IP Library Granted Patent US 11,214,488
Granted Patent B2
US 11,214,488 · App. 16/616,568 · Granted Jan 4, 2022

Synthesis gas production from CO

Inventor: Dietmar Rueger (Bannewitz, DE)
Assignee: SunFire GmbH
C01B3/382C10K3/026C25B1/04C25B15/08C01B2203/0233C01B2203/1205
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,214,488
App. No.
16/616,568
Granted
Jan 4, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A synthesis gas production process from CO 2 and H 2 O with a co-electrolysis, wherein the CO 2 and CH 4 content of the produced gas is reduced on the cathode side.

Claims (29)

1. A synthesis gas production process from CO 2 and H 2 O with a co-electrolysis ( 9 ), wherein the CO 2 and CH 4 content of the produced gas ( 18 ) on the cathode side ( 17 ) is reduced, wherein for this purpose, subsequent to the co-electrolysis ( 9 ), the gas ( 18 ) of the cathode side, containing H 2 , CO, unreacted steam and CO 2 as well as CH 4 , is additionally fed to a catalytic reactor ( 20 , 24 ) favoring a reverse water-gas shift reaction R3 and/or steam reforming reaction R4 and/or fed to a coke-filled container ( 20 , 24 ) favoring at least one of the reactions R5, R6 and R7,

with:

CO 2 +H 2 →CO+H 2 O  R3:

CH 4 +H 2 O→CO+3H 2   R4:

CO 2 +C→2 CO  R5:

H 2 O+C→CO+H 2   R6:

2H 2 +C→CH 4   R7:

wherein, while feeding to the at least one catalytic reactor ( 20 , 24 ) and/or at least one coke-filled container ( 20 , 24 ), preheating by means of at least one electric heater ( 19 , 23 ) takes place.

2. The synthesis gas production process according to claim 1 , wherein after the catalytic reactor(s) and/or the coke-filled container(s) ( 20 , 24 ), a partial gas separation of H 2 or H 2 -rich gas from the gas mixture takes place after cooling ( 6 , 26 ) of the gas ( 25 ), wherein the gas ( 40 ) separated and enriched with Hz is recycled to the cathode side ( 17 ) of the electrolysis stack ( 9 ).

3. The synthesis gas production process according to claim 2 , wherein as a separation device ( 39 ) a membrane separation plant and/or a pressure swing absorption plant is used.

4. The synthesis gas production process according to claim 1 , wherein the preheating takes place by means of a preheater ( 19 , 23 ), which is a component of the catalytic reactor(s) ( 20 , 24 ).

5. The synthesis gas production process according to claim 1 , wherein, after feeding to

(i) the at least one catalytic reactor ( 20 , 24 ) favoring at least one of a reverse water-gas shift reaction R3 and a steam reforming reaction R4

and/or

(ii) the at least the one coke-filled container ( 20 , 24 ) favoring at least one of the reactions R5, R6 and R7

take place, a feeding additionally takes place to

an all-ceramic stack ( 35 ) operated at temperatures higher than the stack ( 9 ), wherein the all-ceramic stack ( 35 ) is dimensioned smaller than the first electrolysis stack ( 9 ) or

a second electrolysis stack ( 46 ), operated at the same temperature level as the first electrolysis stack ( 9 ).

6. The synthesis gas production process according to claim 5 , wherein prior to the feeding of the gas ( 18 ) to the all-ceramic stack ( 35 ), the second electrolysis stack ( 46 ) or any temperature increase and/or an electric heater ( 34 ), the gas ( 18 ) is fed to a gas separation device ( 43 ) suitable for higher temperatures, wherein from the all-ceramic stack ( 35 ), the second electrolysis stack ( 46 ) or the gas ( 18 ) to be fed to temperature increase and/or the electric heater ( 34 ) a proportion of CO and H 2 from more than 0% to up to 100% is separated as gas ( 44 , 49 ) and is made available as synthesis gas ( 30 ) together with the gas ( 47 , 50 ) produced from the all-ceramic stack ( 46 ) or the second electrolysis stack ( 46 ) for further processing.

7. The synthesis gas production process according to claim 6 , wherein a ceramic membrane is used as gas separation device ( 43 ).

8. A synthesis gas production process from CO 2 and H 2 O with a co-electrolysis in at least one electrolysis stack ( 9 ), wherein the CO 2 and CH 4 content of the produced gas ( 18 ) on the cathode side ( 17 ) is reduced, wherein for this purpose, subsequent to the co-electrolysis ( 9 ), the gas ( 18 ) of the cathode side, containing H 2 , CO, unreacted steam and CO 2 as well as CH 4 , is additionally fed to a catalytic reactor ( 20 , 24 ) favoring a reverse water-gas shift reaction R3 and a steam reforming reaction R4 and/or fed to a coke-filled container ( 20 , 24 ) favoring at least one of the reactions R5, R6 and R7,

with:

CO 2 +H 2 →CO+H 2 O  R3:

CH 4 +H 2 O→CO+3H 2   R4:

CO 2 +C→2CO  R5:

H 2 O+C→CO+H 2   R6:

2H 2 +C→CH 4   R7:

wherein, while feeding to the at least one catalytic reactor ( 20 , 24 ) and/or at least one coke-filled container ( 20 , 24 ), preheating by means of at least one electric heater ( 19 , 23 ) takes place.

9. The synthesis gas production process according to claim 8 , wherein upstream of the electrolysis stack ( 9 ) and/or upstream of or in the catalytic reactor ( 20 , 24 ) and/or the coke-filled container ( 20 , 24 ) a recuperator or an additional temperature increasing means is provided in addition to the electric heater ( 19 , 23 ).

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 26, 2025
From: SUNFIRE AG
To: SUNFIRE SE
Reel/Frame 072868/0406 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 25, 2025
From: SUNFIRE GMBH
To: SUNFIRE AG
Reel/Frame 072868/0382 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: RUEGER, DIETMAR
To: SUNFIRE GMBH
Reel/Frame 051101/0527 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 17175568 · Jun 12, 2017 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200095124A1 · Mar 26, 2020
Cited By (11)
US 12,214,327 US 12,227,414 US 12,246,298 US 12,246,299 US 12,246,964 US 12,246,965 US 12,246,970 US 12,410,054 US 12,595,966 US 12,617,679 US 12,655,074