IP Library Granted Patent US 12,686,823
Granted Patent B2
US 12,686,823 · App. 18/567,077 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Hydrocarbon production apparatus and hydrocarbon production method

Inventors: Atsushi Kobayashi (Tokyo, JP); Masakazu Ikeda (Tokyo, JP); Yasushi Sato (Tokyo, JP); Akira Goto (Tokyo, JP); Takuya Kajita (Tokyo, JP); Satoshi Takasaki (Tokyo, JP); Ryo Kishida (Tokyo, JP); Kazuya Mayumi (Tokyo, JP); Satoshi Nagatake (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: ENEOS CORPORATION
C10G2/30C01B3/50C07C1/0485C01B2203/0475C01B2203/062C01B2203/063C01B2203/146C01B2210/0051C10G2300/4081
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,686,823
App. No.
18/567,077
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hydrocarbon production apparatus includes a synthesis gas production unit structured to produce a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen by using carbon dioxide and hydrogen, a hydrocarbon production unit structured to produce a hydrocarbon by using the synthesis gas, and a first separator structured to separate a recycle gas containing a light hydrocarbon having 4 or less carbon atoms from an effluent from the hydrocarbon production unit. The synthesis gas production unit is structured to receive supply of the recycle gas and also use the recycle gas for production of the synthesis gas.

Claims (79)

1 . A hydrocarbon production apparatus comprising:

a synthesis gas production unit structured to produce a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen by using carbon dioxide and hydrogen, wherein the synthesis gas also contains carbon dioxide;

a hydrocarbon production unit structured to produce a hydrocarbon by using the synthesis gas; and

a first separator structured to separate a recycle gas containing a light hydrocarbon having 4 or less carbon atoms from an effluent from the hydrocarbon production unit;

a second separator structured to separate carbon dioxide from the synthesis gas, wherein the carbon dioxide separated by the second separator is directly supplied to the synthesis gas production unit;

a reformer structured to reform the light hydrocarbon into methane; and

a product production unit structured to receive supply of the hydrocarbon from the hydrocarbon production unit and produce a hydrocarbon product,

wherein

the synthesis gas production unit is structured to receive supply of the recycle gas and also use the recycle gas for production of the synthesis gas;

the synthesis gas production unit is structured to receive supply of the carbon dioxide separated by the second separator and use the carbon dioxide for production of the synthesis gas;

the synthesis gas production unit is structured to receive supply of the methane generated by the reformer and also use the methane for production of the synthesis gas;

the product production unit is structured to by-produce the light hydrocarbon together with the hydrocarbon product; and

the reformer is structured to receive supply of the light hydrocarbon from the product production unit and also reform the light hydrocarbon into methane.

2 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the hydrocarbon production unit is structured to receive supply of a part of the recycle gas from the first separator and also use the recycle gas for production of the hydrocarbon.

3 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the recycle gas also contains carbon monoxide,

the hydrocarbon production apparatus comprises a fifth separator structured to separate carbon monoxide from the recycle gas, and

the hydrocarbon production unit is structured to receive supply of the carbon monoxide separated by the fifth separator and also use the carbon monoxide for production of the hydrocarbon.

4 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the recycle gas also contains hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide,

the hydrocarbon production apparatus comprises a third separator structured to separate hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide from the recycle gas,

the second separator is structured to receive supply of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide from the third separator and separate the hydrogen, the carbon monoxide, and the carbon dioxide into hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, and

the hydrocarbon production unit is structured to receive supply of the hydrogen and carbon monoxide separated by the second separator and also use the hydrogen and the carbon monoxide for production of the hydrocarbon.

5 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the recycle gas also contains hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide,

the hydrocarbon production apparatus comprises

a third separator structured to separate hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide from the recycle gas, and

a fourth separator structured to receive supply of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide from the third separator and separate the hydrogen, the carbon monoxide, and the carbon dioxide into hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, and

the hydrocarbon production unit is structured to receive supply of the hydrogen and carbon monoxide separated by the fourth separator and also use the hydrogen and the carbon monoxide for production of the hydrocarbon.

6 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the recycle gas also contains hydrogen,

the hydrocarbon production apparatus comprises a sixth separator structured to separate hydrogen from the recycle gas, and

the hydrocarbon production unit is structured to receive supply of the hydrogen separated by the sixth separator and also use the hydrogen for production of the hydrocarbon.

