Autonomous Modular Flare Gas Conversion Systems and Methods
There are provided systems and methods for using fuel-rich partial oxidation to produce an end product from waste gases, such as flare gas. In an embodiment, the system and method use air-breathing piston engines and turbine engines for the fuel-rich partial oxidation of the flare gas to form synthesis gas, and reactors to convert the synthesis gas into the end product. In an embodiment the end product is methanol.
1 . A carbon-neutral method of converting a flare gas to an end product, the method comprises:
a. receiving a flow of a flare gas from a source;
b. compressing the flare gas;
c. partially oxidizing the flare gas to provide a reprocessed gas; and,
d. converting the reprocessed gas into an end product;
e. wherein steps a to d produce less than 2.0 kg of CO 2 per kg of flare gas received.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of partially oxidizing the flare gas, comprises combusting a mixture of the flare gas and a source of oxygen.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the oxygen source comprises air, and the mixture has a fuel/air equivalence ratio of greater than 1.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the oxygen source comprises air, and the mixture has a fuel/air equivalence ratio of from 1.1 to about 4.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the oxygen source comprises air, and the mixture has a fuel/air equivalence ratio of from about 1.5 to about 3.0.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising one or more of: (a) using, water, steam, or both in the step of partially oxidizing the flare gas; and (b) wherein the step of partially oxidizing the flare gas occurs in an air-breathing reformer.
7 . (canceled)
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of partially oxidizing the flare gas takes place in a reformer stage of a liquid-to-gas system; and wherein, the reformer stage comprises one or more of a gas turbine engine, a combustion box, and a reciprocating engine.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of converting the reprocessed gas into an end product takes place under a predetermined synthesis temperature and a predetermined synthesis pressure.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising one or more of: (a) wherein the predetermined synthesis temperature is from about 200° C. to about 300° C.; and (b) wherein the predetermined synthesis pressure is from about 30 bar to about 100 bar.
11 . (canceled)
12 . (canceled)
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of partially oxidizing the flare gas takes place under a predetermined reformer temperature and a predetermined reformer pressure; and further comprising one or more of: (a) wherein the predetermined reformer temperature is from about 700° C. to about 1,200° C.; and (b) wherein the predetermined reformer pressure is from about 1 bar to about 70 bar.
14 . (canceled)
15 . (canceled)
16 . (canceled)
17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of converting the reprocessed gas into an end product takes place under a predetermined synthesis temperature and a predetermined synthesis pressure; and the predetermined synthesis temperature is from about 200° C. to about 300° C. and the predetermined synthesis pressure is from about 30 bar to about 100 bar.
18 . The method of claim 1 , comprising one or more of: (a) the step of removing oxygen from the reprocessed gas; (b) the step of removing any excess oxygen from the reprocessed gas; (c) wherein the reprocessed gas comprises a synthesis gas; and (d) wherein a variation in a composition of the flare gas does not change a composition of the end product.
19 . (canceled)
20 . (canceled)
21 . (canceled)
22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of converting the reprocessed gas into an end product takes place under a predetermined synthesis temperature and a predetermined synthesis pressure; wherein the step of partially oxidizing the flare takes place under a predetermined reformer temperature and a predetermined reformer pressure; wherein a variation in a composition of the flare gas does not change a composition of the end product; and wherein the variation in the composition of the flare gas does not require a change in one or more than one, of the predetermined synthesis temperature and the predetermined synthesis pressure.
23 . (canceled)
24 . (canceled)
25 . The method of claim 1 , wherein less than 1.0 kg of CO 2 per kg of flare gas is produced.
26 . The method of claim 1 , wherein less than 0.5 kg of CO 2 per kg of flare gas is produced.
27 . (canceled)
28 . (canceled)
29 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reprocessed gas comprises a syngas.
30 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reprocessed gas consists essentially of a syngas.
31 . (canceled)
32 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the end product is a liquid.
33 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the end product comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, mixed alcohols, ammonia, dimethyl-ether, and F-T liquids.
34 . (canceled)
35 . (canceled)
36 . (canceled)
37 . The method of claim 1 , wherein steps a) to d) are net carbon-negative, whereby these steps produce less than about −40 kg CO2e per kg of end product produced.
38 . (canceled)
39 . The method of claim 1 , wherein steps a) to d) are net carbon-negative, whereby these steps produce from about −20 kg CO2e to about −150 kg CO2e, per kg of methanol produced.
40 . (canceled)
41 . A net-carbon negative method of capturing and converting flare gas to an end product comprising methanol, the method comprises:
a. receiving a flow of a flare gas from a source;
b. compressing the flare gas to a predetermined partial oxidation pressure;
c. mixing the flare gas with air, to provide a fuel mixture, where the fuel mixture has a fuel/air equivalence ratio of greater than 1;
d. partially oxidizing the flare gas at a predetermined partial oxidation temperature to provide syngas, wherein the syngas has a ratio of H 2 /CO that is from about 1 to about 3; and,
e. converting the syngas into an end product at a predetermined synthesis temperature and a predetermined synthesis pressure; wherein the end product comprises methanol;
f. wherein steps a) to e) are net carbon-negative, whereby these steps produce less than about −20 kg CO2e per kg of methanol produced.
