Method and system for producing hydrogen from carbon-containing raw materials

• US 9,340,735 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2011
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SEE - Solucoes, Energia E Meio Ambiente, Ltda.
• Original Assignee: See-Solucoes Energia E MEIO Ambiente LTDA
• Inventors: Bensakhria, Ammar, Guyomarc'h, Raymond Franois
• Primary Examiner(s): MERKLING, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US13/576,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20120301949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,947 Days
• Field of Search: 481/97.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/063 Cyclic methods
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0969 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0996 Calcium-containing inorganic materials, e.g. lime
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1681 with biological plants, e.g. involving bacteria, algae, fungi
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1807 Recycle loops, e.g. gas, solids, heating medium, water
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1815 for carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/00 Production of combustible gases containing carbon monoxide from solid carbonaceous fuels destructive distillation processes C10B
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 3/00 Modifying the chemical composition of combustible gases containing carbon monoxide to produce an improved fuel, e.g. one of different calorific value, which may be free from carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 3/006 by steam reforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

Abstract

The invention refers to a process to produce H₂ from biomass containing carbon. The biomass is gasified to obtain a gaseous flow essentially containing molecules of carbon monoxide (CO) and molecules of molecular hydrogen (H₂). These molecules (CO) and (H₂) are then oxidized by oxygen holders in oxidized state (MeO) to obtain a gaseous flow essentially containing CO₂ and water steam (H₂O_steam) and oxygen holders in reduced state (Me). The oxygen holders are then oxidized by water steam. That oxidation produces oxidized oxygen holders and a gaseous flow essentially containing di-hydrogen (H₂). The invention also refers to a system containing the means to perform the steps of such a process.

Claims

1. A process to produce hydrogen (H₂) from dry carbonaceous raw material comprising an organic biomass, said process comprising at least one iteration of the following steps:

gasification of the dry carbonaceous raw material by introducing the dry carbonaceous raw material and a gaseous flow of gasification comprising CO₂ at high temperature and oxygen (O₂) into a gasification reactor, said gasification is complete and supplies a first gaseous flow comprising 134% of molecules of carbon monoxide (CO) in comparison to the amount of carbon in said raw material, wherein the molecules of carbon monoxide (CO) are composed of 100% of carbons of said raw material plus 34% of the reconversion into CO of a part of said CO₂ by means of said carbonaceous raw materials, and molecules of H₂;

oxidation of said molecules of carbon monoxide (CO) and molecular hydrogen (H₂) present in said first gaseous flow by introducing said first gaseous flow and oxygen holders in an oxidized state into an oxidation reactor, said oxidation supplying a second gaseous flow at high temperature comprising CO₂, oxygen holders in a reduced state and an excess of thermal power;

activation of said oxygen holders in a reduced state by introducing said oxygen holders in a reduced state and a gaseous flow of activation comprising steam (H₂O_steam) at high temperature into a activation reactor, said activation supplying oxygen holders in an oxidized state, a third gaseous flow comprising hydrogen (H₂) and an excess of thermal power.

2. The process of claim 1 further comprising the use of the thermal power of said second gaseous flow and/or said thermal excess of said oxidation/activation for the production of at least a part of said gaseous flow of activation from water.

3. The process of claim 1 further comprising recovery of at least a part of the CO₂ present in the second gaseous flow to constitute at least a part of the gaseous flow of gasification for a following iteration of the gasification, oxidation, and activation steps.

4. The process of claim 1, further comprising recovery of at least a part of the steam (H₂O_steam) eventually present in the second gaseous flow to constitute at least a part of the gaseous flow of activation.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising an increase in temperature of the gaseous flow of gasification with at least a part of the excess of thermal power of oxidation of the first gaseous flow by oxygen holders and the activation of said oxygen holders and a part of the excess of thermal power as generated during the gasification to bring said gaseous flow of gasification to the gasification temperature for a following iteration of the gasification, oxidation, and activation steps.

6. The process of claim 1, further comprising recycling by photosynthesis of a part of the CO₂ present in the second gaseous flow in a microalga culture bioreactor, said bioreactor supplying a gaseous flow of oxygen (FO₂) and carbonaceous biomass.

7. The process of claim 6, further comprising the use of at least a part of the gaseous flow of oxygen in the gasification reactor to gasify the dry carbonaceous raw material.

8. The process of claim 6, further comprising the recovery of at least a part of the carbonaceous biomass for gasification in the gasification reactor.