CARGEN Retrofit for GTL CO2 Conversion and Syngas Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Gas to Liquids (GTL) processes have a significant carbon footprint due to high CO2 emissions, which is not effectively mitigated by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
Integration of CARGEN® technology into the GTL process, which involves a two-reactor system for producing syngas and solid carbon, recycling CO2 emissions, and modifying the natural gas reforming section to produce syngas with a flexible H2:CO ratio, thereby reducing CO2 emissions and producing valuable carbon materials like carbon nanotubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional GTL process is used, then liquid synthetic fuels are produced, but significant CO2 emissions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures CO2 emissions from the GTL process and uses them as a feedstock in the CARGEN technology to produce syngas and solid carbon products. This converts the harmful CO2 emissions into valuable chemical feedstocks, simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions and maintaining fuel production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding CO2 emissions to atmosphere, the system recovers and recycles CO2 back into the process as a feedstock for CARGEN technology, transforming waste emissions into useful resources for syngas production.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If CARGEN technology is integrated to reduce CO2 emissions, then CO2 conversion increases, but natural gas consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The CARGEN technology module serves multiple functions: it acts as a CO2 conversion unit to reduce emissions, a syngas production unit to maintain GTL feedstock requirements, and a solid carbon production unit to generate additional valuable products. This multi-functionality allows the system to address emissions while managing feedstock requirements.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If two-reactor CARGEN system is used to produce syngas and solid carbon, then CO2 conversion efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The CARGEN technology is implemented as a segmented two-reactor system where the first reactor performs initial CO2 conversion and the second reactor completes syngas production and solid carbon formation. This segmentation allows optimization of each reactor for specific functions, improving overall CO2 conversion efficiency while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The CARGEN®-based GTL process achieves a substantial reduction in net CO2 emissions, converting at least 50% of CO2, and produces valuable carbon products, while increasing natural gas consumption and water generation, but reducing oxygen consumption and overall CO2 emissions by 73% compared to conventional processes.
Implementation Method 1
The first reactor is configured to operate adiabatically at a pressure in a range of 1 bar to 25 bar and a maximum outlet temperature in a range of 752° F. to 1202° F. The first reactor is configured to produce a solid phase product and a vapor phase product. The solid phase product comprises of carbon allotrope.
Implementation Method 2
CARGEN® technology, as disclosed in our previous invention (US20200109050A1), enables the production of solid carbon material as well as syngas (comprising CO and H2)
Implementation Method 3
The second reactor is configured to operate isothermally at a temperature in a range of 1292° F. to 2192° F. and at a pressure in a range of 1 bar to 25 bar. The second reactor is configured to convert the vapor phase product to the syngas, wherein the converted syngas has an H2:CO ratio in a range of 0.1 to 5.
Implementation Method 4
wherein at least a portion of the CO2 is removed from the syngas by the amine unit becomes the recycled CO2 in the input gas
Data Source
AI summary
A retrofitted gas to liquid (GTL) process implemented with CARGEN® technology is provided. The retrofitting modifications enable significant greenhouse gas (CO2, CH4, volatile organic compounds, and the like) conversion via CARGEN® technology to produce carbon material and syngas. The carbon material produced by the CARGEN® technology can include amorphous carbon, carbon black, carbon nanotubes, and other allotropes of carbon. The carbon material can be used in a number of different and suitable applications, including, for example, cement industry, steel industry, rubber enforced manufacturing, to fully sequester CO2. On the other hand, the produced syngas from the retrofitted GTL plant may be used to produce, for example, ultra-clean fuels, chemicals, and other value-added processes using Fischer-Tropsch process.