IP Library Granted Patent US 11,859,137
Granted Patent B2
US 11,859,137 · App. 17/531,579 · Granted Jan 2, 2024

Integrated system of biomass to renewable natural gas to methanol, and other value added products

Inventors: Walter Breidenstein (Walloon Lake, MI); Randy D. Glad (Claremore, OK)
Assignee: Gas Technologies LLC
C10G3/44B01D47/00B01D53/1468B01D53/1475B01D53/74B01J12/002B01J19/02C10G3/60B01D2253/108B01D2257/504B01D2257/708C10G2300/1014C10G2300/4006C10G2300/44
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,859,137
App. No.
17/531,579
Granted
Jan 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An integrated system for the conversion of biomass to renewable natural gas and then to methanol and other value-added products is provided. The integrated system includes a compressor that receives biomass gases from a biomass source and a series of purification stations that produce purified gas from the biomass gases. Characteristically, the purified gas has an enhanced amount of methane. A gas-to-liquids plant converts the purified gas to a product blend that includes methanol.

Claims (20)

1. An integrated system comprising

a compressor that receives biomass gases from a biomass source;

a series of purification stations that produce a purified gas from the biomass gases, the purified gas having an enhanced amount of methane, and a gas-to-liquids plant that converts the purified gas to a product blend that includes methanol; and

a plasma reactor system for producing ethanol from carbon dioxide that is a by-product, the plasma reactor system including one or more dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactors, each dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor being packed with a transition metal oxide catalyst wherein the dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactors are adapted to receive carbon dioxide from the integrated system.

2. The integrated system of claim 1 , wherein the biomass source includes landfills, an ag digester, biomass gasification derived methane-rich gas, municipal waste, and a wastewater treatment plant.

3. The integrated system of claim 1 , Wherein the series of purification stations includes a knockout tank that receives gas from the compressor.

4. The integrated system of claim 3 , wherein the series of purification stations includes a H 2 S removal station that receives gas from the knockout tank and removes hydrogen sulfide.

5. The integrated system of claim 4 , wherein the series of purification stations includes a VOC station that acts on an output gas from H 2 S removal station ( 16 ) to remove volatile organic compounds.

6. The integrated system of claim 5 , wherein the series of purification stations includes a scrubber that acts on the output gas from the VOC station to remove carbon dioxide and potentially additional hydrogen sulfide.

7. The integrated system of claim 6 , wherein the series of purification stations includes an amine scrubber that receives the output gas from the scrubber that can remove amines and additional carbon dioxide.

8. The integrated system of claim 7 , wherein the series of purification stations includes a molecular sieve system that receives output gas from the amine scrubber to remove additional impurities.

9. The integrated system of claim 8 , wherein the series of purification stations includes a nitrogen removal system that receives output gas from the molecular sieve system and removes at least a portion of nitrogen gas therein.

10. The integrated system of claim 9 , wherein the series of purification stations includes a reciprocating compressor that receives output gas from the nitrogen removal system and then, after compression, passes the gas to the gas-to-liquids plant.

11. The integrated system of claim 1 , wherein the transition metal oxide catalyst includes a transition metal that is either supported or unsupported.

12. The integrated system of claim 11 , wherein the transition metal oxide catalyst includes a catalyst support.

13. The integrated system of claim 12 , wherein the catalyst support includes a component selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, zeolites, hydrotalcites or phosphor-silicates, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, and combinations thereof.

14. The integrated system of claim 12 , wherein the catalyst support exhibits oxygen storage capacity and/or redox properties.

15. The integrated system of claim 12 , wherein a weight ratio of transition metal to support is from 0.1 to 100.

16. The integrated system of claim 1 , wherein a plasma is generated in each plasma reactor thermally or non-thermally generated.

17. The integrated system of claim 1 , wherein each plasma reactor of the plurality includes a pair of electrodes for generating an RF plasma.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2025
From: GAS TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: GASTECHNO CORP.
Reel/Frame 071374/0823 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2022
From: BREIDENSTEIN, WALTER; GLAD, RANDY D.
To: GAS TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 060133/0468 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63115805 · Nov 19, 2020
Related Publication 20220154079A1 · May 19, 2022