IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0855813
(2007-09-14)
|
등록번호 |
US-7781695
(2010-09-13)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Blutke, Andreas
- Vavruska, John
- Henderson, John Mark
- Ferguson, Robert L.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
6 |
초록
▼
Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reforming converts carbonaceous compounds into a fuel for use in generating electrical power. Energy rich hydrocarbon fuels, such as coal, marine diesel, oils, and hydrocarbon wastes are employed as a feedstock for the ICP, which transforms the feedstock into a fuel
Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reforming converts carbonaceous compounds into a fuel for use in generating electrical power. Energy rich hydrocarbon fuels, such as coal, marine diesel, oils, and hydrocarbon wastes are employed as a feedstock for the ICP, which transforms the feedstock into a fuel that can be used by fuel cells and gas turbines for the production of electricity. The overall efficiency of an ICP-based electrical power system can be increased by providing partial oxidation within the reaction vessel. The partial oxidation conditions consume a small amount of the reformed fuel gas, thereby liberating sufficient thermal energy to reduce the electrical power requirements of the ICP to maintain desired reactor temperatures, and providing an increase in the overall net electrical power production. The integrated power production system can also adjust to meet an increased requirement for process heat and steam by balancing the effect of partial oxidation.
대표청구항
▼
The invention in which an exclusive right is claimed is defined by the following: 1. A system for generating a net surplus of electrical power, such that more electrical power is produced than is consumed operating the system, comprising: (a) a plasma generator capable of a sustained production of
The invention in which an exclusive right is claimed is defined by the following: 1. A system for generating a net surplus of electrical power, such that more electrical power is produced than is consumed operating the system, comprising: (a) a plasma generator capable of a sustained production of an inductively coupled plasma (ICP), the plasma generator being adapted to couple to a source of electrical power; (b) a reactor configured to receive the ICP and a carbonaceous feedstock, the carbonaceous feedstock being reformed in the reactor into a fuel gas suitable for use as a fuel in an electrical generator, such that selection of an appropriate carbonaceous feed stock will enable a quantity of fuel gas to be generated that is sufficient to generate more electrical power than is consumed generating the ICP; (c) an electrical generator coupled in fluid communication with the reactor to receive the fuel gas produced in said reactor, said electrical generator using the fuel gas as fuel to generate the net surplus of electrical power; and (d) a controller, the controller determining a quantity of surplus electrical power required to accommodate an external variable load and manipulating the plasma generator and a flow rate of the carbonaceous feedstock into the reactor to ensure that a quantity of fuel gas produced in the reactor is just sufficient to enable the electrical generator to produce the quantity of surplus electrical power required. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reactor is configured to operate at substantially atmospheric pressure. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an energy storage device coupled to the electrical generator, the controller being further configured to direct electrical power not required to accommodate the variable load into the energy storage device when the energy storage device is not at capacity. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical generator comprises a fuel cell. 5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a steam generator configured to use a hot exhaust exiting from the fuel cell to produce steam; and a steam-powered electrical generator that employs the steam, to generate an additional quantity of surplus electrical power. 6. The system of claim 4, further comprising a combustion-based electrical generator configured to use an exhaust exiting from the fuel cell as a fuel, to generate an additional quantity of surplus electrical power. 7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a compressor disposed between an outlet of the fuel cell and an inlet of the combustion-based electrical generator, the compressor compressing the exhaust from the fuel cell before the exhaust enters the combustion-based electrical generator. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical generator comprises a combustion-based electrical generator. 9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a steam generator configured to use a hot exhaust exiting from the combustion-based electrical generator to produce steam, and a steam-powered electrical generator that uses the steam to generate an additional quantity of surplus electrical power. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an air separator that separates air into an oxygen fraction and at least one other fraction, the oxygen fraction being introduced into the reactor, thereby reducing an electrical power required to energize the plasma generator. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical generator is electrically coupled to the plasma generator, such that a portion of the electrical power produced by the electrical generator is employed to operate the plasma generator. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the carbonaceous feedstock is coal, further comprising a coal feed system that pulverizes the coal before it is introduced into the reactor. 13. The system of claim 1, further comprising an oxidizer feed system introduces an oxidizer into the reactor, to reduce an amount of electrical power required to reform the coal into fuel gas. 