United States Patent Application: 0090235587
We have earlier reported on the development, by the same team of USDOE Idaho National Laboratory scientists we cite herein, of the technology sometimes labeled as "Syntrolysis", wherein a blend of Carbon Dioxide and Water, or Steam, is electrolyzed, and/or thermo-chemically decomposed, and made thereby to form a resultant blend of Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen, a synthesis gas, which can then be catalytically reacted; and, be thereby chemically condensed into liquid hydrocarbons.
Examples include:
USDOE Idaho Lab Recycles More CO2 | Research & Development; which discloses: "Model of High Temperature H2O/CO2 Co-electrolysis"; and:
USDOE Carbon-Neutral Syngas from CO2 and H2O | Research & Development; wherein is recorded: "Carbon Neutral Production of Syngas Via ... Electrolytic Reduction of Steam and CO2".
Herein, we see that our USDOE scientists, at the Idaho Lab, which is, or was, operated for our United States Government by a consortium of companies known as the Battelle Energy Alliance, have taken the concept somewhat, and we think brilliantly, further.
They have incorporated Syntrolyis as one integral function within a complete, indirect, Coal-to-Liquids conversion process, wherein Coal is first hydro-gasified to produce a blend of Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide, that is, a hydrocarbon synthesis gas.
The co-electrolysis technique is applied to that Coal-derived syngas, to break down un-reacted Steam and any co-produced Carbon Dioxide, a procedure which increases the useful Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide content of the synthesis gas, and thereby eliminates the potential for Carbon Dioxide emission.
It, thus, makes the process of indirectly converting Coal into liquid hydrocarbons more productive and more efficient; and, serves, in a way, as a pollution control function that actually increases the output of the desired product, in this case a "syngas" intended for the synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons.
Comment follows excerpts from the initial link to:
"US Patent Application 20090235587 - Methods and Systems for Producing Syngas
Date: September, 2009
Inventors: Grant Hawkes, et. al., Idaho
Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, Idaho Falls
Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for producing syngas utilizing heat from thermochemical conversion of a carbonaceous fuel to support decomposition of at least one of water and carbon dioxide using one or more solid-oxide electrolysis cells. Simultaneous decomposition of carbon dioxide and water or steam by one or more solid-oxide electrolysis cells may be employed to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A portion of oxygen produced from at least one of water and carbon dioxide using one or more solid-oxide electrolysis cells is fed as a controlled flow rate in a gasifier or combustor to oxidize the carbonaceous fuel to control the carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide ratio produced.
The US Government has certain rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-AC07-05-ID14517, between the United States Department of Energy and Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC.
Claims: A method for producing syngas, comprising:thermochemically converting a carbonaceous fuel to produce heat and a mixed gas comprising water, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide; exposing a water stream to the heat from the thermochemical conversion of the carbonaceous fuel to produce steam; introducing the steam to at least one solid-oxide electrolysis cell;decomposing the steam in the at least one solid-oxide electrolysis cell to produce hydrogen and oxygen; and combining at least a portion of the carbon monoxide from the mixed gas with at least a portion of the hydrogen to produce syngas.
The method ... wherein thermochemically converting a carbonaceous fuel to produce heat and a mixed gas comprises gasifying the carbonaceous fuel
The method ... further comprising recirculating a portion of the oxygen produced by decomposing steam in the at least one solid-oxide electrolysis cell to the gasification process.
(And) combining at least a portion of the carbon monoxide from the mixed gas with at least a portion of the hydrogen to form syngas.
A method for forming syngas, comprising:producing heat and a mixed gas comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water and hydrogen by gasifying a carbonaceous fuel;condensing the mixed gas to remove at least one impurity from the mixed gas and to generate a feed stream;transferring the heat produced by gasifying the carbonaceous fuel to the feed stream to convert at least a portion of the water in the feed stream to steam; introducing the feed stream to at least one solid-oxide electrolysis cell; electrolyzing carbon dioxide and steam in the feed stream in at least one solid-oxide electrolysis cell to produce carbon monoxide, hydrogen and oxygen; (and) separating the carbon monoxide and hydrogen from the oxygen.
The method ... further comprising directing a portion of the oxygen produced by electrolyzing the steam to the thermochemical conversion of the carbonaceous fuel to control the ratio of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide in the mixed gas.
A system for producing syngas, comprising:an apparatus configured to thermochemically convert a carbonaceous fuel into heat and a mixed gas comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen and water; a heat exchange device configured to transfer the heat produced during the conversion of the carbonaceous fuel to at least one of the carbon dioxide and water; and at least one solid-oxide electrolysis cell operably coupled to at least one power source and configured to electrolyze at least one of water and carbon dioxide to form oxygen and at least one of hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
Field: Embodiments of the present invention relate, generally, to the production of syngas and, more particularly, to methods and systems for producing syngas from ... coal ... by utilizing the heat from thermochemical conversion of the carbonaceous fuel to support electrolysis of steam and/or co-electrolysis of steam and carbon dioxide in one or more solid-oxide electrolysis cells.
The (resultant) syngas ... may be fed to an apparatus or reactor suitable for conducting a Fischer-Tropsch process ... to convert the hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the syngas ... to a synthetic liquid fuel."
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As we read it: The heat resulting from the gasification, the partial combustion, of Coal, which generates the initial hydrocarbon synthesis gas, is utilized within the system, directly, and/or indirectly through the generation of electricity used in the "electrolysis cells", to provide the energy needed to break Water and the co-produced Carbon Dioxide down, into their simpler components of Hydrogen, Carbon Monoxide and Oxygen.
The Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide are added to the thus-purified Coal-derived syngas, in amounts appropriate to adjust the composition of that syngas, to make it suitable for catalytic condensation into a range of liquid hydrocarbons; while the co-produced Oxygen is recycled back to the synthesis gas generator, where it supports the gasification of more Coal.
Further, we urge you to consider, as seen for just one instance in:
Exxon Co-Gasifies Coal and Carbon-Recycling Biomass | Research & Development; which concerns:
"US Patent Application 20100083575 - Co-gasification Process for Hydrocarbon Solids and Biomass; 2010; Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company; Abstract: A process for the co-gasification of carbonaceous solids (coal) and biomass ... ."; that:
We can produce such an initial synthesis gas, as utilized herein by the USDOE - - in the process of their "Application 20090235587 - Methods and Systems for Producing Syngas", wherein any co-generated CO2 is internally recycled and utilized - - not only from our abundant Coal, but, as well, from, and in conjunction with, renewable and Carbon-recycling Biomass, thus enhancing even further the Carbon-conserving potentials, and efficiencies,
We are compelled to point out that other, environmentally-derived and non-carbon, sources of energy, such as hydro-electric power, could be utilized to drive a similar process that utilized only Water and Carbon Dioxide, recovered from whatever source, to form the Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen and Oxygen.
And, we could thus conserve even a little more of our Coal, for the generation of electricity, for many decades to come, while avoiding the penalty of Cap and Trade taxation and the penal servitude of mandated Geologic Sequestration.