United States Patent: 7667343
As we've documented in many previous reports, one factor key to the conversion of our abundant Coal and our - - some say - - too abundant Carbon Dioxide into desired hydrocarbons via established and available processes is a ready supply of elemental, molecular Hydrogen.
Hydrogen can be supplied by involving H2O, whether in the form of liquid Water or Steam, in the reactions; but, such processes do require a larger input of energy than others, related, where elemental Hydrogen itself is available and can be utilized.
The advantages of having Hydrogen available for the direct conversion of Coal into hydrocarbons are illustrated, for one example, in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | USDOE Pays Exxon to Improve Direct Coal Liquefaction | Research & Development; concerning: "US Patent 4,210,518 - Hydrogen-Donor Coal Liquefaction Process; 1980; Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company; Government Interests: The Government of the United States of America has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. E(49-18)-2353 awarded by the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration. Abstract: Improved liquid yields are obtained during the hydrogen-donor solvent liquefaction of coal and similar carbonaceous solids by ... contacting said carbonaceous solids with a hydrogen-donor solvent and molecular hydrogen (under specified conditions, so that) said carbonaceous solids are converted into lower molecular weight liquid hydrocarbons".
Further, the most recent technologies for recycling Carbon Dioxide into hydrocarbons call for molecular Hydrogen as the preferred co-reactant, as seen, again for one example, in:
West Virginia Coal Association | May, 2012, CO2 to Gasoline and Jet Fuel | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 8,168,143 - Systems, Methods and Compositions for Production of Synthetic Hydrocarbon Compounds; May 1, 2012; Inventor: Alexander J. Severinsky, MD; Assignee: Fuelcor, LLC; Abstract: A process and system for producing hydrocarbon compounds or fuels that recycle products of hydrocarbon compound combustion--carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, or both, and water. The energy for recycling is electricity derived from preferably not fossil based fuels, like from ... renewable energy. The process comprises electrolysing water, and then using hydrogen to reduce externally supplied carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, then using so produced carbon monoxide together with any externally supplied carbon monoxide and hydrogen in Fischer-Tropsch reactors, with upstream upgrading to desired specification fuels--for example, gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, diesel fuel, and others".
And, The above specification for "electrolysing water", to obtain the Hydrogen needed for Carbon Dioxide conversion into hydrocarbons is one that has also been employed to obtain the Hydrogen needed for Coal hydrogenation, as well, as seen in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | US Navy Coal + H2O = Low Cost Methanol | Research & Development; concerning: "United States :Patent 4,476,249 - Low Cost Method for Producing Methanol; 1984; Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University; The Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract N00024-78-C5384 awarded by the Department of the Navy. Abstract: Method for producing low cost methanol. A source of carbon is provided ... which is processed to produce carbon monoxide which is reacted with hydrogen to produce methanol. The oxygen and hydrogen are obtained from the electrolysis of water ... . Method of producing low cost methanol from coal".
We've previously documented that attractive options exist in US Coal Country for such "electrolysis of water", to obtain valuable Hydrogen, as in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | Hydrogen for Coal and CO2 Conversion from Wind Power | Research & Development; concerning, primarily: "United States Patent 7,199,482 - System and Method for Controlling Wind Farm Power Output; 2007; Assignee: General Electric Company; Abstract: A method for controlling variability in power output of a wind farm supplying power to a grid includes monitoring a power output level of the wind farm. The monitored power output level is compared to a target power output level. A command is issued to increase or decrease electrical power consumption by an electrolyzer system electrically coupled to the wind farm to maintain a net power output level by the wind farm based upon the comparison";
wherein the specified "electrolyzer system" produces Hydrogen, from Water, for storage and later use during periods of off-peak power demand; and, which report includes separate documentation of the significant wind power electricity generation potentials available to us here in US Coal Country.
Herein, we further document the practicality of such Hydrogen generation concepts, via excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"United States Patent 7,667,343 - Hydrogen Production System Using Wind Turbine Generator
(Hydrogen production system using wind turbine generator - Hitachi, Ltd.)
Date: February, 2010
Inventors: Shinya Oohara, Japan
Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo
Abstract: A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system controlling a power converter system such that the wind turbine stays in its operable range for a longer time and thus the hydrogen production system produces hydrogen for a longer time. The wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system varies an amount of electrical current supplied to an electrolytic hydrogen production system according to the rotational speed of the wind turbine to reduce variations in the rotational speed. Furthermore, the pitch angle of the wind turbine varies according to the speed. Thus, variations in the speed of the wind turbine can be reduced. A permanent-magnet generator is used as the electricity generator of the wind turbine to obtain a power supply at start-up. Alternatively, a power storage system used as assistive equipment at start-up is supplementarily added or only a power supply for the controllers is supplied from a system.
Claims: A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system having a wind turbine, installed independent of an electric power system and connected to an electrolytic hydrogen production system, to produce an output power to said electrolytic hydrogen production system for hydrogen production, said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system comprising: means for generating a current command value based on amounts of a pressure of hydrogen and a temperature within said electrolytic hydrogen production system, a rotational speed of said wind turbine of said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system, and a pitch angle of said wind turbine used to control the rotational speed of said wind turbine of said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system, the pitch angle of said wind turbine being arranged to be determined in accordance with an average wind speed of said wind turbine and a maximum electric power having been calculated based on the pressure and the temperature within said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system; and means for varying an electrical current supplied to said electrolytic hydrogen production system in accordance with the current command value so as to suppress variations in the rotational speed of said wind turbine.
The wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system ... further comprising: a permanent-magnet generator included in said wind turbine to enable said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system to self-start independently from the electric power system; and means for supplying a power supply from said permanent-magnet generator to a controller of said wind turbine and a controller of said electrolytic hydrogen production system.
The wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system ... wherein: said wind turbine includes one of an induction generator, a synchronous generator, and a doubly-fed induction generator arranged to enable said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system to self-start independently from the electric power system; and said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system further includes a power storage system and an exciter, and means for supplying a power supply from said power storage system at a start-up of said wind turbine to a controller of said wind turbine and a controller of said electrolytic hydrogen production system, and for supplying a power supply from said power storage system to the exciter at the start-up.
Description and Background: The present invention relates to a wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system for producing hydrogen by supplying electric power generated by a wind turbine to an electrolytic hydrogen production system and, more particularly, to a wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system which includes the wind turbine whose main circuit portions are mounted independent of a power system.
Renewable energies such as wind power generation have the disadvantages that the power densities are low and supply of energy is unstable. One method of solving these problems consists of once converting energy into hydrogen, i.e., a secondary energy, storing it, and supplying the hydrogen in response to energy demand, thus achieving stable supply of energy. Hydrogen energy also has the advantage that it can be stored more easily than electrical energy. A hydrogen production system which produces hydrogen by generating electric power with a wind turbine and supplying the generated electric power to an electrolytic hydrogen production system has been created from these viewpoints.
Generally, sites where wind turbines are installed must satisfy the requirements:
(1) the sites are in good wind conditions; and:
(2) land sites where wind turbines can be installed are secured.
Remote rural areas ... may be highly potential candidates for such sites.
However, at such sites, a power system for connecting the wind turbines may not be present, in which case the generated electric power cannot be transmitted. Furthermore, if a power system exists, such sites are remote from the main power system. Therefore, the system equipment does not often have a capacity to transmit electric power generated by wind turbines. This point hinders introduction of wind turbines. If a hydrogen production system which produces hydrogen with electric power generated by wind turbines and stores the hydrogen is available, any power system for transmitting electricity is not required and so it is possible to make efficient use of the wind turbines.
Summary: It is an object of the present invention to provide a hydrogen production system which uses a wind turbine and which controls a power converter system in such a way that the wind turbine stays in its operable range for a longer time to thereby produce hydrogen for a longer time.
The amount of electrical current supplied to the electrolytic hydrogen production system is varied according to the rotational speed of the wind turbine, thus reducing variations in the rotational speed. Furthermore, the pitch angle of the wind turbine is varied according to the rotational speed. This reduces variations in the rotational speed of the wind turbine.
In the wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system according to the present invention, the wind turbine stays in its operable range in a longer time. The wind turbine is stopped less frequently than conventional. Consequently, hydrogen is produced for a longer time. This increases the amount of hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production system."
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We have minimized our excerpts from "United States Patent 7,667,343 - Hydrogen Production System Using Wind Turbine Generator". The full technicalities are beyond our scope herein.
The point is, though, that, since we have, as seen in, from the State of West Virginia's Department of Commerce:
Wind Energy: A West Virginia Business Opportunity; "While coal is and will continue to be the principal energy resource for making electricity in West Virginia, wind energy is also becoming a player as well. West Virginia is home to four wind farms: the 66 MW Wind Energy Center in Tucker County, the 264 MW NedPower project in Grant County and the 100 MW Beech Ridge project in Greenbrier County and the 98 MW Laurel Mountain project in Barbour/Randolph counties. An additional 365 MW of wind electrical generation capacity have been permitted and are under development in West Virginia. With wind energy becoming a West Virginia business opportunity, jobs will follow for those with the right skill sets. A report by the American Wind Energy Association ranked West Virginia 19th in states with the highest capacity for wind energy";
some significant potential for the utilization of wind power in US Coal Country; we also have significant potential, via the process of our subject, for the economical production of Hydrogen, from Water, using excess power from wind electric generators situated in "rural areas".
Which Hydrogen can be combined with Carbon Dioxide, perhaps as collected by a nearby "rural" facility operating a process like that discussed in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | Capture of CO2 from Ambient Air | Research & Development; concerning: "Capture of CO2 from Ambient Air: A Specific Approach; Klaus Lackner; Columbia University; Abstract: We describe a technology for capturing CO2 directly from ambient air (air capture) at collection rates that far exceed those of trees or other photosynthesizing organisms and at costs that would allow the widespread use of air capture in managing the anthropogenic carbon cycle and combating climate change. The specific technology uses anionic exchange resins in a sorbent swing between a carbonate and bicarbonate form. Once the resin is saturated with CO2, the gas is driven off the resin by exposure to moisture. This humidity swing allows for an extremely energy efficient implementation of carbon dioxide capture";
in a process like that disclosed in another of our reports:
West Virginia Coal Association | The US Navy Recycles CO2 into Liquid Hydrocarbo?n Fuels | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 8,017,658 - Synthesis of Hydrocarbons via Catalytic Reduction of CO2; 2011; The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy;
Abstract: A method of: introducing hydrogen and a feed gas containing at least 50 % carbon dioxide into a reactor containing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst; and heating the hydrogen and carbon dioxide to ... produce hydrocarbons in the reactor. ... A method comprising: introducing hydrogen and a feed gas containing at least 50 % carbon dioxide into a reactor containing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst ... to produce hydrocarbons"
