Systems, methods, and compositions for production of synthetic hydrocarbon compounds

• US 7,863,340 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2009
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuelcor, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fuelcor, LLC
• Inventors: Severinsky, Alexander J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PARSA, JAFAR F
• Application Number:
  US12/647,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20100113623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 518/700
• US Class Current: 518/700
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0294 containing three or more CO-shift steps
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/16 using catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/30 from carbon monoxide with hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/32 with the use of catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1022 Fischer-Tropsch products
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/093 Coal
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1238 by plasma
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1659 to liquid hydrocarbons Fischer-Tropsch process C10G2/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/18 using electricity
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 3/026 Increasing the carbon monoxide content, e.g. reverse water-gas shift [RWGS]
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/04 by electrolysis of water
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/08 Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/18 Integrated gasification combined cycle [IGCC], e.g. combined with carbon capture and storage [CCS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/00 Technologies relating to chemical industry
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/129 Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight

Abstract

A process and system for producing hydrocarbon compounds or fuels that recycle products of hydrocarbon compound combustion—carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, or both, and water. The energy for recycling is electricity derived from preferably not fossil based fuels, like from nuclear fuels or from renewable energy. The process comprises electrolyzing water, and then using hydrogen to reduce externally supplied carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, then using so produced carbon monoxide together with any externally supplied carbon monoxide and hydrogen in Fischer-Tropsch reactors, with upstream upgrading to desired specification fuels—for example, gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, diesel fuel, and others. Energy released in some of these processes is used by other processes. Using adiabatic temperature changes and isothermal pressure changes for gas processing and separation, large amounts of required energy are internally recycled using electric and heat distribution lines. Phase conversion of working fluid is used in heat distribution lines for increased energy efficiency. The resulting use of electric energy is less than 1.4 times the amount of the high heating value of combustion of so produced hydrocarbon compounds when carbon dioxide is converted to carbon monoxide in the invention, and less than 0.84 when carbon monoxide is the source.

Claims

1. A process for producing hydrocarbon compounds comprising:

a) generating hydrogen gas from water and electrical energy;

b) forming syngas by using a portion of the hydrogen gas in combination with carbon dioxide gas, wherein at least one reverse water gas shift reactor, operating at a temperature higher than the temperature used in step c), is used to form the syngas; and

c) generating a mixture of at least hydrocarbon compounds and thermal energy from at least syngas;

wherein at least a portion of the thermal energy produced in generating the mixture is transferred to at least one reverse water gas shift reactor in b) using a heat pumping process.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising use of more than one reverse water gas shift reactor.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the thermal energy is transferred to heat input or output gases, or both, of at least one reverse water gas shift reactor using the heat pumping process.

4. The process of claim 1, further comprising using a portion of the hydrogen gas in addition to syngas in step c).

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the heat pumping process comprises ethylene as a working fluid.

6. A process for producing hydrocarbon compounds comprising:

a) generating hydrogen gas from water and electrical energy;

b) forming syngas by using a portion of the hydrogen gas in combination with carbon dioxide gas in at least one reverse water gas shift reactor, wherein an effluent stream from the at least one reverse water gas shift reactor comprises at least syngas and carbon dioxide gas;

c) generating a mixture of at least hydrocarbon compounds from at least the syngas; and

d) separating at least a portion of the carbon dioxide gas from the effluent stream of at least one reverse water gas shift reactor before providing the effluent stream to step c), or separating at least a portion of the carbon dioxide gas from the effluent stream from step c), by condensation at a temperature below ambient temperature;

wherein excess heat collected during condensation is transferred to ambient temperature using a heat pumping process.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the heat pumping process comprises ethylene as a working fluid.

8. The process of claim 6, further comprising evaporation of at least a portion of the carbon dioxide separated in d) at a temperature different from the temperature of condensation.

9. A process for producing hydrocarbon compounds comprising:

a) generating hydrogen gas from water using a water electrolyzer;

b) forming syngas by using a portion of the hydrogen gas in combination with carbon dioxide gas, wherein at least one reverse water gas shift reactor is used to form the syngas;

c) generating a mixture of at least hydrocarbon compounds and thermal energy from at least syngas;

d) converting at least a portion of the thermal energy into electrical energy; and

e) providing at least a portion of the electrical energy to the water electrolyzer.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein a portion of the thermal energy from step c) is used to heat at least a portion of the water provided to the water electrolyzer.

11. The process of claim 9, wherein a portion of the electrical energy supplied to the water electrolyzer is combined with additional electric energy generated by using at least some of the heat from a nuclear reactor for conversion of heat energy to electrical energy.