Systems and Methods Using an Unmixed Fuel Processor

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and method for using unmixed fuel processors. In one embodiment, a system for using an unmixed fuel processor comprises: an unmixed fuel processor and a power generating unit. The unmixed fuel processor comprises: a gasification reactor, an oxidation reactor and a regeneration reactor. The gasification reactor comprises a CO 2 sorbent material. The oxidation reactor comprises an oxygen transfer material. The regeneration reactor is configured to receive spent CO 2 sorbent material from the gasification reactor and to return regenerated CO 2 sorbent material to the gasification reactor, and configured to receive oxidized oxygen transfer material from the oxidation reactor and to return reduced oxygen transfer material to the oxidation reactor. The power generating unit configured to receive an oxygen depleted stream from the oxidation reactor and to produce electricity.

1 . A system for using an unmixed fuel processor, comprising:
 an unmixed fuel processor comprising
 a gasification reactor with a solid hydrocarbon fuel inlet, water inlet, and hydrogen outlet, and comprising a CO 2  sorbent material; 
 an oxidation reactor with an air inlet and effluent outlet, and comprising an oxygen transfer material; and 
 a regeneration reactor with a water inlet and a CO 2  stream outlet, wherein the regeneration reactor is configured to receive spent CO 2  sorbent material from the gasification reactor and to return regenerated CO 2  sorbent material to the gasification reactor, and configured to receive oxidized oxygen transfer material from the oxidation reactor and to return reduced oxygen transfer material to the oxidation reactor; and 
   a power generating unit configured to receive an oxygen depleted stream from the oxidation reactor and to produce electricity.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power generating unit comprises
 an expander configured to reduce the pressure of the oxygen depleted stream to produce a reduced pressure stream;   a first heat recovery steam generator configured to transfer heat from the reduced pressure stream to a water stream to produce steam; and   a steam turbine configured to generate electricity from the steam.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a plant configured to receive hydrogen from the gasification reactor and nitrogen from the first heat recovery steam generator, and to produce ammonia. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a plant configured to receive hydrogen from the gasification reactor, nitrogen from the first heat recovery steam generator, and CO 2  from the regeneration reactor, and configured to produce urea. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plant configured to receive hydrogen from the gasification reactor and to produce a material selected from the group consisting of urea, ammonia, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a second heat recovery steam generator configured to receive a hydrogen stream from the gasification reactor;   a shift reactor configured to receive the hydrogen stream from the second heat recovery steam generator and to convert CO in the hydrogen stream to CO 2 ;   a gas clean-up unit configured to receive the hydrogen stream from the shift reactor and to reduce a concentration of an impurity in the hydrogen stream; and   a pressure swing absorption unit configured to receive the hydrogen stream from the gas clean-up unit, to separate hydrogen in the hydrogen stream from other stream components, and to produce a purified hydrogen stream and a PSA off-gas; and   a compressor configured to receive and compress the PSA off-gas to form a compressed PSA-off gas;   wherein the oxidation reactor and/or a combustor are configured to receive the compressed PSA off-gas.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the combustor is configured to receive all of the compressed PSA off-gas stream and to produce a combustion stream, the power generating unit is configured to receive the combustion stream, and the oxidation reactor is configured to receive no compressed PSA off-gas. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a second heat recovery steam generator configured to receive a hydrogen stream from the gasification reactor;   a shift reactor configured to receive the hydrogen stream from the second heat recovery steam generator and to convert CO in the stream to CO 2 ;   a gas clean-up unit configured to receive the hydrogen stream from the shift reactor and to remove from the hydrogen stream; and   a fuel cell configured to receive the hydrogen stream from the gas clean-up unit and to produce electricity and a by-product stream;   wherein the compressor is configured to receive the by-product stream from the fuel cell.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the power generating unit comprises
 a first heat recovery steam generator configured to transfer heat from the oxygen depleted stream to a water stream to produce steam; and   a steam turbine configured to generate electricity from the steam.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first heat recovery steam generator is in direct fluid communication with the oxidation reactor and the oxidation reactor is in direct fluid communication with the compressor. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second compressor configured to compress air prior to the air entering the oxidation reactor. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a third heat recovery steam generator configured to receive a CO 2  stream from the regeneration reactor. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the regeneration reactor is configured to receive a portion of the CO 2  stream. 
     
     
         14 . A system for producing electricity, comprising:
 an unmixed fuel processor comprising
 a gasification reactor with a solid hydrocarbon fuel inlet, steam inlet, and hydrogen outlet, and comprising a CO 2  sorbent material; 
 an oxidation reactor with an air inlet and effluent outlet, and comprising an oxygen transfer material; and 
 a regeneration reactor with a steam inlet and a CO 2  stream outlet, wherein the regeneration reactor is configured to receive spent CO 2  sorbent material from the gasification reactor and to return regenerated CO 2  sorbent material to the gasification reactor, and configured to receive oxidized oxygen transfer material from the oxidation reactor and to return reduced oxygen transfer material to the oxidation reactor; 
   a shift reactor configured to receive the hydrogen-rich syngas stream from the gasification reactor and to convert CO in the hydrogen stream to CO 2 ;   a gas clean-up unit configured to receive the hydrogen-rich syngas stream from the shift reactor and to reduce a concentration of an impurity in the hydrogen stream;   a pressure swing absorption unit configured to receive the hydrogen stream from the gas clean-up unit, to separate hydrogen in the hydrogen stream from other stream components, and to produce a purified hydrogen stream and a PSA off-gas; and   a compressor configured to receive and compress the PSA off-gas to form a compressed PSA-off gas; and   a power generating unit configured to receive an oxygen depleted stream from the oxidation reactor and to produce electricity;   wherein the oxidation reactor and/or a combustor are configured to receive the compressed PSA off-gas.   
     
     
         15 . A method for producing electricity, comprising:
 gasifying solid hydrocarbon fuel with water;   adsorbing CO 2  with a CO 2  adsorbing material to produce a spent CO 2  sorbent material and a hydrogen stream comprising hydrogen;   oxidizing an oxygen transfer material and producing an oxygen depleted stream in an oxidation reactor;   regenerating the spent CO 2  adsorbing material and the oxidized oxygen transfer material and producing a CO 2  stream; and   generating electricity in a power generating unit with the oxygen depleted stream.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein generating the electricity further comprises
 reducing a pressure of the oxygen depleted stream;   producing steam by transferring heat from the oxygen depleted steam to form a cooled stream; and   passing the steam through a steam turbine.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising reacting the hydrogen with nitrogen in the cooled stream to produce ammonia. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising reacting the hydrogen, nitrogen in the cooled stream, and the CO 2  in the CO 2  stream, to produce urea. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein generating the electricity further comprises
 using the hydrogen in a fuel cell to produce electricity;   producing steam by transferring heat from the oxygen depleted steam; and   passing the steam through a steam turbine to produce additional electricity.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising reacting hydrogen to produce a material selected from the group consisting of urea, ammonia, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising
 recovering heat from the hydrogen stream;   converting CO in the hydrogen stream to CO 2 ;   reducing a concentration of an impurity in the hydrogen stream; and   separating hydrogen in the hydrogen-rich syngas stream from other stream components to form a purified hydrogen stream and a PSA off-gas;   compressing the PSA off-gas.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising combusting the compressed PSA off-gas to produce a combustion stream and producing electricity with the combustion stream. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising introducing the compressed PSA off-gas to the oxidation reactor.