Low pollution power generation system with ion transfer membrane air separation

• US 6,945,029 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2003
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: World Energy Systems
• Original Assignee: World Energy Systems
• Inventors: Viteri, Fermin
• Primary Examiner(s): Casaregola, Louis J.
• Application Number:
  US10/716,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 60/391.2, 60/391.7, 60/395.2, 60/395.5
• US Class Current: 60/39.17
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/005 the working fluid being steam, created by combustion of hydrogen with oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 1/08 Semi-closed cycles
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/20 using a special fuel, oxidant, or dilution fluid to generate the combustion products
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/30 Adding water, steam or other fluids for influencing combustion, e.g. to obtain cleaner exhaust gases F02C7/141, F02C7/30, F01D21/00, F01K21/04, F23D11/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/34 with recycling of part of the working fluid, i.e. semi-closed cycles with combustion products in the closed part of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/003 Gas-turbine plants with heaters between turbine stages
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/10 supplying working fluid to a user, e.g. a chemical process, which returns working fluid to a turbine of the plant
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/08 to produce clean exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2200/52 in the high pressure column of a double pressure main column system
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2205/30 using a washing, e.g. "scrubbing" or bubble column for purification purposes
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2230/80 the fluid being carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2260/80 Integration in an installation using carbon dioxide, e.g. for EOR, sequestration, refrigeration etc.
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04018 of main feed air
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04066 of oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04109 Arrangements of compressors and /or their drivers using work extraction by mechanical coupling of compression and cold expansion F25J3/04381
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04121 Steam turbine as the prime mechanical driver
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04127 Gas turbine as the prime mechanical driver
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04133 Electrical motor as the prime mechanical driver
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04139 Combination of different types of drivers mechanically coupled to the same compressor, possibly split on multiple compressor casings
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04163 Hot end purification of the feed air arrangements of cold regenerators F25J5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04296 : Claude expansion, i.e. expanded into the main or high pressure column
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04412 : in a classical double column flowsheet, i.e. with thermal coupling by a main reboiler-condenser in the bottom of low pressure respectively top of high pressure column
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04533 : for the direct combustion of fuels in a power plant, so-called "oxyfuel combustion"
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04987 : for offshore use
• 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: Y02T 50/60 : Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A low or no pollution power generation system is provided. The system has an air separator to collect oxygen. A gas generator is provided with inputs for the oxygen and a hydrocarbon fuel. The fuel and oxygen are combusted within the gas generator, forming water and carbon dioxide. Water or other diluents are also delivered into the gas generator to control temperature of the combustion products. The combustion products are then expanded through at least one turbine or other expander to deliver output power. The combustion products are then passed through a separator where the steam is condensed. A portion of the water is discharged and the remainder is routed back to the gas generator as diluent. The carbon dioxide can be conditioned for sequestration. The system can be optimized by adding multiple expanders, reheaters and water diluent preheaters, and by preheating air for an ion transfer membrane oxygen separation.

Claims

1. A low emissions hydrocarbon combustion power generation system featuring regenerative heating, comprising in combination:

an air separator adapted to separate at least a portion of oxygen from other constituents within ambient air entering said air separator through an oxygen outlet;

a source of hydrocarbon fuel;

a source of diluent;

a gas generator adapted to combust the fuel from said source of hydrocarbon fuel with oxygen from said oxygen outlet of said air separator to produce products of combustion including water and carbon dioxide, said gas generator including an outlet for the products of combustion, said gas generator adapted to add the diluent from said source of diluent to the products of combustion produced within said gas generator with a combination of the diluent and the products of combustion produced within the gas generator discharged through said gas generator outlet;

a first turbine downstream from said gas generator outlet, said turbine adapted to expand the products of combustion and the diluent, as well as output power, said first turbine having a discharge;

at least one diluent heater adapted to heat the diluent before the diluent enters said gas generator, said diluent heater in heat transfer relationship with the products of combustion downstream from said gas generator, such that at least a portion of heat within the products of combustion is transferred to the diluent before the diluent enters said gas generator;

wherein a reheater is located downstream from said first turbine discharge, said reheater adapted to combust hydrocarbon fuel from said source of hydrocarbon fuel with oxygen from said oxygen outlet of said air separator, and to mix the products of combustion produced within said gas generator and the diluent with products of combustion produced within said reheater to produce combined products of combustion discharged through a reheater outlet;

a second turbine downstream from said reheater, said second turbine adapted to expand the combined products of combustion and output power, and having a second turbine discharge; and

said at least one diluent heater located downstream from said second turbine.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein a combustion products separator is located downstream from said first turbine, said combustion products separator including an inlet for the combined products of combustion and the diluent and at least two outlets including a primarily water outlet and a primarily carbon dioxide outlet, said primarily water outlet coupled to a feed water line leading to said source of diluent, such that said source of diluent is a source of primarily water diluent.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one diluent heater is located between a last turbine downstream from said gas generator and said combustion products separator.

4. A low emissions hydrocarbon combustion power generation system featuring regenerative heating, comprising in combination:

an air separator adapted to separate at least a portion of oxygen from other constituents within ambient air entering said air separator through an oxygen outlet;

a source of hydrocarbon fuel;

a source of diluent;

a gas generator adapted to combust the fuel from said source of hydrocarbon fuel with oxygen from said oxygen outlet of said air separator to produce products of combustion including water and carbon dioxide, said gas generator including an outlet for the products of combustion, said gas generator adapted to add the diluent from said source of diluent to the products of combustion produced within said gas generator with a combination of the diluent and the products of combustion produced within the gas generator discharged through said gas generator outlet;

a first turbine downstream from said gas generator outlet, said turbine adapted to expand the products of combustion and the diluent, as well as output power, said first turbine having a discharge;

at least one diluent heater adapted to heat the diluent before the diluent enters said gas generator, said diluent heater in heat transfer relationship with the products of combustion downstream from said gas generator, such that at least a portion of heat within the products of combustion is transferred to the diluent before the diluent enters said gas generator;

wherein a reheater is located downstream from said first turbine discharge, said reheater adapted to combust hydrocarbon fuel from said source of hydrocarbon fuel with oxygen from said oxygen outlet of said air separator, and to mix the products of combustion produced within said gas generator and the diluent with products of combustion produced within said reheater to produce combined products of combustion discharged through a reheater outlet;

a second turbine downstream from said reheater, said second turbine adapted to expand the combined products of combustion and output power, and having a second turbine discharge; and

wherein said at least one diluent heater is located between said first turbine and said reheater downstream from said gas generator.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein a combustion products separator is located downstream from a last turbine, said separator including an inlet for the combined products of combustion and the diluent and at least two outlets including a primarily water outlet and a primarily carbon dioxide outlet, said primarily water outlet coupled to a feed water line leading to said source of diluent, such that said source of diluent is a source of primarily water diluent.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein a second diluent heater is located between said last turbine and said separator.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein a second reheater is located downstream from said second turbine discharge, said second reheater adapted to combust hydrocarbon fuel with oxygen, and to mix fluids from said second turbine discharge with products of combustion produced within said second reheater to produce combined products of combustion discharged through said second reheater outlet;

and

a third turbine downstream from said second reheater, said third turbine adapted to expand the combined products of combustion and output power, and having a third turbine discharge.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein a third diluent heater is located between said second turbine and said second reheater.