Fischer-Tropsch Reactor Syngas from CO2-Rich Sources
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing hydrocarbons from carbon sources containing CO2 and CO are inefficient due to the need for a reverse water gas shift reactor, which is not commercially available, and are hindered by high inert gas content in the Fischer-Tropsch process, leading to reduced carbon utilization and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A fuel generation system that uses a combination of a Fischer-Tropsch reactor and a CO generation system, including a POX reactor, to produce syngas without requiring a reverse water gas shift reactor, utilizing a carbon source with both CO and CO2, such as off-gas from blast furnaces, and managing inert gases through purification and recycling to optimize hydrocarbon production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a reverse water gas shift reactor is used to convert CO2 to CO, then carbon utilization is improved, but device complexity increases and commercial availability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the reverse water gas shift reactor from the conventional process sequence. Instead of converting CO2 to CO through a separate reactor, the invention directly utilizes CO2 from the carbon source mixture in the Fischer-Tropsch reactor, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining carbon utilization efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The Fischer-Tropsch reactor is designed to handle a universal carbon source mixture containing both CO and CO2 directly, eliminating the need for separate conversion reactors. This multi-functional approach allows a single reactor to perform both CO hydrogenation and CO2 utilization functions simultaneously.
2Productivity
If high inert gas content is present in the Fischer-Tropsch process, then carbon utilization decreases, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the Fischer-Tropsch reactor to optimize performance with high inert gas content. By adjusting temperature, pressure, and catalyst characteristics, the system achieves efficient hydrocarbon synthesis despite the presence of CO2 and other inerts, thereby reducing energy waste while maintaining high carbon utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms to monitor and control the effect of inert gases on the Fischer-Tropsch reaction. By continuously adjusting process parameters based on real-time gas composition data, the system minimizes energy consumption and maximizes carbon utilization efficiency despite varying inert gas concentrations.
3Productivity
If conventional Fischer-Tropsch process is used with CO2 rich carbon source, then hydrocarbon production is reduced, but process simplicity is maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the Fischer-Tropsch process parameters including temperature, pressure, and catalyst composition to enable efficient hydrocarbon production from CO2-rich carbon sources. These parameter changes allow the conventional reactor design to achieve high hydrocarbon yields without requiring complex additional equipment, thus improving productivity while maintaining process simplicity.
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 simplifies the hydrocarbon production process, increases carbon utilization efficiency, reduces energy requirements, and allows for the use of a wide range of carbon sources, including blast furnace gases, while minimizing soot and coke formation, thus enhancing the production of synthetic fuels like diesel and kerosene.
Implementation Method 1
producing hydrocarbons by the Fischer-Tropsch process
Implementation Method 2
generate the CO component of syngas by using the reverse (d) water gas shift reaction (rWGS/RWGS), in which the main Carbon supply to the system is CO2
Implementation Method 3
adding hydrogen to the carbon source and producing hydrocarbons
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a fuel generation system comprising: a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactor system; and one or more supply conduits arranged to supply a carbon source and H2 to the FT reactor system; wherein: the carbon source comprises both CO and CO2 with a molar CO2/CO ratio that is at least 0.10; the supply of CO and H2 to the FT reactor system is a supply of syngas; and the FT reactor system is arranged to generate fuel in dependence on the received syngas.