Chemistry: electrical and wave energy – Processes and products – Electrostatic field or electrical discharge
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-14
2001-03-13
Beck, Shrive (Department: 1764)
Chemistry: electrical and wave energy
Processes and products
Electrostatic field or electrical discharge
C048S103000, C048S202000, C204S165000, C204S168000, C204S172000, C422S186260, C422S186040, C422S906000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06200430
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention is a method, and its associated equipment, for producing synthetic gas by means of an electric arc-activated, non-catalytic burner, which utilizes up to three streams of product inputs. It is distinguished from current technologies in that it is not dependent on oxygen or the use of a catalyst. The primary fluid is ignited by an electric arc that produces the high-energy environment need for the process. The secondary fluid is mixed in the resulting plasma in a high temperature and high pressure process, producing the resulting gas, which becomes immediately available for combustion in furnaces, reactors, and other processes in the chemical, petroleum, and metals fabrication industries. It may also be mixed with a tertiary gas for reforming or for a partial oxidation process.
Description of the Related Art
Synthetic gas is a product widely used in the chemical and steel industry as an intermediate raw material for the production of chemical products or other raw materials. An example is a Direct Reduced Iron in the case of the steel industry. There are many types of processes currently utilized, and the art is well-developed in industry. The majority of processes utilize pure oxygen as the combustion agent. Combustion occurs in the range of temperatures of 1000° to 1350° C. Standard gasifiers, which are sometimes referred to as gas reformers in the steel industry, are based on a low temperature process which uses a catalyst. In general, the operating temperature of these gasifiers is below 700° C.
The partial oxidation process is a well-known process for converting liquid hydrocarbonaceous and solid carbonaceous fuels into synthesis gas, reducing gas, and fuel gas. The partial oxidation of liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuels such as petroleum products, and slurries of solid carbonaceous fuels such as coal and petroleum coke, are well known processes. These operate at temperatures up to 1100° C., and rely on the use of oxygen because of the energy balance. The only source of energy to these gasifiers results from combustion of methane or carbon. In order to maintain an adequate temperature, they have to operate with oxygen. They can not operate with air.
The Texas Partial Oxidation Gasification Process is an established processing means for solid carbonaceous fuels including petroleum coke and coal, as well as for ash-containing heavy liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel. For example, water slurries of petroleum coke are reacted by partial oxidation, as described by U.S. Pat. No. 3,607,157.
Described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,699 is a process for the production of gaseous mixtures comprising H
2
+CO by the partial oxidation of a feedstock comprising a heavy liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel having a nickel and vanadium-containing ash, or petroleum coke having a nickel and vanadium-containing ash, or mixtures thereof. The feedstock includes a minimum of 0.1 wt. % of sulfur and greater than about 7 ppm, such as about 10 parts per million (ppm) to about 70,000 ppm of silicon.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,475, a gasification burner having an electrically heatable gasification chamber is described. The temperature of this gasification chamber is measured by a temperature sensor and kept at an optimal value by means of a control device, to prevent fuel carbonization.
Prototypical of the current technologies, but one which uses a diffuse electrical plasma, is that described by Ethington, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,743. The system described therein demonstrates the ignition of oil at the interface of a mixture of oil and water, in a closed tank. A voltage step-up transformer connects a potential of about 2-5 kV across an arc gap between the electrode and the water-oil interface. Electrical breakdown of the oil, due to the high voltage, produces an initial arc across the gap, which, at steady state, becomes a diffuse, partially-ionized, stable plasma. A chamber is positioned above and around the plasma to collect the gases which escape from the ionized reaction zone.
These existing processes suffer from generally the same limitations. Most have limited conversion efficiency, cannot operate at high pressures, require pure oxygen, in the case of combustion systems, or require a catalyst, a very expensive and perishable material that is subject to poisoning from trace elements in the field. All the commercial systems currently in the market require a substantial capital investment.
In the present invention, the additional energy in replacement of combustion is provided by the electric arc, which allows for operation with air or mixture of gases. The use of the electric arc makes this process more independent of the gases used for the reaction. Unique to this invention is the high efficiency addition of energy to the process, by electricity, which makes this gasifier more flexible and more economical. The existing art relies on chemical reaction to provide energy input, thereby adding appreciably to the cost of those systems.
The present invention overcomes all of the noted deficiencies in a unique, but easily implemented fashion. All of the materials relied upon and currently employed in the various industries, and are, therefore, readily available. The main difference then, from an equipment application perspective, is that the present invention does not use a catalyst or a burner to produce the reaction, and can operate at very high pressures.
As compared with the Ethington system, described above, the present invention is dramatically more efficient because of the higher operating temperature and the positioning means employed to direct the electric arc. Also, the current invention can process a wide range of carbon/hydrogen materials and is not dependent on oxygen.
Another important advantage of the system as described and claimed herein is the ability of the system to control the ratio of Carbon Monoxide to Hydrogen in the combustion process. No other system can allow for the control that is accommodated in the process of the current invention.
This capacity of the system is based on the ability to regulate electric energy as required to obtain the thermal balance. Other systems are based on chemical reactions and, since the formation of Hydrogen is endothermic and the formation of CO is slightly exothermic, the ratio of Carbon Monoxide to Hydrogen is very restricted.
The balance of the system Carbon Monoxide to Hydrogen ratio is allowed by selecting the oxidant between steam, oxygen, and CO2, and regulating the energy required to satisfy the chemical reactions via electric power.
PRIOR ART
U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,475 teaches a gasification burner having an electrically heatable gasification chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,743 shows a system, which ignites oil at the interface of a mixture of oil and water in a closed tank. A voltage step up transformer connects a potential of about 2-5 kV across an arc gap between the electrode and the water-oil interface. The evolving gas is collected above the ignition point.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,607,157 demonstrates the partial oxidation of water slurries of petroleum coke.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The Primary objective of the instant invention is to provide a synthetic gas production process requiring a low initial capital investment.
A secondary objective is to provide a process that does not require a catalyst, an expensive element of current processes. In addition, this invention is not sensitive to trace elements such as Sulfur, which usually poison the catalyst in other, current processes.
A third objective is to provide a process having a high conversion rate and operating at pressures of 750 psi and higher, if required by the application. Both attributes increase the efficiency of the present invention over current processes.
A fourth objective is to employ a process that requires no pure oxygen. The instant invention can operate with air, steam or CO
2
, depending on the application and the economies required of the process downstream.
A fifth objective is to utilize a process with a low opera
Beck Shrive
Law Offices of K. Patrick McKay
Varcoe Frederick
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