Reactor vessels with pressure and heat transfer features for producing hydrogen-based fuels and structural elements, and associated systems and methods

• US 9,395,081 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2015
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• 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): YOUNG, NATASHA E
• Application Number:
  US14/589,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20150118113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0006 Controlling or regulating processes controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0013 Controlling the temperature of the process
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/127 Sunlight; Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/1812 Tubular reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/20 in the form of helices, e.g. screw reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/245 placed in series
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00074 by indirect heating or cooling employing heat exchange fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00085 Plates; Jackets; Cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00144 Sunlight; Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00162 controlling the pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00164 controlling the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0801 Controlling the process
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0871 Heating or cooling of the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0875 Gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/1203 Incoherent waves
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/187 inclined at an angle to the horizontal or to the vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/24 Stationary reactors without moving elements inside
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0266 containing a decomposition step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/04 containing a purification step for the hydrogen or the synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0465 Composition of the impurity
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0485 : the impurity being a sulfur compound
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0811 : by combustion of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0822 : the fuel containing hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0872 : Methods of cooling
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0883 : by indirect heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/02 : Production of hydrogen or of gaseous mixtures containing a substantial proportion of hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/24 : of hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/26 : using catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 23/00 : Other methods of heating coke ovens
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/02 : of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1284 : by renewable energy, e.g. solar energy, photovoltaic cells, wind
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1665 : to alcohols, e.g. methanol or ethanol preparation of alcohols in general C07C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1884 : with one stream being synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1892 : with one stream being water/steam
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/20 : Apparatus; Plants
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/72 : Other features
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/723 : Controlling or regulating the gasification process
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 5/02 : with pretreatment
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 7/00 : Incinerators or other apparatus for consuming industrial waste, e.g. chemicals incinerator closets A47K11/02; oxidation of sludge C02F11/06; burners in general, burner details F23D; incinerating radioactive waste G21F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/20 : Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/40 : Solar heat collectors combined with other heat sources, e.g. using electrical heating or heat from ambient air
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/61 : Passive solar heat collectors, e.g. operated without external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/00 : Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/223 : for pipe joints or seals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/405 : by adsorption or absorption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/021 : Correlating sampling sites with geographical information, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00613 : Quality control
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 : Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 : Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 : Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/12 : Heat utilisation in combustion or incineration of waste
• 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 60/36 : Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 : Process efficiency
• 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: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

Reactor vessels with pressure and heat transfer features for producing hydrogen-based fuels and structural elements, and associated systems and methods. A representative reactor system includes a first reaction zone and a heat path, a reactant source coupled to the first reaction zone, and a first actuator coupled to cyclically pressurize the first reaction zone. A second reaction zone is in fluid communication with the first, a valve is coupled between the first and second reaction zones to control a flow rate therebetween, and a second actuator is coupled in fluid communication with the second reaction zone to cyclically pressurize the second reaction zone. First and second heat exchangers direct heat from products to reactants in the reaction zones. A controller controls the first and second actuators in a coordinated manner based at least in part on a flow rate of the second product from the second reaction zone.

Claims

1. A method for processing a hydrogenous compound, comprising:

directing reactants, including a hydrogenous compound, to a first reaction zone;

cyclically varying a pressure at the first reaction zone in accordance with a first cycle;

directing heat into the first reaction zone to heat the reactants;

dissociating the hydrogenous compound to produce a first product in an endothermic reaction;

transferring the first product to a second reaction zone;

cyclically varying a pressure at the second reaction zone in accordance with a second cycle;

at the second reaction zone, producing a second product including at least one of a hydrogen-based fuel and a structural building block in an exothermic reaction;

controlling a flow rate between the first and second reaction zones with a mechanism coupled between the first and second reaction zones; and

controlling the pressure in the second reaction zone based at least in part on a flow rate of the first product from the first reaction zone to the second reaction zone.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein cyclically varying the pressure at the first reaching zone is performed in response to a rate at which the second product is produced at the second reaction zone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at first pressure portions of the first cycle, increasing a rate at which heat is collected at the first reaction zone; and

at second pressure portions of the first cycle, increasing a rate of the endothermic reaction, the second pressure portions being lower than the first pressure portions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at first pressure portions of the second cycle, increasing a rate of the exothermic reaction; and

at second pressure portions of the second cycle, increasing a rate at which the dissociation products are transferred to the second reaction zone, the second pressure portions being lower than the first pressure portions.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein directing reactants includes directing methane and carbon dioxide.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein producing first products includes producing hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein directing heat includes directing solar radiation.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein directing solar radiation includes directing solar radiation during daylight hours and wherein directing heat includes directing heat other than solar radiation at other than daylight hours.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein cyclically varying a pressure at the second reaction zone includes directing an additional amount of a consultant present in the first products.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein directing an additional amount of the constituent includes directing an additional amount of the constituent beyond an amount sufficient to stoichiometrically balance the exothermic reaction.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a rate of the endothermic reaction by controlling a pressure in the first reaction zone.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the pressures in the first and second reaction zones in a coordinated manner based at least in part on a rate at which the second product is produced at the second reaction zone.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein directing reactants includes directing methane and carbon dioxide to the first reaction zone under a controlled pressure and wherein the method further comprises:

(a) elevating a temperature in the first reaction zone to further increase the pressure at the first reaction zone;

(b) dissociating the methane in the endothermic reaction at the first reaction zone to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide;

(c) as the pressure in the first reaction zone exceeds a pressure in a second reaction zone, directing the hydrogen and carbon monoxide to flow to the second reaction zone, causing the pressure in the first reaction zone to decrease and the reaction rate at the first reaction zone to increase, and causing the pressure in the second reaction zone to increase;

(d) transferring heat from (1) the carbon monoxide and hydrogen passing to the second reaction zone to (2) methane and carbon dioxide flowing to the first reaction zone;

(e) further pressurizing the second reaction zone with additional hydrogen not received from the first reaction zone;

(f) causing the pressure in the second reaction zone to increase above the pressure in the first reaction zone to preclude hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the first reaction zone from entering the second reaction zone;

(g) at the second reaction zone, combining carbon monoxide and hydrogen to produce methanol in an exothermic reaction that increases in rate as a function of increasing pressure;

(h) releasing the methanol from the second reaction zone to reduce the pressure and reaction at the second reaction zone;

(i) transferring heat from the methanol exiting the second reaction zone to methane and carbon dioxide flowing to the first reaction zone; and

(j) as the pressure in the second reaction zone falls below the pressure in the first reaction zone, repeating processes (c)-(j); and

wherein cyclically varying the pressures in the first and second reaction zones is based at least in part on a rate at which methanol is released from the second reaction zone.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising forming the additional hydrogen by dissociating hydrogen from methane in a reaction separate from the endothermic reaction in the first reaction zone.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein directing solar radiation is performed during daylight hours, and wherein the method further comprises directing heat from other solar radiation to the first reaction zone during non-daylight hours.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein directing heat includes oxidizing carbon monoxide.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising conducting the endothermic reaction at the first reaction zone in the presence of a nickel alumina catalyst.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein performing the endothermic reaction includes performing the endothermic reaction at a temperature of about 900.degree. C. and a pressure of up to about 155 psi.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein performing the exothermic reaction includes performing the exothermic reaction at a temperature of about 250.degree. C. and a pressure of up to about 5000 psi.