Integration of an integrated gasification combined cycle power plant and coal to liquid facility
View Patent ↗A novel method of combining the CTL fuel plant and IGCC electrical plant by sharing the systems of coal intake, coal preparation, gas separation, and water units is described herein. This configuration allows for the combined facility to offer advantages in efficiencies of production, operational flexibility, scalability, and reliability by a multi-path integration of the processing units.
1. A method of integrating liquid hydrocarbon and electrical power production facilities, the method comprising:
providing an amount of coal to a coal preparation unit configured to prepare coal for subsequent gasification;
dividing the prepared coal into first and second prepared coal feed streams;
subjecting the first prepared coal feed stream to gasification in a first gasification unit configured to produce a first syngas suitable for the production of liquid hydrocarbons; and
subjecting the second prepared coal feed stream to gasification in a second gasification unit configured to produce a second syngas suitable for the production of electricity.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first gasification unit is a component of a coal to liquid (CTL) facility and the second gasification unit is a component of an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) facility.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first gasification unit is upstream of a Fischer-Tropsch Reactor of the liquid hydrocarbon production facility, wherein the Fischer-Tropsch reactor is configured to convert synthesis gas to liquid hydrocarbons.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising (a) introducing at least a portion of the first syngas, at least a portion of the second syngas, or at least a portion of both the first syngas and the second syngas into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor, whereby liquid hydrocarbons are produced; (b) introducing at least a portion of the first syngas, at least a portion of the second syngas, or at least a portion of both the first syngas and the second syngas into a gas turbine of the power production facility, whereby electricity is produced; or both (a) and (b).
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing a first portion of the first syngas produce liquid hydrocarbons and utilizing a second portion of the first syngas to produce electricity.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the amounts of the first and second portions of the first syngas are adjusted to provide a desired production of liquid hydrocarbons, desired production of electricity, or both.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising: (a) converting at least a portion of the first syngas to liquid hydrocarbons, converting at least a portion of the second syngas to liquid hydrocarbons, or converting at least a portion of the first syngas and at least a portion of the second syngas to liquid hydrocarbons; (b) producing electricity from at least a portion of the first syngas, producing electricity from at least a portion of the second syngas, or producing electricity from at least a portion of the first syngas and at least a portion of the second syngas; or both (a) and (b); and conveying wastewater produced thereby to a shared wastewater treatment unit.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising supplying water from a shared water supply to both liquid hydrocarbon and electrical power production facilities.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising evaluating the relative profitability of the product electricity and liquid hydrocarbons and adjusting the amount of prepared coal in the first and second prepared coal feed streams to enhance the profitability of the method.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing oxygen-enriched gas via an air separation unit (ASU), and utilizing at least a portion of the oxygen-enriched gas in subjecting the first prepared coal feed stream to gasification in the first gasification unit, utilizing at least a portion of the oxygen-enriched gas in subjecting the second prepared coal feed stream to gasification in the second gasification unit, or utilizing a first portion of the oxygen-enriched gas in subjecting the first prepared coal feed stream to gasification in the first gasification unit and utilizing a second portion of the oxygen-enriched gas in subjecting the second prepared coal feed stream to gasification in the second gasification unit.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein a single air separation unit is configured to provide oxygen-enriched air for the first gasification unit and the second gasification unit, and wherein amounts of first and second portions of the oxygen-enriched gas directed to the first gasification unit and the second gasification unit, respectively, are adjusted depending on a desired production of liquid hydrocarbons, a desired production of electricity, or both.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing a first portion of the second syngas to produce electricity and a second portion of the second syngas to produce liquid hydrocarbons.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the amounts of the first and second portions of the second syngas are adjusted to provide a desired production of liquid hydrocarbons, a desired production of electricity, or both.
14. A method of integrating a coal-to-liquid (CTL) facility and an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) facility, the method comprising:
providing a coal preparation unit such that the coal-to-liquid (CTL) facility and the integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) facility share the coal preparation unit, wherein the coal preparation unit provides a first coal feed stream for the coal-to-liquid process and a second coal feed stream for the integrated gasification combined cycle facility, and wherein the CTL facility is operable to gasify the first coal feed stream to produce a first syngas suitable for downstream production of liquid hydrocarbons and wherein the IGCC facility is operable to gasify the second coal feed stream to produce a second syngas suitable for downstream power production.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising supplying at least a portion of the first syngas to the IGCC facility.
16. The method of claim 14 further comprising supplying at least a portion of the second syngas to the CTL facility.
17. The method of claim 14 further comprising transferring at least one product chosen from the group consisting of byproducts, electricity, liquid hydrocarbons, tail gases, exhaust gases, and syngas from the CTL facility to the IGCC facility.
18. The method of claim 14 further comprising transferring at least one product chosen from the group consisting of byproducts, electricity, liquid hydrocarbons, tail gases, exhaust gases, and syngas from the IGCC facility to the CTL facility.
19. The method of claim 14 further comprising running the first syngas through a conversion reactor of the CTL facility unreacted, and delivering at least a portion of the first syngas to the IGCC facility via a tail-gas conduit.
20. The method of claim 14 further comprising providing an air separation unit such that such that the coal-to-liquid facility and the integrated gasification combined cycle facility share the air separation unit, wherein the single air separation unit provides an oxygen-enriched feed stream for both the coal-to-liquid facility and the integrated gasification combined cycle facility.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising dividing the oxygen-enriched gas produced by the ASU.
22. The method of claim 21 comprising utilizing at least portion of the oxygen-enriched gas in subjecting the first prepared coal feed stream to gasification in the first gasification unit configured to produce the first syngas suitable for the production of liquid hydrocarbons.
23. The method of claim 21 comprising utilizing at least a portion of the oxygen-enriched gas in subjecting the second prepared coal feed stream to gasification in the second gasification unit configured to produce the second syngas suitable for electrical power production.
24. A method of integrating liquid hydrocarbon and electrical power production facilities, the method comprising:
fluidly connecting a coal preparation apparatus with the liquid hydrocarbon production facility and with the power production facility whereby prepared coal may be (a) introduced into a first gasification unit configured to produce a first syngas suitable for the production of liquid hydrocarbons via the liquid hydrocarbon production facility; (b) introduced into a second gasification unit configured to produce a second syngas suitable for power production via the power production facility; or both (a) and (b); and
adjusting the amount of prepared coal introduced into the first and second gasification units from 0% to 100% to provide a desired production of liquid hydrocarbons, a desired production of electricity, or both.