Integrated process for conversion of hydrocarbonaceous assets and photobiofuels production

• US 8,076,121 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Inventors: O'Rear, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tate, Chris R
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOSAR, AARON J
• Application Number:
  US11/828,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20090029446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/262.5
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/304 of sodium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/306 of potassium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/604 Hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/95 Specific microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/00 Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/00 Preparation of oxygen-containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6458 by transesterification, e.g. interesterification, ester interchange, alcoholysis or acidolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/649 Biodiesel, i.e. fatty acid alkyl esters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/59 Biological synthesis; Biological purification

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to processes that integrate CO₂-producing conversions of hydrocarbonaceous assets with biofuels processes that utilize CO₂ in photosynthesis. In some embodiments, such processes involve the absorption of CO₂ in an absorption liquid. In some such embodiments, such absorption is carried out in an absorption tower. In some other such embodiments, there is a subsequent desorption of the CO₂. Generally, at least some of the CO₂ captured by the absorption liquid is used to grow microbes or diatom species.

Claims

1. An integrated process combining hydrocarbonaceous conversion with a photobiofuels process that utilizes CO₂ produced from said hydrocarbonaceous conversion to support photosynthesis, the process comprising the steps of:

a) converting at least one hydrocarbonaceous asset to generate a first super-atmospheric pressure CO₂-containing gas, wherein said at least one hydrocarbonaceous asset is selected from the group consisting of natural gas, methane, coal, petroleum, petroleum coke, tar sands, bitumen, oil emulsions, oils shale, shale oil, waste plastics, waste tires, municipal waste, and combinations thereof;

b) absorbing at least a portion of the CO₂ from the first super-atmospheric pressure CO₂-containing gas into an absorption liquid, the absorbing being done at a first temperature;

c) desorbing at least a portion of the absorbed CO₂ at a second temperature to form a second super-atmospheric pressure CO₂-containing gas, wherein the second temperature is higher than the first temperature, and the concentration of CO₂ in the second super-atmospheric pressure CO₂-containing gas is higher than the concentration of CO₂ in the first super-atmospheric pressure CO₂-containing gas;

d) providing at least a portion of the CO₂ in the second super-atmospheric pressure CO₂-containing gas to support algal and/or diatomaceous photosynthesis in a photobiofuels process, wherein at least a portion of the CO₂ is produced at night;

e) storing at least a portion of the second super-atmospheric pressure CO₂-containing gas produced at night in containers of a type selected from the group consisting of aboveground gas tanks, underground salt domes, and combinations thereof;

f) recovering, during daylight hours, at least a portion the stored super-atmospheric pressure CO₂-containing gas; and

g) providing at least a portion of the CO₂ in the recovered second super-atmospheric pressure CO₂-containing gas to support photosynthesis in the photobiofuels process.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the absorption liquid is selected from the group consisting of water and caustic water.

3. The process of claim 2, further comprising forming water in the step of converting the hydrocarbonaceous assets, and blending at least a portion of the formed water with the absorption liquid.

4. The process of claim 3, further comprising setting a target pH in the absorption liquid provided in the photobiofuels process, and controlling the pH to this target pH wherein said controlling is selected from the group consisting of (a) controlling blending of water from the converting of hydrocarbonaceous assets;

(b) controlling temperature of the absorption liquid;

(c) controlling absorption liquid-to-gas ratio; and

(d) combinations thereof.

5. The process of claim 4, wherein the target pH is greater than 6.

6. The process of claim 4, wherein the target pH is between 8 and 10.

7. The process of claim 3, further comprising setting a target salinity in the absorption liquid provided in the photobiofuels process, and controlling the salinity to this target by controlled blending of water from the converting of hydrocarbonaceous assets.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the salinity is measured in terms of conductivity, and wherein the conductivity is less than 70 mmho·

cm<sup>−

1</sup>.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the conductivity is between 10 mmho·

cm<sup>−

1</sup> and 30 mmho·

cm<sup>−

1</sup>.

10. The process of claim 3, wherein the converting of said hydrocarbonaceous assets comprises converting via a Fischer-Tropsch process.

11. The process of claim 1, further comprising setting a target temperature in the photobiofuels process, and controlling temperature to this target by providing gases and liquids from the converting of hydrocarbonaceous assets, said gases and liquids being selected from the group consisting of steam, condensate from steam, cold nitrogen gas, chilled water, and combinations thereof.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the target temperature is between 10°

C. and 40°

C.

13. The process of claim 11, wherein the target temperature is between 20°

C. and 35°

C.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein the photobiofuels process comprises (i) providing microalgae, (ii) regulating the metabolism of the microalgae by modulating a temperature, salinity, and/or pH thereof, and (iii) harvesting said microalgae.

15. The process of claim 1, further comprising a step of producing O₂ in the photobiofuels process and diverting at least a portion of the produced O₂ to the converting of the at least one hydrocarbonaceous assets.

16. The process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

a) removing a reduced nitrogen species from the first super-atmospheric pressure CO₂-containing gas obtained from the converting of hydrocarbonaceous assets; and

b) consuming the reduced nitrogen species in the photobiofuels process.