Delivery systems with in-line selective extraction devices and associated methods of operation

• US 8,313,556 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Greene, Jason M
• Application Number:
  US13/027,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20110200897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 96/4, 96/7, 96/9, 96/10, 95/45, 95/47, 95/54, 95/55, 95/56, 429/411, 429/416, 423/580.1
• US Class Current: 95/45
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 43/08 Plants characterised by the engines using gaseous fuel generated in the plant from solid fuel, e.g. wood
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system for delivery of a target material and/or energy. The system includes a source configured to provide a mixture containing the target material and a non-target material, a delivery conduit coupled to the source to receive the mixture from the source, and an in-line extraction device concentric to the delivery conduit. The in-line extraction device is configured to selectively extract the target material and/or energy from the mixture in the delivery conduit and to delivery it to a downstream facility.

Claims

1. An industrial pipeline system for delivery of a target material and optionally energy, the system comprising:

a source configured to provide a mixture containing the target material and a non-target material;

a delivery conduit coupled to the source to receive the mixture from the source wherein the delivery conduit includes at least a portion of the industrial pipeline; and

an in-line extraction device radially positioned relative to the delivery conduit, the in-line extraction device being configured to selectively extract the target material and optionally energy from the mixture in the delivery conduit and to supply the target material and/or energy to a downstream facility.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S); and

the in-line extraction device includes at least one of an ionic membrane, a molecular sieve, a hybrid sieve/membrane, and a capillary structure configured to extract hydrogen from the mixture.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S); and

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane having a first side in contact with the mixture in the delivery conduit and a second side opposite the first side; and

the in-line extraction device further includes an annular space around the proton permeable membrane and a port coupled to the annular space for supplying the extracted hydrogen to the downstream facility.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane having a first side in contact with the mixture in the delivery conduit and a second side opposite the first side; and

the in-line extraction device further includes;

a conductive screen on the second side of the proton permeable membrane;

an annular space around the proton permeable membrane; and

a port coupled to the annular space for supplying the extracted hydrogen to the downstream facility.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane having a first side in contact with the mixture in the delivery conduit and a second side opposite the first side; and

the in-line extraction device further includes;

a conductive screen on the second side of the proton permeable membrane; and

a controller configured to supply a current to the first side of the proton permeable membrane and to the conductive screen on the second side of the proton permeable membrane.

7. An in-line extraction device for extracting a target material from a mixture in a delivery conduit, the device comprising:

a filter radially positioned relative to the delivery conduit, the filter having a first side in contact with the mixture in the delivery conduit and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the filter is configured to selectively allow the target material to pass through the filter, wherein the delivery conduit includes at least a portion of an industrial pipeline; and

an annular space on the second side of the filter, the annular space being configured to collect the target material passed through the filter and to supply the target material to a downstream facility.

8. The in-line extraction device of claim 7 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S); and

the filter includes at least one of an ionic membrane, a molecular sieve, a hybrid sieve/membrane, and a capillary structure configured to extract hydrogen from the mixture.

9. The in-line extraction device of claim 7 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S); and

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane.

10. The in-line extraction device of claim 7 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the filter includes a proton permeable membrane having a first side and a second side; and

the in-line extraction device further includes a conductive screen on the second side of the proton permeable membrane, the conductive screen being configured to pressurize the target material.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane; and

the in-line extraction device further includes a controller configured to supply a current to the first side and the second side of the proton permeable membrane.

12. A method of delivering a target material via a delivery conduit, the method comprising:

supplying a mixture containing the target material and at least one non-target material to the delivery conduit, wherein the delivery conduit includes at least a portion of an industrial pipeline;

selectively removing at least a portion of the target material from the mixture in the delivery conduit using an in-line extraction device, the in-line extraction device having a first side in contact with the mixture in the delivery conduit and a second side opposite the first side; and

collecting the target material removed by the in-line extraction device and supplying the collected target material to a downstream facility.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the in-line extraction device includes a filter concentric to the delivery conduit; and

selectively removing at least a portion of the target material includes selectively removing at least a portion of the hydrogen from the mixture with the filter concentric to the delivery conduit.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane concentric to the delivery conduit; and

selectively removing at least a portion of the target material includes selectively removing at least a portion of the hydrogen from the mixture with the proton permeable membrane concentric to the delivery conduit.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane;

the in-line extraction device further includes an annular space around the proton permeable membrane and a port coupled to the annular space; and

the method further includes collecting the removed hydrogen in the annular space and supplying the collected hydrogen to the downstream facility via the port.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane;

the in-line extraction device further includes a conductive screen on the second side of the proton permeable membrane; and

the method further includes pressurizing the removed hydrogen with the conductive screen.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane;

the in-line extraction device further includes a controller configured to supply a current to the first side and the second side of the proton permeable membrane; and

the method further includes;

removing electrons from hydrogen in the mixture at the first side of the proton permeable membrane, thereby forming a plurality of protons;

transporting the formed protons through the proton permeable membrane; and

recombining the transported protons with electrons on the second side of the proton permeable membrane, thereby forming hydrogen on the second side of the proton permeable membrane.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane;

the in-line extraction device further includes a controller configured to supply a current to the first side and the second side of the proton permeable membrane; and

the method further includes;

removing electrons from hydrogen in the mixture at the first side of the proton permeable membrane, thereby forming a plurality of protons;

transporting the formed protons through the proton permeable membrane;

recombining the transported protons with electrons on the second side of the proton permeable membrane, thereby forming hydrogen on the second side of the proton permeable membrane;

introducing oxygen to the second side of the proton permeable membrane; and

reacting the introduced oxygen with the hydrogen formed on the second side of the proton permeable membrane, thereby forming water.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the mixture includes hydrogen (H₂) and at least one of methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N₂), oxygen (O₂), argon (Ar), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S);

the in-line extraction device includes a proton permeable membrane;

the in-line extraction device further includes a controller configured to supply a current to the first side and the second side of the proton permeable membrane; and

the method further includes;

removing electrons from hydrogen in the mixture at the first side of the proton permeable membrane, thereby forming a plurality of protons;

transporting the formed protons through the proton permeable membrane;

recombining the transported protons with electrons on the second side of the proton permeable membrane, thereby forming hydrogen on the second side of the proton permeable membrane;

introducing oxygen to the second side of the proton permeable membrane; and

reacting the introduced oxygen with the hydrogen formed on the second side of the proton permeable membrane, thereby forming water and releasing electrical energy.