Compressor Startup Using Carbonous Gas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gasification systems face challenges in efficiently handling and storing CO2 emissions due to the use of nitrogen as a startup gas, which limits compressor discharge pressures, causes detrimental effects in dehydration systems, and results in higher startup emissions and delays, especially when transitioning from nitrogen to captured CO2 during normal operations.
Innovation Solution
The system utilizes CO2 from various sources, such as enhanced oil recovery pipelines and carbon sequestration systems, as a startup gas during compressor startup operations, transitioning to captured CO2 during steady-state operations, allowing for continuous compression and dehydration with minimized emissions and compressor surge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If nitrogen is used as startup gas, then compressor can be started, but compressor discharge pressure is limited and detrimental effects occur in dehydration systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the gas composition parameter from nitrogen to carbonous gas (CO2), which fundamentally alters the compression characteristics and enables higher discharge pressures while eliminating the detrimental effects in dehydration systems. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by selecting a gas with different physical properties that are better suited for the compression process.
2Ease of operation
If nitrogen is used during startup, then compression can begin, but CO2 emissions increase during transition to captured CO2
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates nitrogen from the startup gas composition, replacing it with carbonous gas from external sources. This extraction of the harmful component (nitrogen) and substitution with a cleaner alternative (CO2 from external sources that can be captured and reused) resolves the contradiction by removing the source of harmful emissions during the startup phase.
3Productivity
If transition from nitrogen to captured CO2 is made, then normal operations can proceed, but transition delays and emissions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by using external carbonous gas sources during the startup phase before transitioning to captured CO2 from the gasification process. This preliminary use of available CO2 resources eliminates the need for a separate transition period, as the system can directly use CO2 from external sources during startup and then seamlessly switch to captured CO2 without interruption, thereby eliminating transition delays.
4Ease of operation
If nitrogen is used as startup gas, then system can be initialized, but dehydration system performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the gas parameter from nitrogen to carbonous gas, which fundamentally improves dehydration system performance. CO2 has different solubility and condensation characteristics compared to nitrogen, enabling more effective dehydration and eliminating the detrimental effects that occur when nitrogen is present in the system during the dehydration process.
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
This approach enables a smoother transition to using captured CO2, reducing CO2 emissions, simplifying compression and dehydration operations, and maintaining efficient gas handling by using the same gas type throughout the operational cycle, thereby minimizing transition delays and emissions.
Implementation Method 1
a first compressor configured to compress a carbonous gas
Data Source
AI summary
Systems are provided for gasification operations. The systems may use carbonous gas as part of plant operations. The systems may include a first compressor configured to compress a carbonous gas and a controller. The controller is configured to control the first compressor to transition from compressing a first carbonous gas to compressing a second carbonous gas during startup of a gasification system.