Engineered fuel storage, respeciation and transport

• US 8,328,888 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): MERKLING, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US13/027,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20110203669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 481/97.R
• US Class Current: 48/197.R
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/24 Stationary reactors without moving elements inside B01J19/08, B01J19/26 take precedence; with stationary particles B01J8/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 7/00 Apparatus for generating gases production of inert gas mixtures B01J19/14; for generating specific gases, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. C01B, C10J ; in "air bags" on vehicles B60R21/26; for starter gas F02C7/26; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure F42B3/04
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0283 containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/001 characterised by the uptaking medium; Treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/0015 Organic compounds; Solutions thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 1/04 from carbon monoxide with hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/02 of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• 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 2/34 Apparatus, reactors
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/50 from carbon dioxide with hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1011 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 3/40 Thermal non-catalytic treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/723 Controlling or regulating the gasification process
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/00 Liquid carbonaceous fuels
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/10 Working-up natural gas or synthetic natural gas
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 3/00 Preparation of elements or inorganic compounds except carbon dioxide recovery of carbon dioxides as by-products C12F3/02
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/02 for gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/04 for distribution of gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/08 for liquids or viscous products water-main or service pipe systems E03B7/04; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/12 : Conveying liquids or viscous products by pressure of another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 3/12 : for injecting a composition into the line
• 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: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/34 : Hydrogen distribution
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 : using bio-feedstock
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/45 : Hydrogen technologies in production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 : Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 : Systems

Abstract

Techniques, systems and material are disclosed for thermochemical regeneration of biomass into renewable engineered fuel, storage of the renewable engineered fuel, respeciation of the renewable engineered fuel and transport. In one aspect, a method includes generating low density hydrogen fuel from biomass dissociation at a first location of a low elevation. The low density hydrogen fuel is self-transported in a pipeline to a second location at a higher elevation than the first location by traveling from the first location to the second location without adding energy of pressure. A high density hydrogen carrier is generated at the second location of higher elevation by reacting the low density hydrogen fuel with at least one of a carbon donor, a nitrogen donor and an oxygen donor harvested from industrial waste. The high density hydrogen carrier is delivered to a third location of a lower elevation than the second location while providing pressure or kinetic energy.

Claims

1. A method of transporting renewable fuel, the method comprising:

generating low density hydrogen fuel from biomass dissociation at a first location of a low elevation;

self-transporting the low density hydrogen fuel in a pipeline to a second location at a higher elevation than the first location, wherein the low density hydrogen fuel travels from the first location to the second location without adding energy or pressure;

generating a high density hydrogen carrier at the second location of higher elevation by reacting the low density hydrogen fuel with at least one of a carbon donor, a nitrogen donor and an oxygen donor; and

delivering the high density hydrogen carrier to a third location of a lower elevation than the second location while providing pressure or kinetic energy for conversion into useful work without the use of a pump.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the low density hydrogen fuel comprises applying waste heat recovered from an external energy source or heat generated from a renewable energy source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the high density hydrogen carrier comprises at least one of hydrocarbon, alcohol and ammonia.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the hydrocarbon comprises at least one of methane and ethane;

and

wherein the alcohol comprises at least one of methanol and ethanol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon donor comprises carbon dioxide and the hydrogen donor comprises water.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dissolving a hazardous contaminant in the high density hydrogen carrier to generate a liquid mixture that isolates the hazardous contaminant from an environment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the liquid mixture controls a vapor pressure or availability of the vapor pressure.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

applying heat to the liquid mixture to generate oxygenated fuel mixture with a ratio of hydrogen to carbon that is higher than the high density hydrogen carrier.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transporting in a pipeline the hydrogen generated from the liquid mixture to a fourth location at a higher elevation than the third location without adding energy or pressure.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying heat to the high density hydrogen carrier to generate oxygenated fuel with a ratio of hydrogen to carbon that is higher than the high density hydrogen carrier.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transporting in a pipeline the hydrogen generated from the high density hydrogen carrier to a fourth location at a higher elevation than the third location without adding energy or pressure.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a carbon donor, a nitrogen donor and an oxygen donor are harvested from industrial waste.