SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SUBSTITTUE NATURAL GAS FROM COAL

• US 20080190024A1
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arizona Public Service Company (Pinnacle West Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Arizona Public Service Company (Pinnacle West Capital Corporation)
• Inventors: Hobbs, Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 8,236,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 48/76
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0405 Purification by membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/042 Purification by adsorption on solids
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0445 Selective methanation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0465 Composition of the impurity
• 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 2203/048 the impurity being an organic compound
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0485 the impurity being a sulfur compound
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0495 the impurity being water
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/501 by diffusion
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/56 by contacting with solids; Regeneration of used solids C01B3/508 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/586 the reaction being a methanation reaction
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1014 of vegetal origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/202 Heteroatoms content, i.e. S, N, O, P
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/205 Metal content
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/4043 Limiting CO2 emissions
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/405 Limiting CO, NOx or SOx emissions
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 27/04 with oxygen or compounds generating oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 3/50 in the presence of hydrogen, hydrogen donors or hydrogen generating compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/093 Coal
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/094 : Char
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0959 : Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0966 : Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0969 : Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1606 : Combustion processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1637 : Char combustion
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1662 : to methane
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1671 : with the production of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1675 : making use of a steam turbine
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1681 : with biological plants, e.g. involving bacteria, algae, fungi
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1684 : with electrolysis of water
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1687 : with steam generation
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1693 : with storage facilities for intermediate, feed and/or product
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1807 : Recycle loops, e.g. gas, solids, heating medium, water
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/466 : Entrained flow processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/485 : Entrained flow gasifiers
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/84 : with means for removing dust or tar from the gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/004 : Sulfur containing contaminants, e.g. hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/02 : Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/08 : Production of synthetic natural gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/10 : Working-up natural gas or synthetic natural gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/102 : of acid contaminants
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/44 : on vegetable substances
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/04 : by electrolysis of water
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/05 : Pressure cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 : Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 : Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/00 : Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 : using bio-feedstock

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for producing substitute natural gas and electricity, while mitigating production of any greenhouse gasses. The system includes a hydrogasification reactor, to form a gas stream including natural gas and a char stream, and an oxygen burner to combust the char material to form carbon oxides. The system also includes an algae farm to convert the carbon oxides to hydrocarbon material and oxygen.

Claims

1. A system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity, the system comprising:

a hydrogasification reactor;

a hydrogen source coupled to the hydrogasification reactor;

a coal source coupled to the hydrogasification reactor;

an oxygen burner coupled to an outlet of the hydrogasification; and

an oxygen source coupled to the oxygen burner,

wherein hydrogen from the hydrogen source and coal from the coal source react within the hydrogasification reactor to produce a gas stream, including methane, and a solid stream, and wherein at least a portion of the solid stream is combusted with oxygen from the oxygen source in the oxygen burner.

2. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 1, further comprising an algae farm, coupled to the oxygen burner, to convert carbon oxides from the oxygen burner to solid carbon material and oxygen.

3. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 1, further comprising an oxygen source coupled to the hydrogasification reactor.

4. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 1, further comprising a steam boiler coupled to the oxygen burner.

5. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 4, further comprising a steam turbine coupled to the steam boiler.

6. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 1, further comprising an electrolysis reactor to provide hydrogen to the hydrogen source and oxygen to the oxygen source.

7. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 1, further comprising an ash removal unit coupled to the hydrogasification reactor.

8. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 7, further comprising a sulfur removal unit coupled to the ash removal unit.

9. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 8, further comprising a methanation unit coupled to the sulfur removal unit.

10. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 9, further comprising a substitute natural gas cleanup unit coupled to the methanization unit.

11. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 1, further comprising a mercury removal unit.

12. A system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity, the system comprising:

a hydrogasification reactor;

an electrolysis reactor;

a hydrogen source coupled to the hydrogasification reactor;

a coal source coupled to the hydrogasification reactor;

an oxygen burner coupled to an outlet of the hydrogasification;

an oxygen source coupled to the oxygen burner; and

an algae farm coupled to the oxygen burner.

13. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 12, wherein the algae farm includes material to convert carbon oxides to hydrocarbon material and oxygen.

14. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 13, wherein the hydrocarbon material provides fuel to the oxygen burner.

15. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 14, further comprising an electrolysis reactor to provide hydrogen to the hydrogen source and oxygen to the oxygen source.

16. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 12, further comprising an oxygen source coupled to the hydrogasification reactor.

17. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 12, further comprising a steam boiler coupled to the oxygen burner.

18. The system for producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 17, further comprising a steam turbine coupled to the steam boiler.

19. A method of producing substitute natural gas and electricity, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a hydrogasification reactor;

providing coal to the hydrogasification reactor;

providing hydrogen in the presence of the coal within the hydrogasification reactor to produce methane and char; and

combusting the char in an oxygen burner to produce carbon oxides.

20. The method of producing substitute natural gas and electricity of claim 19, further comprising the step of using an algae farm to convert the carbon oxides to hydrocarbon material and oxygen.

21. A method of producing substitute natural gas and electricity, the method comprising the steps of:

i. providing a hydrogasification reactor;

ii. providing coal to the hydrogasification reactor;

iii. providing hydrogen in the presence of coal within the hydrogasification reactor to produce methane and char;

iv. combusting the char in a partial oxidation reactor with a water shift process to produce hydrogen and carbon oxides;

v. separating the hydrogen and carbon oxides;

vi. producing substitute natural gas; and

vii. using an algae farm to convert the carbon oxides to hydrocarbon material and oxygen.

22. A method of producing syngas, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a partial oxidation with water shift reactor;

reacting carbon material with steam and oxygen in the partial oxidation with water shift reactor to form carbon oxides and hydrogen; and

using an algae farm to convert carbon oxides formed using the partial oxidation with shift reactor to hydrocarbon material and oxygen.