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the carbonaceous feedstock comprises a relatively solid material, and the reactor comprises: (a) an inlet disposed in an upper portion of the reactor, to enable the carbonaceous feedstock to be introduced into the reactor; (b) a grating disposed within the reactor, the grating supporting a bed of carbonaceous feedstock within the reactor; (c) an inlet port configured to introduce the ICP into the reactor, the inlet port being disposed adjacent to the bed of carbonaceous feedstock; (d) a fuel gas outlet that conveys fuel gas from the reactor; and (e) a slag outlet disposed in a lower portion of the reactor, to enable slag and ash to be removed from the reactor. 15. A system for generating a net surplus of electrical power, such that more electrical power is produced than is consumed operating the system, comprising: (a) a plasma generator capable of a sustained production of an inductively coupled plasma (ICP), the plasma generator being electrically coupled to a source of electrical power; (b) a reactor configured to receive the ICP and a carbonaceous feedstock, the carbonaceous feedstock being reformed in the reactor into a fuel gas suitable for use as a fuel in an electrical generator, such that selecting an appropriate carbonaceous feedstock enables a quantity of fuel gas to be generated that is sufficient to generate more electrical power than is consumed to generate the ICP; (c) a first electrical generator that is coupled in fluid communication with the reactor to receive the fuel gas produced in the reactor, the first electrical generator using the fuel gas to produce a first quantity of electrical power and an exhaust; and (d) a second electrical generator coupled in fluid communication with the first electrical generator to receive the exhaust from the first electrical generator, the second electrical generator using the exhaust from the first electrical generator to produce a second quantity of electrical power, the first and second quantities of electrical power in combination exceeding the electrical power consumed by the system, thereby producing the net surplus of electrical power. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first electrical generator comprises a fuel cell. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second electrical generator comprises a steam generator that employs thermal energy from the exhaust of the first electrical generator to generate steam, and then uses the steam to generate the second quantity of electrical power. 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the second electrical generator comprises a combustion-based electrical generator that employs the exhaust from the first electrical generator as a fuel to generate the second quantity of electrical power. 19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a steam generator that is coupled in fluid communication with the second electrical generator and which uses thermal energy in an exhaust from the second electrical generator to generate steam, and then uses the steam to generate a third quantity of electrical power. 20. A system for generating a net surplus of electrical power from a carbonaceous feedstock, such that more electrical power is produced by the system than is consumed by operating the system, comprising: (a) a plasma generator capable of a sustained production of an inductively coupled plasma (ICP), the plasma generator being coupled to a source of electrical power; (b) a reactor configured to receive the ICP and the carbonaceous feedstock, the carbonaceous feedstock being reformed in the reactor into a fuel gas suitable for use as a fuel in an electrical generator, such that selecting an appropriate quality of the carbonaceous feedstock enables a quantity of fuel gas to be generated that is sufficient to generate more electrical power than is consumed to generate the ICP; (c) an electrical generator coupled in fluid communication with the reactor to receive the fuel gas produced in the reactor, the electrical generator using the fuel gas as a fuel to produce the net surplus of electrical power; and (d) an oxidizer feed system including an air separator that separates air into an oxygen fraction and at least one other fraction, and introduces the oxygen fraction into the reactor, to reduce an amount electrical power required to reform the carbonaceous feedstock into fuel gas. 21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a second electrical generator coupled in fluid communication with the electrical generator to receive the exhaust from the electrical generator, the second electrical generator using the exhaust from the electrical generator to produce an additional quantity of surplus electrical power. 22. The system of claim 20, wherein the carbonaceous feedstock comprises coal, and further comprising a coal feed system that pulverizes the coal before it is introduced into the reactor. 23. The system of claim 20, wherein the electrical generator comprises at least one of a molten carbonate fuel cell and a solid oxide fuel cell. 24. The system of claim 20, further comprising a carbon recycle system configured to collect carbon from an outlet of the reactor and reintroduce the collected carbon into the reactor, to be reformed into the fuel gas. 25. A system for generating a net surplus of electrical power from a carbonaceous feedstock, such that more electrical power is produced by the system than is consumed by operating the system, comprising: (a) a plasma generator capable of a sustained production of an inductively coupled plasma (ICP), the plasma generator being coupled to a source of electrical power; (b) a reactor configured to receive the ICP and the carbonaceous feedstock, the carbonaceous feedstock being reformed in the reactor into a fuel gas suitable for use as a fuel in an electrical generator, such that selecting an appropriate quality of the carbonaceous feedstock enables a quantity of fuel gas to be generated that is sufficient to generate more electrical power than is consumed to generate the ICP; (c) an electrical generator coupled in fluid communication with the reactor to receive the fuel gas produced in the reactor, the electrical generator using the fuel gas as a fuel to produce the net surplus of electrical power; and (d) a carbon recycle system configured to collect carbon from an outlet of the reactor and reintroduce the collected carbon into the reactor, to be reformed into the fuel gas.
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