IP Library Granted Patent US 7,658,078
Granted Patent B2
US 7,658,078 · App. 11/192,059 · Granted Feb 9, 2010

System for reforming heavy oil, method therefor, and combined cycle power system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,658,078
App. No.
11/192,059
Granted
Feb 9, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heavy oil reforming system includes a reforming preheater raising the temperature of a mixed fluid comprising a high pressure heavy oil and high pressure steam up to a temperature for reforming reaction. The mixed fluid having been heated up to the temperature for reforming reaction is introduced into a reformer kept at the temperature for reforming reaction and thereby the heavy oil is reformed. This reforming system allows the attainment of a residence time of 1 to 10 min necessary for reforming in a uniform or nearly uniform temperature field, thereby implementing the manufacturing of reformed fuels from a large volume of heavy oil.

Claims (73)

1. A heavy oil reforming system, comprising:

a gas-liquid mixer for mixing a high pressure heavy oil and high pressure steam;

a reforming preheater raising the temperature of the mixed fluid having been mixed in the gas-liquid mixer UD to a temperature from 350 to 550° C. for reforming reaction; and

a reformer kept at the temperature for reforming reaction, the reformer causing the mixed fluid having been heated by the reforming preheater to reside there, and thereby reforming the heavy oil,

wherein the reforming preheater is configured to heat an exchanger tube through which the mixed fluid flows, from the outside by a heating medium;

wherein the heat exchanger tube is arranged so that the entrance side thereof into which the mixed fluid flows is disposed at a position higher than the exit side thereof from which the mixed fluid flows out, and has a spiral structure;

wherein the spiral is formed in the vertical direction; and

wherein the heat exchanger tube having the spiral structure is covered with an outer tube to thereby take on a double tube structure, and is configured so that a heating medium flows between the heat exchanger tube and the outer tube.

2. A heavy oil reforming system, comprising:

a gas-liquid mixer for mixing a high pressure heavy oil and high pressure steam;

a reforming preheater raising the temperature of the mixed fluid having been mixed in the gas-liquid mixer up to a temperature from 350 to 550° C. for reforming reaction; and

a reformer kept at the temperature for reforming reaction, the reformer causing the mixed fluid having been heated by the reforming preheater to reside there, and thereby reforming the heavy oil,

wherein the reforming preheater is configured to heat an exchanger tube through which the mixed fluid flows, from the outside by a heating medium;

wherein the heat exchanger tube is arranged so that the entrance side thereof into which the mixed fluid flows is disposed at a position higher than the exit side thereof from which the mixed fluid flows out, and has a spiral structure;

wherein the spiral is formed in the vertical direction; and

wherein the reformer has a descending flow path configured so that the mixed fluid flows therethrough in a downward direction, and an ascending flow path configured so that, subsequently, the mixed fluid turns around and flows therethrough in an upward direction.

3. A heavy oil reforming system, comprising:

a gas-liquid mixer for mixing a high pressure heavy oil and high pressure steam;

a reforming preheater raising the temperature of the mixed fluid having been mixed in the gas-liquid mixer up to a temperature from 350 to 550° C. for reforming reaction; and

a reformer kept at the temperature for reforming reaction, the reformer causing the mixed fluid having been heated by the reforming preheater to reside there, and thereby reforming the heavy oil,

wherein the reforming preheater is configured to heat an exchanger tube through which the mixed fluid flows, from the outside by a heating medium;

wherein the heat exchanger tube is arranged so that the entrance side thereof into which the mixed fluid flows is disposed at a position higher than the exit side thereof from which the mixed fluid flows out and has a spiral structure;

wherein the spiral is formed in the vertical direction;

wherein the reformer has a thermal insulation jacket; and

wherein a medium having been heated up to a temperature higher than that of the mixed fluid having been heated by the reforming preheater, is supplied into the thermal insulation jacket.

4. A heavy oil reforming system, comprising:

a gas-liquid mixer for mixing a high pressure heavy oil and high pressure steam;

a reforming preheater raising the temperature of the mixed fluid having been mixed in the gas-liquid mixer up to a temperature from 350 to 550° C. for reforming reaction; and

a reformer kept at the temperature for reforming reaction, the reformer causing the mixed fluid having been heated by the reforming preheater to reside there, and thereby reforming the heavy oil,

wherein the reforming preheater is configured to heat an exchanger tube through which the mixed fluid flows, from the outside by a heating medium;

wherein the heat exchanger tube is arranged so that the entrance side thereof into which the mixed fluid flows is disposed at a position higher than the exit side thereof from which the mixed fluid flows out and has a spiral structure;

wherein the spiral is formed in the vertical direction;

wherein the steam for heavy oil reforming, to be introduced into the gas-liquid mixer is produced by an exhaust heat recovery steam boiler that recovers heat held by exhaust gas from a gas turbine to thereby produce steam;

wherein the reforming preheater and the reformer are disposed inside the exhaust heat recovery steam boiler; and

wherein the mixed fluid having entered the reforming preheater is heated by exhaust gas from the gas turbine, and the mixed fluid having entered the reformer is thermally insulated with the exhaust gas from the gas turbine.

5. A heavy oil reforming system, comprising:

a gas-liquid mixer for mixing a high pressure heavy oil and high pressure steam;

a reforming preheater raising the temperature of the mixed fluid having been mixed in the gas-liquid mixer up to a temperature from 350 to 550° C. for reforming reaction; and

a reformer kept at the temperature for reforming reaction, the reformer causing the mixed fluid having been heated by the reforming preheater to reside there, and thereby reforming the heavy oil,

wherein the reforming preheater is configured to heat an exchanger tube through which the mixed fluid flows, from the outside by a heating medium;

wherein the heat exchanger tube is arranged so that the entrance side thereof into which the mixed fluid flows is disposed at a position higher than the exit side thereof from which the mixed fluid flows out, and has a spiral structure;

wherein the spiral is formed in the vertical direction;

wherein the steam for heavy oil reforming, to be introduced into the gas-liquid mixer is produced by an exhaust heat recovery steam boiler that recovers heat held by exhaust gas from a gas turbine to thereby produce steam; and

a heat exchanger receiving heat from the exhaust heat recovery steam boiler and thereby heating gas, and

wherein the reformer is thermally insulated with the gas.

6. A combined cycle power system comprising:

a gas-liquid mixer for mixing a high pressure heavy oil and high pressure steam;

a reforming preheater raising the temperature of the mixed fluid having been mixed in the gas-liquid mixer up to a temperature from 350 to 550° C. for reforming reaction;

a reformer kept at the temperature for reforming reaction, the reformer causing the mixed fluid having been heated by the reforming preheater to reside there, and thereby reforming the heavy oil;

a gas turbine driven by combustion has obtained by burning the reformed oil generated by the reformer;

a steam boiler producing steam by recovering heat held by exhaust gas from the gas turbine; and

a steam turbine driven by the steam produced by the steam boiler,

wherein the reforming preheater is configured to heat an exchanger tube through which the mixed fluid flows, from the outside by a heating medium;

wherein the heat exchanger tube is arranged so that the entrance side thereof into which the mixed fluid flows is disposed at a position higher than the exit side thereof from which the mixed fluid flows out, and has a spiral structure;

wherein the spiral is formed in the vertical direction;

wherein power generation is performed by each of the gas turbine and the steam

wherein steam for heavy oil reforming to be introduced into the reformer, is produced by the steam boiler;

wherein the reforming preheater and the reformer are disposed inside the exhaust heat recovery steam boiler; and

wherein the mixed fluid having entered the reforming preheater is heated by exhaust gas from the gas turbine, and the mixed fluid having entered the reformer is thermally insulated with the exhaust gas from the gas turbine.

7. A combined cycle power system comprising:

a gas-liquid mixer for mixing a high pressure heavy oil and high pressure steam;

a reforming preheater raising the temperature of the mixed fluid having been mixed in the gas-liquid mixer up to a temperature from 350 to 550° C. for reforming reaction;

a reformer kept at the temperature for reforming reaction, the reformer causing the mixed fluid having been heated by the reforming preheater to reside there, and thereby reforming the heavy oil;

a gas turbine driven by combustion gas obtained by burning the reformed oil generated by the reformer;

a steam boiler producing steam by recovering heat held by exhaust gas from the gas turbine; and

a steam turbine driven by the steam produced by the steam boiler,

wherein the reforming preheater is configured to heat an exchanger tube through which the mixed fluid flows, from the outside by a heating medium;

wherein the heat exchanger tube is arranged so that the entrance side thereof into which the mixed fluid flows is disposed at a position higher than the exit side thereof from which the mixed fluid flows out, and has a spiral structure;

wherein the spiral is formed in the vertical direction;

wherein power generation is performed by each of the gas turbine and the steam turbine;

wherein steam for heavy oil reforming to be introduced into the reformer, is produced by the steam boiler; and

a heat exchanger receiving heat from the steam boiler and thereby heating gas,

wherein the reformer is thermally insulated with the heated gas.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVING PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 11921683 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054975 FRAME: 0438. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 26, 2023
From: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
Reel/Frame 063787/0867 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 13, 2021
From: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
Reel/Frame 054975/0438 →
CONFIRMATORY ASSIGNMENT Recorded Oct 8, 2014
From: HITACHI, LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 033917/0209 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 22, 2014
From: HITACHI, LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 033003/0648 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2009
From: NISHIDA, KOJI; HOKARI, NOBUYUKI; INAGE, SHIN-ICHI; YOKOTA, OSAMI; TAKAHASHI, HIROKAZU; YAMAGISHI, MASAHIKO; HAYASHI, AKINORI
To: HITACHI, LTD.; PETROLEUM ENERGY CENTER
Reel/Frame 023318/0275 →