydrogen production and carbonation reaction zone and calcined to regenerate calcium oxide, which may be reintroduced into the hydrogen production and carbonation reaction zone. Hydrogen produced in the hydrogen production and carbonation reaction is more than sufficient both to provide the energy necessary for the calcination reaction and also to sustain the hydrogenation of the coal in the gasification reaction. The excess hydrogen is available for energy production or other purposes. Substantially all of the carbon introduced as fuel ultimately emerges from the invention process in a stream of substantially pure carbon dioxide. The water necessary for the hydrogen production and carbonation reaction may be introduced into both the gasification and hydrogen production and carbonation reactions, and allocated so as transfer the exothermic heat of reaction of the gasification reaction to the endothermic hydrogen production and carbonation reaction.

Devices and methods are described for converting a carbon source and a hydrogen source into hydrocarbons, such as alcohols, for alternative energy sources. The influents may comprise carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas or water, obtainable from the atmosphere for through methods described herein, such as plasma generation or electrolysis. One method to produce hydrocarbons comprises the use of an electrolytic device, comprising an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte. Another method comprises the use of ultrasonic energy to drive the reaction. The devices and methods and related devices and methods are useful, for example, to provide a fossil fuel alternative energy source, store renewable energy, sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, counteract global warming, and store carbon dioxide in a liquid fuel.

The present invention relates to processes for preparing gaseous products, and in particular, methane via the catalytic gasification of carbonaceous feedstocks in the presence of steam and an oxygen-rich gas stream. The processes comprise using at least one catalytic methanator to convert carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the gaseous products to methane and do not recycle carbon monoxide or hydrogen to the catalytic gasifier.

The present invention provides processes for making synthesis gas and processes for making syngas-derived products. For example, one aspect of the present invention provides a process for making a synthesis gas stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the process comprising (a) providing a carbonaceous feedstock; (b) reacting the carbonaceous feedstock in a gasification reactor in the presence of steam and a gasification catalyst under suitable temperature and pressure to form a raw product gas stream comprising a plurality of gases comprising methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide; (c) removing steam from and sweetening the raw product gas stream to form a sweetened gas stream; (d) separating and adding steam to the sweetened gas stream to form a first reformer input gas stream having a first steam/methane ratio; and a second reformer input stream having a second steam/methane ratio, in which the first steam/methane ratio is smaller than the second steam/methane ratio; (e) reforming the second reformer input stream to form a recycle gas stream comprising steam, carbon monoxide and hydrogen; (f) introducing the recycle gas stream to the gasification reactor; and (g) reforming the first reformer input stream to form the synthesis gas stream.

This invention discloses improvements on previous inventions for catalytic conversion of coal and steam to methane. The disclosed improvements permit conversion of petroleum residua or heavy crude petroleum to methane and carbon dioxide such that nearly all of the heating value of the converted hydrocarbons is recovered as heating value of the product methane. The liquid feed is distributed over a fluidized solid particulate catalyst containing alkali metal and carbon as petroleum coke at elevated temperature and pressure from the lower stage and transported to the upper stage of a two-stage reactor. Particulate solids containing carbon and alkali metal are circulated between the two stages. Superheated steam and recycled hydrogen and carbon monoxide are fed to the lower stage, fluidizing the particulate solids and gasifying some of the carbon. The gas phase from the lower stage passes through the upper stage, completing the reaction of the gas phase.

The present invention provides processes for making syngas-derived products. For example, one aspect of the present invention provides a process for making a syngas-derived product, the process comprising (a) providing a carbonaceous feedstock; (b) converting the carbonaceous feedstock in a syngas formation zone at least in part to a synthesis gas stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; (c) conveying the synthesis gas stream to a syngas reaction zone; (d) reacting the synthesis gas stream in the syngas reaction zone to form the syngas-derived product and heat energy, a combustible tail gas mixture, or both; (e) recovering the syngas-derived product; and (f) recovering the heat energy formed from the reaction of the synthesis gas stream, burning the combustible tail gas mixture to form heat energy, or both.

