Oxycombustion Process for Vanadium Fuel
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combustion processes for low-ranking hydrocarbon fuels containing vanadium and alkaline metals face challenges in achieving high-temperature operation without producing aggressive flue gases that corrode equipment and reduce energy recovery efficiency, as they result in high fly ash, incombustible residues, and toxic compounds.
Innovation Solution
An oxycombustion process using magnesium oxide and silico-aluminate additives in a refractory combustor operating at 1250-1450°C with oxygen and steam, transforming vanadium into non-aggressive orthovanadates and pyrovanadates, and removing alkaline metals as metavanadates, under pressurized conditions to minimize fly ash and corrosive species.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional combustion processes are used for low-ranking hydrocarbon fuels containing vanadium, then high-temperature operation can be achieved, but aggressive flue gases are produced that corrode equipment and reduce energy recovery efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
Magnesium oxide acts as an intermediary substance that reacts with vanadium compounds in the flue gas to form magnesium orthovanadate, a non-corrosive compound. This mediator captures the harmful vanadium species before they can attack equipment surfaces, thereby protecting the system while maintaining high combustion temperatures
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful vanadium compounds that cause corrosion are transformed into beneficial magnesium orthovanadate deposits on refractory surfaces. This conversion turns a harmful substance into a harmless or even protective layer, eliminating the corrosion problem while maintaining the combustion process
2Temperature
If conventional combustion processes are used for low-ranking hydrocarbon fuels containing vanadium, then high-temperature operation can be achieved, but high fly ash and incombustible residues are produced
Solution Approach 1:
The combustion process parameters are changed by introducing magnesium oxide and operating under specific temperature and pressure conditions. These parameter changes alter the chemical reactions occurring during combustion, transforming the nature of residues from problematic fly ash to manageable solid deposits with different physical and chemical properties
3Productivity
If conventional combustion processes are used for low-ranking hydrocarbon fuels containing vanadium, then energy production can be maintained, but frequent cleaning of equipment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The vanadium compounds that would normally cause corrosive damage and require frequent cleaning are converted into stable magnesium orthovanadate deposits on refractory surfaces. These deposits are non-corrosive and do not degrade equipment performance, thereby extending operation duration without cleaning while maintaining energy production
Solution Approach 2:
The refractory surfaces act as disposable or sacrificial elements that capture vanadium deposits. Instead of protecting expensive metal equipment from corrosion, the refractory material accepts the deposits, serving as a protective barrier that can be maintained more easily than critical equipment surfaces
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 process achieves flue gases with low fly ash, negligible incombustible residues, and reduced vanadium and alkaline metal compounds, preventing equipment corrosion and maintaining energy recovery efficiency for extended plant operation without the need for frequent cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
transforming vanadium into non-aggressive orthovanadates and pyrovanadates
Implementation Method 2
combustors working at temperatures in the range 1250°-1450°C
Implementation Method 3
the hydrocarbon fraction being fed in admixture with water or steam
Data Source
AI summary
Oxycombustion process for producing energy wherein low ranking gaseous, liquid, solid, optionally solid melting hydrocarbon fractions are used as fuels, having a vanadium content in amounts by weight from 50 to 5,000 ppm or higher, and alkaline metals Ma in amounts from 20 to 10,000 ppm, wherein magnesium is added as oxide, or as a magnesium compound forming MgO in the combustion process, or mixtures thereof and a silico-aluminate wherein the molar ratio SiO2:Al2O3 ranges from 2:1 to 6:1; the combustor being refractored, isotherm or quasi-isotherm, flameless, working at temperatures in the range 1,250°-1,450°C and under pressurized conditions, wherein the oxidant being used in admixture with water or steam, the ratio by moles oxidant: (water/steam) being comprised between about 1:0.4 and about :3, or the oxidant is used in admixture with flue gases recycled from the flue gases outletting the energy recovery equipments, wherein the water/steam amount is higher than 30% by volume, optionally by adding water to the recycled flue gases, the molar ratio oxidant: (water/steam) in flue gases being comprised from about 1:0.4 to about 1:3; the hydrocarbon fraction being fed in admixture with water or steam, the amount of water/steam being at least 30% by weight with respect to the hydrocarbon fraction.