Hydrocarbon gas conversion system and process for producing a synthetic hydrocarbon liquid
First Claim
1. A process for converting a lighter hydrocarbon gas to heavier hydrocarbons comprising:
- a) reacting an air feed and a lighter hydrocarbon feed gas in a first reactor to produce a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide;
b) feeding said synthesis gas to a second reactor containing a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst and reacting said synthesis gas in the presence of said hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst to produce heavier hydrocarbons, a dilute tail gas and water, wherein said dilute tail gas contains at least about 90 mole percent inert non-combustible components;
c) feeding said dilute tail gas to a combustor and combusting said dilute tail gas in said combustor to produce a combustion gas;
d) driving a power turbine with said combustion gas; and
e) driving an air compressor with said power turbine to compress said air feed to said first reactor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and process are provided for converting a light hydrocarbon gas to a synthetic heavier hydrocarbon liquid. The system includes an autothermal reformer, a Fischer-Tropsch reactor and a Brayton cycle that are structurally and functionally integrated. In the practice of the process, a mixture of a hydrocarbon feed gas, a compressed air feed and process steam is fed to the autothermal reformer to produce a synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is fed to the Fischer-Tropsch reactor where it is catalytically reacted to produce heavy hydrocarbons. The outlet from the Fischer-Tropsch reactor is separated into water, a low heating value tail gas, and the desired hydrocarbon liquid product. The water is pressurized and heated to generate process steam. The tail gas is heated and fed with compressed air and steam to the Brayton cycle having a combustor and a series of power turbines and compressors. The tail gas and air feed are burned in the combustor to produce a combustion gas that is used to drive a power turbine linked by a shaft to an air compressor, thereby driving the air compressor. The system further includes a plurality of heat exchangers that enable heat to be recovered from the outlet of the autothermal reformer. The recovered heat is used to make the process steam as well as to preheat the hydrocarbon feed gas before it is fed to the autothermal reformer, preheat the synthesis gas before it is fed to the Fischer-Tropsch reactor and preheat the tail gas before it is fed to the combustor.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A process for converting a lighter hydrocarbon gas to heavier hydrocarbons comprising:
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a) reacting an air feed and a lighter hydrocarbon feed gas in a first reactor to produce a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; b) feeding said synthesis gas to a second reactor containing a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst and reacting said synthesis gas in the presence of said hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst to produce heavier hydrocarbons, a dilute tail gas and water, wherein said dilute tail gas contains at least about 90 mole percent inert non-combustible components; c) feeding said dilute tail gas to a combustor and combusting said dilute tail gas in said combustor to produce a combustion gas; d) driving a power turbine with said combustion gas; and e) driving an air compressor with said power turbine to compress said air feed to said first reactor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 38, 39)
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18. A process for converting a lighter hydrocarbon gas to heavier hydrocarbons comprising:
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a) reacting a gaseous mixture comprising an air feed and a lighter hydrocarbon feed gas to produce a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; b) reacting said synthesis gas in the presence of a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst to produce heavier hydrocarbons, a dilute tail gas and water, wherein said dilute tail gas contains at least about 90 mole percent inert non-combustible components; c) preheating said dilute tail gas with said synthesis gas and combusting said dilute tail gas at an increased flame temperature to produce a combustion gas; d) generating mechanical power with said combustion gas; and e) compressing said air feed with said mechanical power. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 40, 41)
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27. A process for converting a lighter hydrocarbon gas to heavier hydrocarbons comprising:
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a) reacting a gaseous mixture comprising a first portion of an air feed and a lighter hydrocarbon feed gas to produce a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; b) reacting said synthesis gas in the presence of a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst to produce heavier hydrocarbons, a dilute tail gas and water, wherein said dilute tail gas contains at least about 90 mole percent inert non-combustible components; c) combusting said dilute tail gas with a second portion of said air feed to produce a combustion gas; d) generating mechanical power with said combustion gas; and e) compressing said first and second portions of said air feed with said mechanical power. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A process for converting a lighter hydrocarbon gas to heavier hydrocarbons comprising:
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a) reacting a gaseous mixture comprising an air feed a lighter hydrocarbon feed gas to produce a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; b) reacting said synthesis gas in the presence of a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst to produce heavier hydrocarbons, a dilute tail gas and water, wherein said dilute tail gas contains at least about 90 mole percent inert non-combustible components; c) heating said water to produce process steam; d) combusting said dilute tail gas in the presence of said process steam to produce a combustion gas; e) generating mechanical power with said combustion gas; and f) compressing said air feed with said mechanical power. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification