United States Patent Application: 0060096298
We earlier made several reports, and have often made reference to, the Eastman Chemical Company factory, in Kingsport, Tennessee, where they have for some years been converting Coal, on a commercial basis, into Methanol.
Those reports have included, for as in the most recent example:
Coal to Methanol - Eastman & Air Products | Research & Development | News; which contains the document: "Commercial-Scale Demonstration of a Liquid-Phase Methanol Process; Eastman Chemical Company; Kingsport,TN; Abstract: The Eastman Chemical Company operates a coal gasification complex in Kingsport. Tennessee. Methanol is currently produced from syngas ... produced by two high-pressure gasifiers (which utilize) High-sulfur coal.".
We have also made report, from other sources, concerning the fact that a facility could be designed in which both Methanol and electricity could be produced from Coal; wherein processes could be established to either store some of the Methanol manufactured there, which could be used as fuel during periods of peak power demand, or, to have a power generation capability based on the combustion of Coal-derived synthesis gas, and, based on varying power demand, diverting synthesis gas to one purpose or the other.
Some examples of our earlier reportage concerning those potentials can be accessed via:
Germany Co-Produces Methanol & Power from Coal | Research & Development | News; which details: "United States Patent 4,665,688 - Power Generating Station with Integrated Coal Gasification; 1987; Germany; Abstract: Power generating plant with an integratd coal gasification plant, with a heat exchanger and gas purification plant connected to the coal gasifier, with a gas turbine and steam power generating plant part connected to the heat exchanger and gas purification plant, and with a methanol synthesis plant. The methanol generated in the methanol synthesis plant as well as the synthesis exhaust gas of the methanol synthesis can be fed, at least partially, to a further subplant for a second chemical manufacturing process and the excess synthesis exhaust gas from the methanol synthesis and the exhaust from this further subplant, to the combustion chamber of the gas turbine power generating plant part", and:
Coal to Methane, Methanol & Power | Research & Development | News; wherein is disclosed: "United States Patent 4,199,327 - Process ... to Maximize Coal Utilization and Minimize ... Waste; 1980; Kaiser Engineers, Inc.; California; Abstract: Coarse, graded coal is fed to a pressurized relatively fixed bed, non-slagging gasifier from which crude gas is recovered. Fine coal is slurried in an aqueous mixture comprising the discharge from the relatively fixed bed gasifier, which discharge is composed of hydrocarbons, phenolic water and other liquids as major components and additional makeup water, if required, and the slurry is fed to a slagging, pressurized entrained flow gasifier from which additional crude gas is recovered. The two streams of gas are cleaned and then used to meet a variety of demands, including, but not limited to, gas turbine generation of electric power, manufacture of synthetic natural gas and manufacture of methanol".
The Kaiser invention is most interesting since it posits, in confirmation of the potential we have, from other sources, documented, wherein any carbonaceous values, that might remain in residues from an initial Coal conversion process, can be extracted and utilized in a second, different, processing step.
In any case, herein, from Eastman Chemical, we present further evidence of the efficiencies which can be achieved in a process that has such a capability to produce, as desired, Methanol and/or electrical power.
Comment follows excerpts from the initial link, above, to:
"US Patent Application 20060096298 - Method for Satisfying Variable Power Demand
Date: May, 2006
Inventor: Scott Barnicki, et. al., Kingsport, TN
Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company, TN
Abstract: A process for satisfying variable power demand and a method for maximizing the monetary value of a synthesis gas stream are disclosed. One or more synthesis gas streams are produced by gasification of carbonaceous materials and passed to a power producing zone to produce electrical power during a period of peak power demand or to a chemical producing zone to produce chemicals such as, for example, methanol, during a period of off-peak power demand. The power-producing zone and the chemical-production zone which are operated cyclically and substantially out of phase in which one or more of the combustion turbines are shut down during a period of off-peak power demand and the syngas fuel diverted to the chemical producing zone. This out of phase cyclical operational mode allows for the power producing zone to maximize electricity output with the high thermodynamic efficiency and for the chemical producing zone to maximize chemical production with the high stoichiometric efficiency. The economic potential of the combined power and chemical producing zones is enhanced.
Claims: A process for intermittently producing electrical power and chemicals, comprising: reacting (an) oxidant stream with a carbonaceous material in said one or more gasifiers to produce one or more synthesis gas streams ...; passing at least one of said synthesis gas streams to a power-producing zone comprising at least one combustion turbine during a period of peak power demand to produce electrical power; (and) passing at least one of said synthesis gas streams to a chemical-producing zone during a period of off-peak power demand to produce chemicals; and ... shutting down said at least one combustion turbine during said period of off-peak power demand.
The process ... wherein said chemical producing zone produces methanol, alkyl formates, dimethyl ether, ammonia, hydrogen, Fischer-Tropsch products, or a combination thereof.
(By now no doubt gratuitously, we must note that "Fischer-Tropsch products" could include, in addition to the speicifed "methanol" and "dimethyl ether", a variety of other liquid hydrocarbon fuels.)
The process ... where said chemical producing zone is a methanol-producing zone (and) wherein (another) step ... further comprises gradually diverting all of said at least one synthesis gas stream from said at least one combustion turbine to said methanol producing zone during a transition period from peak power demand to off-peak power demand while cofeeding methanol to said at least one combustion turbine at a rate sufficient to maintain said at least one combustion turbine at at least 50% of maximum capacity before shutting down said at least one combustion turbine.
(And, the) process ... further comprising: gradually diverting up to 100 volume % of said at least one synthesis gas stream from said methanol producing zone to said at least one combustion turbine during a transition period from off-peak power demand to peak power demand while cofeeding methanol to said at least one combustion turbine sufficient to maintain said at least one combustion turbine at at least 50% of maximum capacity.
Background and Field: This invention relates to a process for the production of regularly varying amounts of electric power and chemicals from synthesis gas. More particularly, this invention relates to a process for intermittently producing electrical power and chemicals in which one or more combustion turbines are shut down during a period of off-peak power demand and the synthesis gas supplying these turbines is diverted to the production of chemicals."
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The full Disclosure is much more complex, of course. And, it reveals details of how both the Coal-derived synthesis gas and some of the Methanol produced from that synthesis gas can be diverted, together if needed, to the power-generating turbines at times of very high demand.
In any case, it is confirmed herein by Eastman Chemical Company, who have actually been doing some of it on a commercial basis for awhile, and by our own US Government, that, in one combined and coordinated facility, we can produce both liquid fuels, such as "methanol, ... dimethyl ether, (and) Fischer-Tropsch products", and, as needed during "peak power demand", additional "electrical power", from Coal.