42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein fuel/air equivalence ratio is from 1.1 to about 4.
43 . (canceled)
44 . The method of claim 41 , further comprising using, water, steam, or both in the step of partially oxidizing the flare gas.
45 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the step of partially oxidizing the flare gas occurs in an air-breathing reformer.
46 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the step of partially oxidizing the flare gas takes place in a reformer stage of a liquid-to-gas system; and wherein, the reformer stage comprises one or more of a gas turbine engine, a combustion box, and a reciprocating engine.
47 . (canceled)
48 . (canceled)
49 . (canceled)
50 . (canceled)
51 . (canceled)
52 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the predetermined temperatures and pressures comprises one, more than one, or all of: (i) the predetermined partial oxidation temperature is from about 900° C. to about 1,150° C.; (ii) the predetermined partial oxidation pressure is from about 1 bar to about 70 bar; (iii) the predetermined synthesis temperature is from about 200° C. to about 300° C.; and, (iv) the predetermined synthesis pressure is from about 30 bar to about 100 bar.
53 . The method of claim 41 , comprising one or more of: (a) a step of removing an excess of oxygen from the syngas gas; and (b) a step of removing oxygen from the syngas.
54 . (canceled)
55 . The method of claim 41 , wherein a variation in a composition of the flare gas does not change a composition of the end product; and wherein the variation in the composition of the flare gas does not require a change in one, more than one, or all of the predetermined synthesis temperature, the predetermined synthesis pressure, the predetermined partial oxidation temperature, and the predetermined partial oxidation pressure.
56 . (canceled)
57 . The method of claim 41 , wherein less than about −100 kg CO2e per kg of end product is produced.
58 . (canceled)
59 . The method of claim 41 , wherein from about −40 kg CO2e to about −130 kg CO2e per kg of methanol is produced.
60 . The method of claim 41 , wherein less than 1.0 kg of CO 2 per kg of flare gas is produced.
61 . (canceled)
62 . The method of claim 41 , wherein less than 0.1 kg of CO 2 per kg of flare gas is produced.
63 . (canceled)
64 . (canceled)
65 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow of the flare gas is at a rate of about 50,000 scfd to about 30,000,000 scfd.
66 . (canceled)
67 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the flow of the flare gas is at a rate of about 600,000 scfd to about 15,000,000 scfd.
68 . (canceled)
69 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the partial oxidation of the flare gas is conducted at a specific entropy of greater than about 7.1 kJ/kg° C., wherein a reference state for the specific entropy is based upon 25° C. and 1 atmosphere.
70 . (canceled)
71 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the partial oxidation of the flare gas is conducted at a specific entropy of greater than about 8.0 kJ/kg° C., wherein a reference state for the specific entropy is based upon −273.15° C. and 1 atmosphere.
72 . (canceled)
73 . A carbon-neutral method of making an end product, the method comprises:
a. partially oxidizing the flare gas to provide a reprocessed gas;
b. converting the reprocessed gas into an end product;
c. wherein steps a) to b) produce less than 2.0 kg of CO 2 per kg of flare gas partially oxidized; and,
d. wherein steps a) to b) are net carbon-negative, whereby these steps produce less than about −20 kg CO2e per kg of end product produced.
74 . (canceled)
75 . (canceled)
76 . The method of claim 73 , further comprising one or more of: (a) wherein the reprocessed gas is a syngas; and (b) wherein the end product comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, mixed alcohols, ammonia, dimethyl-ether, and F-T liquids.
77 . (canceled)
78 . (canceled)
79 . The method of claim 73 , wherein the partial oxidation of step a) is conducted at a predetermined partial oxidation pressure and a predetermined partial oxidation temperature; and the conversion of step b) is conducted at a predetermined synthesis pressure and a predetermined synthesis temperature; wherein the predetermined temperatures and pressures comprises one, more than one, or all of: (i) the predetermined partial oxidation temperature is from about 900° C. to about 1,150° C.; (ii) the predetermined partial oxidation pressure is from about 1 bar to about 70 bar; (iii) the predetermined synthesis temperature is from about 200° C. to about 300° C.; and, (iv) the predetermined synthesis pressure is from about 30 bar to about 100 bar.
80 . (canceled)
81 . The method of claim 73 , wherein the partial oxidation of the flare gas is conducted at a specific entropy of greater than about 7.5 kJ/kg° C., wherein a reference state for the specific entropy is based upon −273.15° C. and 1 atmosphere.
82 . (canceled)
83 . The method of claim 73 , wherein the partial oxidation of the flare gas is conducted at a specific entropy of about 7.1 kJ/kg° C. to about 8.6 kJ/kg° C., wherein a reference state for the specific entropy is based upon −273.15° C. and 1 atmosphere.
84 . (canceled)
85 . (canceled)
86 . (canceled)
87 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the source of the flare gas is selected from the group consisting of petrochemical processing, refining, landfills, waste water treatment, livestock and combinations of one or more of these.