Process and system for converting carbonaceous feedstocks into energy without greenhouse gas emissions
First Claim
1. A process for converting carbonaceous feedstocks into energy without the production of unwanted greenhouse gas emissions comprising:
- (a) converting a carbonaceous feedstock selected from the group consisting of coal, hydrocarbon oil, natural gas, petroleum coke, oil shale, carbonaceous-containing waste oil, carbonaceous-containing medical waste, carbonaceous-containing military waste, carbonaceous-containing industrial waste, carbonaceous-containing medical waste, carbonaceous-containing sewage sludge and municipal solid waste, carbonaceous-containing agricultural waste, carbonaceous-containing biomass, biological and biochemical waste, and mixtures thereof, and a greenhouse gas stream in a gasification unit to synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, said gasification unit is a non-catalytic high temperature, gas-phase, indirectly heated kiln having an inlet means, a gas outlet means, and a solids outlet between the inlet means and the gas outlet means operating at a temperature gradient along the length of the kiln of about 200°
to about 1600°
C. (400-2900°
F.) and at conditions to achieve a gas exit temperature of from at least 700°
to about 1600°
C. (1300-2900°
F.);
(b) electrochemically oxidizing at least a portion of said synthesis gas from said gasification unit in a first half-cell of a fuel cell (anode) to a first half-cell exit gas comprising carbon dioxide and water;
(c) recovering the carbon dioxide from said first half-cell exit gas to serve as at least 20% of said greenhouse gas stream in step (a); and
(d) electrochemically reducing an oxygen-containing gas in a second half-cell of said fuel cell (cathode) completing the circuit and resulting in the production of electrical energy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The process and system of the invention converts carbonaceous feedstock such as coal, hydrocarbon oil, natural gas, petroleum coke, oil shale, carbonaceous-containing waste oil, carbonaceous-containing medical waste, carbonaceous-containing military waste, carbonaceous-containing industrial waste, carbonaceous-containing medical waste, carbonaceous-containing sewage sludge and municipal solid waste, carbonaceous-containing agricultural waste, carbonaceous-containing biomass, biological and biochemical waste, and mixtures thereof into electrical energy without the production of unwanted greenhouse emissions. The process and system uses a combination of a gasifier, e.g., a kiln, operating in the exit range of at least 700° to about 1600° C. (1300-2900° F.) to convert the carbonaceous feedstock and a greenhouse gas stream into a synthesis gas comprising mostly carbon monoxide and hydrogen without the need for expensive catalysts and or high pressure operations. One portion of the synthesis gas from the gasifier becomes electrochemically oxidized in an electricity-producing fuel cell into an exit gas comprising carbon dioxide and water. The latter is recycled back to the gasifier after a portion of water is condensed out. The second portion of the synthesis gas from the gasifier is converted into useful hydrocarbon products.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A process for converting carbonaceous feedstocks into energy without the production of unwanted greenhouse gas emissions comprising:
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(a) converting a carbonaceous feedstock selected from the group consisting of coal, hydrocarbon oil, natural gas, petroleum coke, oil shale, carbonaceous-containing waste oil, carbonaceous-containing medical waste, carbonaceous-containing military waste, carbonaceous-containing industrial waste, carbonaceous-containing medical waste, carbonaceous-containing sewage sludge and municipal solid waste, carbonaceous-containing agricultural waste, carbonaceous-containing biomass, biological and biochemical waste, and mixtures thereof, and a greenhouse gas stream in a gasification unit to synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, said gasification unit is a non-catalytic high temperature, gas-phase, indirectly heated kiln having an inlet means, a gas outlet means, and a solids outlet between the inlet means and the gas outlet means operating at a temperature gradient along the length of the kiln of about 200°
to about 1600°
C. (400-2900°
F.) and at conditions to achieve a gas exit temperature of from at least 700°
to about 1600°
C. (1300-2900°
F.);(b) electrochemically oxidizing at least a portion of said synthesis gas from said gasification unit in a first half-cell of a fuel cell (anode) to a first half-cell exit gas comprising carbon dioxide and water; (c) recovering the carbon dioxide from said first half-cell exit gas to serve as at least 20% of said greenhouse gas stream in step (a); and (d) electrochemically reducing an oxygen-containing gas in a second half-cell of said fuel cell (cathode) completing the circuit and resulting in the production of electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A process for converting carbonaceous feedstocks into energy without the production of unwanted greenhouse gas emissions comprising:
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(a) converting a carbonaceous feedstock selected from the group consisting of coal, hydrocarbon oil, natural gas, petroleum coke, oil shale, carbonaceous-containing waste oil, carbonaceous-containing medical waste, carbonaceous-containing military waste, carbonaceous-containing industrial waste, carbonaceous-containing medical waste, carbonaceous-containing sewage sludge and municipal solid waste, carbonaceous-containing agricultural waste, carbonaceous-containing biomass, biological and biochemical waste, and mixtures thereof and a greenhouse gas stream in a gasification unit to synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, said gasification unit is a non-catalytic high temperature, gas-phase, indirectly heated kiln having an inlet means, a gas outlet means, and a solids outlet between the inlet means and the gas outlet means operating at a temperature gradient along the length of the kiln of about 200°
C. to about 1600°
C. (400-2900°
F.) and at conditions to achieve a gas exit temperature of from at least 700°
to about 1600°
C. (1300-2900°
F.);(b) electrochemically oxidizing at least a portion of said synthesis gas from said gasification unit in a first half-cell of a fuel cell (anode) to a first half-cell exit gas comprising carbon dioxide and water; and (c) electrochemically reducing an oxygen-containing gas in a second half-cell of said fuel cell (cathode) completing the circuit and resulting in the production of electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification