Engineered fuel storage, respeciation and transport

• US 8,814,962 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): MERKLING, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US13/710,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20130142701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 48/61
• US Class Current: 48/61
• 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 pipeline system of transporting renewable fuel, the system comprising:

a biomass conversion plant at a first location of a low elevation to generate low density hydrogen fuel from biomass dissociation;

a first pipeline connecting the biomass conversion plant to a second location of a higher elevation than the first location, wherein the low density hydrogen fuel travels within the pipeline from the first location to the second location without added energy of pressure;

a thermochemical reactor connected to the second location of the higher elevation to generate a high density hydrogen carrier, wherein the thermochemical reactor reacts the low density hydrogen fuel with at least one of a carbon donor, a nitrogen donor and an oxygen donor; and

a second pipeline connecting the thermochemical reactor to a third location of a lower elevation than the second location, wherein the high density hydrogen carrier is delivered to the third location with at least one of pressure or kinetic energy generated by the high density hydrogen carrier.

2. The pipeline system of claim 1, wherein the thermochemical reactor comprises a countercurrent heat exchanger to apply waste heat recovered from an external energy source or heat generated from a renewable energy source.

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

4. The pipeline system 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 pipeline system of claim 1, wherein the carbon donor comprises carbon dioxide and the hydrogen donor comprises water.

6. The pipeline system of claim 1, further comprising:

a contaminant recovery system connected to the thermochemical reactor, the contaminant recovery system configured to

harvest a hazardous contaminant; and

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

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

8. The pipeline system of claim 6, wherein the liquid mixture is transported in the second pipeline to the third location using at least one of pressure and kinetic energy generated by the liquid mixture.

9. The pipeline system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second thermochemical reactor connected to the third location to dissociate the liquid mixture, using an anaerobic reaction, to generate an oxygenated fuel mixture with a ratio of hydrogen to carbon that is higher than the high density hydrogen carrier.

10. The pipeline system of claim 9, further comprising:

a second countercurrent heat exchanger connected to the second thermochemical reactor to apply heat to the liquid mixture to generate the oxygenated fuel mixture.

11. The pipeline system of claim 9, further comprising:

a third pipeline connecting the second thermochemical reactor at a fourth location of a higher elevation than the third location without adding energy or pressure.

12. The pipeline system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of carbon donor, nitrogen donor and the oxygen donor is harvested from an industrial process.