7 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the recycle gas also contains hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide,

the hydrocarbon production apparatus comprises

a fifth separator structured to separate carbon monoxide from the recycle gas, and

a seventh separator structured to receive supply of the recycle gas from which carbon monoxide is separated by the fifth separator and separate hydrogen and carbon dioxide from the recycle gas,

the second separator is structured to receive supply of the hydrogen and carbon dioxide separated by the seventh separator and separate the hydrogen and the carbon dioxide into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and

the hydrocarbon production unit is structured to receive supply of the carbon monoxide separated by the fifth separator and the hydrogen separated by the second separator and also use the carbon monoxide and the hydrogen for production of the hydrocarbon.

8 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the recycle gas also contains hydrogen and carbon monoxide,

the hydrocarbon production apparatus comprises

a fifth separator structured to separate carbon monoxide from the recycle gas, and

a sixth separator structured to receive supply of the recycle gas from which carbon monoxide is separated by the fifth separator and separate hydrogen from the recycle gas, and

the hydrocarbon production unit is structured to receive supply of the carbon monoxide separated by the fifth separator and the hydrogen separated by the sixth separator and also use the carbon monoxide and the hydrogen for production of the hydrocarbon.

9 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the recycle gas also contains hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide,

the hydrocarbon production apparatus comprises

a seventh separator structured to separate hydrogen and carbon dioxide from the recycle gas, and

a fifth separator structured to receive supply of the recycle gas from which hydrogen and carbon dioxide are separated by the seventh separator and separate carbon monoxide from the recycle gas,

the second separator is structured to receive supply of the hydrogen and carbon dioxide separated by the seventh separator and separate the hydrogen and the carbon dioxide into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and

the hydrocarbon production unit is structured to receive supply of the carbon monoxide separated by the fifth separator and the hydrogen separated by the second separator and also use the carbon monoxide and the hydrogen for production of the hydrocarbon.

10 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the recycle gas also contains hydrogen and carbon monoxide,

the hydrocarbon production apparatus comprises

a sixth separator structured to separate hydrogen from the recycle gas, and

a fifth separator structured to receive supply of the recycle gas from which hydrogen is separated by the sixth separator and separate carbon monoxide from the recycle gas, and

the hydrocarbon production unit is structured to receive supply of the hydrogen separated by the sixth separator and the carbon monoxide separated by the fifth separator and also use the hydrogen and the carbon monoxide for production of the hydrocarbon.

11 . A hydrocarbon production method comprising:

a synthesis gas production step of producing a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen by using carbon dioxide and hydrogen, wherein the synthesis gas also contains carbon dioxide;

a hydrocarbon production step of producing a hydrocarbon by using the synthesis gas; and

a first separation step of separating a recycle gas containing a light hydrocarbon having 4 or less carbon atoms from an effluent from the hydrocarbon production step;

a second separation step of separating carbon dioxide from the synthesis gas, wherein the carbon dioxide separated by the second separation step is directly supplied to the synthesis gas production step;

a reforming step of reforming the light hydrocarbon into methane; and

a product production step of receiving supply of the hydrocarbon from the hydrocarbon production step and producing a hydrocarbon product,

wherein

in the synthesis gas production step, supply of the recycle gas is received, and the recycle gas is also used for production of the synthesis gas;

in the synthesis gas production step, supply of the carbon dioxide separated by the second separation step is received, and the carbon dioxide is also used for production of the synthesis gas;

in the synthesis gas production step, supply of the methane generated by the reforming step is received, and the methane is also used for production of the synthesis gas;

in the product production step, the light hydrocarbon is by-produced together with the hydrocarbon product; and

in the reforming step, supply of the light hydrocarbon is received from the product production step, and the light hydrocarbon is also reformed into methane.

12 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the synthesis gas production unit receives supply of hydrogen from a water electrolysis module.

13 . The hydrocarbon production method according to claim 11 , wherein the synthesis gas production step receives supply of hydrogen from a water electrolysis module.

14 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of the synthesis gas production unit and the hydrocarbon production unit produces water, and wherein the water electrolysis module receives a supply of the water and produces hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis of the water.

15 . The hydrocarbon production method according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the synthesis gas production step and the hydrocarbon production step produces water, and wherein the water electrolysis module receives a supply of the water and produces hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis of the water.

16 . The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the synthesis gas production unit and the hydrocarbon production unit produces water, and wherein the reformer receives a supply of the water and uses the water to reform the light hydrocarbon into methane.

17 . The hydrocarbon production method according to claim 11 , wherein at least one of the synthesis gas production step and the hydrocarbon production step produces water, and wherein the reforming step receives a supply of the water and uses the water to reform the light hydrocarbon into methane.