Polygeneration production of power and fertilizer through emissions capture

• US 10,228,131 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2016
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grannus, LLC
• Original Assignee: Grannus, LLC
• Inventors: Merritt, Jr., James Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmer, Anthony J
• Application Number:
  US15/216,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20170009983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/002 by condensation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1431 Pretreatment by other processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/025 containing a partial oxidation step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0415 Purification by absorption in liquids
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/044 Selective oxidation of carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0445 Selective methanation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/047 the impurity being carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0475 the impurity being carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0495 the impurity being water
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/068 Ammonia synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1235 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/147 Three or more purification steps in series
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/025 Preparation or purification of gas mixtures for ammonia synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/042 Decomposition of water
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/36 using oxygen or mixtures containing oxygen as gasifying agents
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/583 the reaction being the selective oxidation of carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/586 the reaction being a methanation reaction
• CPC Class Codes: C01C 1/0488 Processes integrated with preparations of other compounds, e.g. methanol, urea or with processes for power generation
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 273/10 combined with the synthesis of ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 15/02 : of purifiers, e.g. for removing noxious material traps for solid residues F23J3/04
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2219/70 : Condensing contaminants with coolers
• CPC Class Codes: F23L 7/007 : Supplying oxygen or oxygen-enriched air
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/32 : Direct CO2 mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/34 : Indirect CO2mitigation, i.e. by acting on non CO2directly related matters of the process, e.g. pre-heating or heat recovery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 : Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/52 : using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/00 : Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry

Abstract

Method for the production of ammonia, and optionally urea, from a flue gas effluent from an oxy-fired process, wherein the production of ammonia and optionally urea includes a net power production. Also provided is a method to effect cooling in an oxy-fired process with air separation unit exit gases utilizing either closed or open cooling loop cycles.

Claims

1. A method for the production of high purity product streams, the method comprising the steps of:

supplying a hydrocarbon or carbon based feedstock and oxygen to an oxygen-fed process, wherein the oxygen-fed process is an exothermic reaction, to produce an exhaust flue gas, the exhaust flue gas comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen;

supplying the exhaust flue gas to a first reactor, the first reactor comprising a catalyst and being configured to convert at least a portion of the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and produce a modified exhaust flue gas;

supplying the modified exhaust flue gas to a second reactor, said second reactor comprising a catalyst and being configured to convert at least a portion of the remaining carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide to produce a carbon dioxide containing flue gas;

supplying the carbon dioxide containing flue gas from the second reactor to a first condenser to remove water and produce a gas stream containing between 65-80 mol. % hydrogen, between 20-35 mol. % carbon dioxide and between 0-2 mol. % carbon monoxide;

supplying the gas stream from the first condenser to a carbon dioxide stripper to produce a hydrogen stream and a high purity carbon dioxide stream, said hydrogen stream contains at least 95 mol. % hydrogen, and said high purity carbon dioxide stream contains at least 99 mol. % carbon dioxide.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising supplying the hydrogen stream to a third reactor, said third reactor comprising a catalyst and being configured for production of methane from remaining amounts of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide present in the hydrogen stream, said third reactor producing a methane product stream and a high purity hydrogen stream containing at least 99.9 mol. % of hydrogen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedstock is selected from methane or syngas.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxygen has a purity of at least 95%.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising supplying hydrogen from a hydrogen generator to the oxygen-fed process with the feedstock and oxygen to produce the exhaust flue gas.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of supplying the high purity hydrogen stream from the third reactor to a second condenser, said second condenser being configured to remove any trace water present in the high purity hydrogen stream.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of supplying water recovered from the first and second condensers to the hydrogen generator as feedstock.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of treating the hydrocarbon or carbonaceous feedstock to remove sulfur prior to being supplied to the oxygen-fed process.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of treating the exhaust flue gas to remove sulfur prior to being supplied to the first reactor or the second reactor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the sulfur is removed by treatment of the exhaust flue gas with a desulfurization agent selected from the group consisting of dry limestone, wet limestone, solvent, and amine solution.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein ratio of the hydrogen and the carbon dioxide in the exhaust flue gas is between about 2:

1 and 4;

1.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein ratio of the hydrogen and the carbon dioxide in the exhaust flue gas is between about 2.9:

1 and 3.1;

1.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the exhaust flue gas contains between about 55 and 65 mol. % hydrogen, between 15 and 25 mol. % carbon dioxide, and between 10 and 20 mol. % carbon monoxide.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent in the carbon dioxide stripper is an amine-based solution.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxygen-fed process is carried out in a non-catalytic partial oxidation reactor.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the method yields a net energy production.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxygen-fed process is carried out in a catalytic partial oxidation reactor.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is operated under continuous conditions such that the method yields ultra-low emissions.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the high purity hydrogen stream and a nitrogen stream are supplied to a fourth reactor comprising a catalyst to produce an ammonia product stream.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the exhaust flue gas is expanded through a turbine before the first reactor.