Autonomous Modular Flare Gas Conversion System
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Solution Overview
Problem
The burning or venting of flare gas from hydrocarbon production and other sources leads to significant pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as existing methods fail to economically recover and utilize this waste gas effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a reformer stage and a synthesis stage that converts flare gas into syngas through partial oxidation, followed by processing in a synthesis unit to produce value-added products like methanol, utilizing a rich fuel/air mixture and air-breathing reformer to optimize conditions for efficient conversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If flare gas is burned or vented to atmosphere, then pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, but economic value and resource utilization are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful flare gas (which would otherwise be burned or vented) into valuable chemical products through partial oxidation to syngas and subsequent synthesis reactions. The harmful substance becomes a beneficial resource, simultaneously reducing emissions and creating economic value.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the chemical parameters of flare gas through controlled partial oxidation (controlling oxygen availability and temperature) to produce syngas, then further transforms it through synthesis reactions at different temperature and pressure conditions to produce valuable chemicals like methanol or ammonia.
2Quantity of substance
If existing recovery methods are used, then some flare gas can be captured, but the recovery is not economically viable
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes flare gas recovery economically viable by converting it into high-value chemical products rather than simply capturing and storing it. The transformation into syngas and subsequent products creates sufficient economic value to justify the recovery infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses parameter changes (partial oxidation conditions, synthesis temperature and pressure control) to efficiently convert flare gas into valuable products with high conversion rates, improving the economic feasibility of recovery operations.
3Productivity
If partial oxidation is used to convert flare gas to syngas, then conversion efficiency is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the conversion process into distinct stages: partial oxidation to produce syngas, then separate synthesis reactions to produce final products. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, improving overall conversion efficiency while managing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses syngas as an intermediary substance that simplifies the overall transformation. By converting flare gas to syngas first (a well-understood intermediate), then to final products, the process manages complexity while maintaining high efficiency through established chemical pathways.
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 system effectively converts flare gas into economically viable products while reducing CO2 emissions, achieving carbon neutrality or negativity and providing a sustainable solution for waste gas utilization.
Implementation Method 1
the reformer is configured to operate in a partial oxidation combustion window; whereby the reformer is configured to convert the mixture into a syngas
Data Source
AI summary
There are provided systems and methods for using fuel-rich partial oxidation to produce an end product from waste gases, such as flare gas. In an embodiment, the system and method use air-breathing piston engines and turbine engines for the fuel-rich partial oxidation of the flare gas to form synthesis gas, and reactors to convert the synthesis gas into the end product. In an embodiment the end product is methanol.