The invention provides for methods, devices, and systems for pyrolyzing biomass. A pyrolysis unit can be used for the pyrolysis of biomass to form gas, liquid, and solid products. The biomass materials can be selected such that an enhanced biochar is formed after pyrolysis. The biomass can be pyrolyzed under specified conditions such that a selected biochar core is formed. The pyrolysis process can form a stable biochar core that is inert and/or resistant to degradation. The biochar or biochar core can be functionalized to form a functionalized biochar or functionalized biochar core. Functionalization can include post-pyrolysis treatments such as supplementation with microbes or physical transformations including annealing and/or activation.

Continuous processes are provided for converting a carbonaceous feedstock comprising biomass containing alkali metal, non-biomass components, and at least one gasification catalyst including an alkali metal recovered from solid char, into a plurality of gaseous products including methane and at least one or more of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and other higher hydrocarbons.

The present invention relates to processes for preparing gaseous products, and in particular, methane via the catalytic gasification of carbonaceous feedstocks in the presence of steam. The processes comprise using at least one methanation step to convert carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the gaseous products to methane and do not recycle carbon monoxide or hydrogen to the catalytic gasifier.

Conversion of waste and other organic feedstock into sustainable energy, feed, fertilizer, and other useful products of reliable purities is accomplished using water, heat, and pressure. More specifically, the invention provides methods and apparatus that handle mixed streams of various feedstocks, e.g. agricultural waste, biological waste, municipal solid waste, municipal sewage sludge, and shredder residue, to yield gas, oil, specialty chemicals, and carbon solids that can be used as is or are further processed. Useful products can be diverted at various points of the process or internalized to enhance the efficiency of the system.

Diatomic hydrogen and unsaturated hydrocarbons are produced as reactor gases in a fast quench reactor. During the fast quench, the unsaturated hydrocarbons are further decomposed by reheating the reactor gases. More diatomic hydrogen is produced, along with elemental carbon. Other gas may be added at different stages in the process to form a desired end product and prevent back reactions. The product is a substantially clean-burning hydrogen fuel that leaves no greenhouse gas emissions, and elemental carbon that may be used in powder form as a commodity for several processes.

A solid state membrane for a reforming reactor is disclosed which comprises at least one oxygen anion-conducting oxide selected from the group consisting of hexaaluminates, cerates, perovskites, and other mixed metal oxides that are able to adsorb and dissociate molecular oxygen. The membrane adsorbs and dissociates molecular oxygen into highly active atomic oxygen and allows oxygen anions to diffuse through the membrane, to provide high local concentration of oxygen to deter formation and deposition of carbon on reformer walls. Embodiments of the membrane also have catalytic activity for reforming a hydrocarbon fuel to synthesis gas. Also disclosed are a reformer having an inner wall containing the new membrane, and a process of reforming a hydrocarbon feed, such as a high sulfur-containing diesel fuel, to produce synthesis gas, suitable for use in fuel cells.

A process for the partial catalytic oxidation of a hydrocarbon containing feed comprising contacting the feed with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst retained within a reaction zone in a fixed arrangement, wherein the catalyst comprises at least one catalytically active metal selected from the group consisting of silver and Group VIII elements supported on a porous ceramic carrier. The porous ceramic carrier has a distribution of total pores wherein about 70% of the total pores (1) have a volume-to-surface area (V/S) ration that is within about 20% of the mean V/S value for the total pores and no pores have a V/S ration that is greater than twice the mean V/S value for the total pores; (2) have a pore-to-pore distance between neighboring pores that is within about 25% of the mean pore-to-pore distance between neighboring pores; and (3) have a pore throat area that is within about 50% of the mean pore throat are for the pores. Additionally, about 50% of the total pores have a coordination number between neighboring pores that is within about 25% of the mean coordination number between neighboring pores. Preferably, the oxidation process comprises a multistage, staged oxygen, catalytic partial oxidation process having fewer than or equal to about five stages and including a first stage preheat temperature of greater than about 550° C., and wherein the temperature of the product mixture in each stage following the first stage is at least about 700° C.

