System for small particle and CO2 removal from flue gas using an improved chimney or stack

• US 6,648,949 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Department of Energy (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Department of Energy (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Shang, Jer-Yu, Der, Victor K.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, DUANE
• Application Number:
  US09/994,824
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 435/266, 554/591, 554/56, 554/57, 952/16, 952/71, 963/14, 963/15, 963/16, 963/21, 963/08, 963/01
• US Class Current: 96/316
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/16 generated by the winding course of the gas stream , the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1493 Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/24 by centrifugal force centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/84 Biological processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1681 with biological plants, e.g. involving bacteria, algae, fungi
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2

Abstract

A novel stack application for improved carbon dioxide and particle removal/collection from flue gases produced during coal power-generation processes. Flue gas tangential inlet velocity is increased to subject upward-flowing flue gas in a stack to a centrifugal force, thereby propelling entrained solid particles and CO₂ in the flue gas to the stack wall for collection. Collection efficiency is further improved by a cascading water film or algae-laden water film on the inside of the stack wall and on surfaces of an optional internally mounted vortex generator to eliminate the re-entrainment of small particles and for ease of transporting the captured particles in a slurry. The stack can also be utilized as a photochemical or a biological reactor to promote a photosynthesis reaction between carbon dioxide and algae-laden water to form carbohydrate substrates for carbon dioxide sequestration and utilization.

Claims

1. A system for sequestering small particles and carbon dioxide in a coal-fired power generation process comprising:

a. combustion means for combusting a mixture of oxygen and coal and generating flue gas and products of combustion;

b. a stack in communication with said combustion means for collection and dispersion of the flue gas and the products of combustion;

c. means for supplying the flue gas to said stack; and

d. means for cascading and recirculating a stream of water within said stack to form a slurry from a mixture of algae-laden water and the products of combustion from said stack.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for illuminating an interior of said stack and inducing a photosynthesis reaction between the flue gas, the products of combustion, and the stream of algae-laden water, said photosynthesis reaction producing a glucose by-product in the slurry.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said illumination means comprises a light extraction device located inside said combustion means which extracts light emitted during combustion, and a plurality of twisted spiraling optical fiber ribbons in said stack transmitting and emitting the light within said stack to initiate said photosynthesis reaction.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said light extraction device comprises a laser device.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said stack includes an interior stack wall, and the stream of water cascades downwardly from a top of said stack wall, and said stack wall is constructed of a corrosion resistant material.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for supplying an ammonium salt to said stack.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said ammonium salt is chosen from the group consisting of amines, ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, and combinations thereof.

8. The system according to claims 6, wherein said ammonium salt is chosen from the group consisting of amines, ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, and combinations thereof.

9. A system for virtual zero carbon dioxide emissions in a coal-fired power generation process comprising:

a. a burner for combusting a mixture of oxygen and coal and generating flue gas and products of combustion;

b. a stack in communication with said burner for collection and dispersion of the flue gas and the products of combustion; and

c. a vortex generator for generating an upward-flowing vortex of flue gas, the vortex directs dust particles and carbon dioxide entrained in the flue gas to an interior surface of said stack for collection and sequestration of dust particles and carbon dioxide; and

d. a recycler for recycling oxygen-rich, carbon dioxide sequestered flue gas through an oxygen separation device thereby exhausting inert gases having virtually zero carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere and recycling highly concentrated oxygen which passes though said separation device back into said burner.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a cascading stream for cascading and recirculating a stream of water within said stack to form a slurry from a mixture of the water and collected products of combustion from said stack.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said water is algae-laden water.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for illuminating an interior of said stack and inducing a photosynthesis reaction between the flue gas, and the products of combustion, and the stream of algae-laden water, said photosynthesis reaction producing a glucose-type by-product in the slurry.

13. The system according to claim 10, further comprising means for supplying an ammonium salt to said stack.

14. The system according to claim 11, further comprising means for supplying an ammonium salt to said stack.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said ammonium salt is chosen from the group consisting of amines, ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, and combinations thereof.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said ammonium salt is chosen from the group consisting of amines, ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, and combinations thereof.