Gas Recovery Microturbines for Hydrogen and Ammonia Waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial processes often exhaust gases such as hydrogen and ammonia, which are typically burned or released into the atmosphere, leading to environmental impact and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A gas recovery system utilizing microturbines to convert these gases into electricity, incorporating compressors, buffer tanks, sensors, and control systems to manage gas flow and pressure, allowing for efficient electricity generation and waste heat capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If gases are burned or released into the atmosphere, then environmental impact is reduced, but efficiency is worsened and energy is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts harmful waste gases (hydrogen, ammonia) that would otherwise be burned or released into a beneficial resource by using them as fuel for microturbines to generate electricity. The gas recovery system captures these waste gases, processes them through compressors and buffer tanks, and feeds them to microturbines that convert the chemical energy in the gases into electrical energy, thereby eliminating environmental harm while recovering valuable energy.
2Productivity
If microturbines are used to generate electricity from waste gases, then efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas recovery system is divided into distinct functional modules: a compressor section for pressurizing the waste gases, a buffer tank section for storing and stabilizing the gas flow, and a microturbine section for electricity generation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall system design and operation while maintaining high efficiency in electricity generation from waste gases.
3Reliability
If gas flow and pressure are managed with compressors and buffer tanks, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by using compressors to pre-pressurize the waste gases and buffer tanks to pre-stabilize the gas flow before the gases enter the microturbines. This preliminary processing ensures that the microturbines receive consistent, properly pressurized gas input, which improves reliability and operational stability while the modular design keeps the added complexity manageable.
4Adaptability or versatility
If sensors and control systems are implemented, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor gas flow rates, pressure levels, and other parameters, providing feedback to control systems that automatically adjust compressor speeds, buffer tank operations, and microturbine inputs. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to varying gas conditions and maintain optimal performance while the integrated control architecture manages complexity through coordinated automation.
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
Reduces environmental impact and improves efficiency by converting waste gases into electricity, accommodating gas variations, and ensuring process tool uptime through redundant microturbines and control systems.
Implementation Method 1
Microturbines can use a gaseous or liquid fuel to produce electrical power
Implementation Method 2
a compressor and a buffer tank, wherein either (a) the compressor is coupled to the gas inlet and the compressor is between the gas inlet and the buffer tank
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to gas recovery systems and methods, and systems including gas recovery systems. In some embodiments, a gas recovery system includes a gas inlet, a compressor, a buffer tank, a variable speed microturbine, one or more sensors, and a control system. A gas input into the gas inlet can be output from a processing tool, and the gas can include hydrogen or ammonia gas. The gas can be used to produce electrical power using the first variable speed microturbine. The sensor, for example, a gas analyzer, a flow meter, or a pressure sensor, can be between the gas inlet and the variable speed microturbine. The control system can be configured to control a speed of the variable speed microturbine in response to a measurement from the sensor.