A steam methane reforming method in which a feed stream is treated in a reactor containing a catalyst that is capable of promoting both hydrogenation and partial oxidation reactions. The reactor is either operated in a catalytic hydrogenation mode to convert olefins into saturated hydrocarbons and/or to chemically reduce sulfur species to hydrogen sulfide or a catalytic oxidative mode utilizing oxygen and steam to prereform the feed and thus, increase the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas produced by a steam methane reformer. The method is applicable to the treatment of feed streams containing at least 15% by volume of hydrocarbons with two or more carbon atoms and/or 3% by volume of olefins, such as a refinery off-gas. In such case, the catalytic oxidative mode is conducted with a steam to carbon ratio of less than 0.5, an oxygen to carbon ratio of less than 0.25 and a reaction temperature of between about 500° C. and about 860° C. to limit the feed to the steam methane reformer to volumetric dry concentrations of less than about 0.5% for the olefins and less than about 10% for alkanes with two or more carbon atoms.

The present invention provides several variations for converting biomass, and other carbon-containing feedstocks, into syngas. Some variations include pyrolyzing or torrefying biomass in a devolatilization unit to form a gas stream and char, and gasifying the char. Other variations include introducing biomass into a fluid-bed gasifier to generate a solid stream and a gas stream, followed by a partial-oxidation or reforming reactor to generate additional syngas from either, or both, of the solid or gas stream from the fluid-bed gasifier. Hot syngas is preferably subjected to heat recovery. The syngas produced by the disclosed methods may be used in any desired manner, such as conversion to liquid fuels (e.g., ethanol).

Methods for fractional catalytic pyrolysis which allow for conversion of biomass into a slate of desired products without the need for post-pyrolysis separation are described. The methods involve use of a fluid catalytic bed which is maintained at a suitable pyrolysis temperature. Biomass is added to the catalytic bed, preferably while entrained in a non-reactive gas such as nitrogen, causing the biomass to become pyrolyzed and forming the desired products in vapor and gas forms, allowing the desired products to be easily separated.

The present invention provides a method for carrying out high temperature thermal dissociation reactions requiring rapid-heating and short residence times using solar energy. In particular, the present invention provides a method for carrying out high temperature thermal reactions such as dissociation of hydrocarbon containing gases and hydrogen sulfide to produce hydrogen and dry reforming of hydrocarbon containing gases with carbon dioxide. In the methods of the invention where hydrocarbon containing gases are dissociated, fine carbon black particles are also produced. The present invention also provides solar-thermal reactors and solar-thermal reactor systems.

This invention relates to methods for reacting a hydrocarbon, molecular oxygen, and optionally water and/or carbon dioxide, to form synthesis gas. The preferred embodiments are characterized by delivering a substochiometric amount of oxygen to each of a multitude of reaction zones, which allows for optimum design of the catalytic packed bed and the gas distribution system, and for the optimization and control of the temperature profile of the reaction zones. The multitude of reaction zones may include a series of successive fixed beds, or a continuous zone housed within an internal structure having porous, or perforated, walls, through which an oxygen-containing stream can permeate. By controlling the oxygen supply, the temperatures, conversion, and product selectivity of the reaction can be in turn controlled and optimized. Furthermore the potential risks of explosion associated with mixing hydrocarbon and molecular oxygen is minimized with increased feed carbon-to-oxygen molar ratios.

A waste-to-synthesis gas system including: a first gasifier for receiving biomass; a gas distributor for delivering reactant gas and oxygen into the first gasifier in a countercurrent direction to the biomass flow and to define a plurality of reaction regions including a drying region, a pyrolysis region, a gasification region and a combustion region; and, a second gasifier for receiving gases from the plurality of regions of the first gasifier and a gas distributor for delivering reactant gas and oxygen into the second gasifier in a concurrent direction to the flow of gases from the first gasifier. As a result, no carbon chars, oils or tars are expected to be present in the synthesis gas produced.