System and method of managing energy utilized in a flue gas processing system

Abstract

A method is provided for managing an amount of energy utilized by a carbon dioxide capture system. The method includes providing a fuel and a feed stream to a combustion system. The feed stream includes oxygen and a portion of a flue gas stream generated upon combustion of the fuel. The method also includes subjecting the flue gas stream to a carbon dioxide capture system to remove carbon dioxide therefrom, measuring a concentration of oxygen present in the feed stream, and selectively adjusting an amount of the flue gas stream included in the feed stream based on the measured concentration of oxygen in the feed stream. The selective adjustment is performed such that the feed stream maintains an oxygen concentration in a range of between about 10% to 90% by volume and the carbon dioxide capture system operates at an energy load between 1.4 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide and 3.0 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide.

1 . A method for managing an amount of energy utilized by a carbon dioxide capture system, the method comprising:
 providing a fuel and a feed stream to a combustion system, the feed stream comprising oxygen and including a portion of a flue gas stream generated upon combustion of the fuel in the combustion system;   subjecting the flue gas stream to a carbon dioxide capture system to remove carbon dioxide therefrom;   measuring a concentration of oxygen present in the feed stream; and   selectively adjusting an amount of the flue gas stream included in the feed stream based on the measured concentration of oxygen in the feed stream such that the feed stream maintains an oxygen concentration in a range of between about 10% to 90% by volume and the carbon dioxide capture system operates at an energy load between 1.4 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide and 3.0 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide capture system operates at an energy load between 1.4 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide and 2.5 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 subjecting the flue gas stream to a desulfurization system located downstream of the combustion system and upstream of the carbon dioxide capture system, thereby removing sulfur oxide from the flue gas stream and forming a treated flue gas stream.   
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , further comprising directing at least one of a portion of the flue gas stream, a portion of the treated flue gas stream and combinations of the portions, to the feed stream. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the portion of the flue gas stream is directed from a location upstream of the desulfurization system, and the portion of the treated flue gas stream is directed from a location downstream of the desulfurization system. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the feed stream is further comprised of a fresh air stream and an oxidant stream. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , further comprising generating the oxidant stream in an oxygen producing unit. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 measuring a concentration of oxygen in the oxidant stream; and   selectively adjusting a feed rate of an air stream provided to the oxygen producing unit based on the measured concentration of oxygen in the oxidant stream.   
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 measuring a flow rate of the fresh air stream provided to the feed stream; and   selectively adjusting the flow rate of at least one of the portion of the flue gas stream and the portion of the treated flue gas stream directed to the feed stream based on the measured flow rate of the fresh air stream provided to the feed stream.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 measuring a concentration of carbon dioxide present in the flue gas stream exiting the combustion system; and   selectively adjusting a feed rate of the feed stream directed to the combustion system based on the measured concentration of carbon dioxide present in the flue gas stream such that the flue gas stream maintains a carbon dioxide concentration in a range of between about 10% to 60% by volume.   
     
     
         11 . A method for managing an amount of energy utilized by a carbon dioxide capture system, the method comprising:
 providing a fuel and a feed stream to a combustion system, the feed stream comprising oxygen and including a portion of a flue gas stream generated upon combustion of the fuel in the combustion system;   subjecting the flue gas stream to a carbon dioxide capture system to remove carbon dioxide therefrom;   measuring a concentration of carbon dioxide present in the flue gas stream exiting the combustion system; and   selectively adjusting a feed rate of the feed stream directed to the combustion system based on the measured concentration of carbon dioxide present in the flue gas stream such that the flue gas stream maintains a carbon dioxide concentration in a range of between about 10% to 60% by volume and the carbon dioxide capture system operates at an energy load between 1.4 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide and 3.0 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the carbon dioxide capture system operates at an energy load between 1.4 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide and 2.5 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 subjecting the flue gas stream to a desulfurization system located downstream of the combustion system and upstream of the carbon dioxide capture system, thereby removing sulfur oxide from the flue gas stream and forming a treated flue gas stream.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , further comprising directing at least one of a portion of the treated flue gas stream from a location downstream of the desulfurization system, a portion of the flue gas stream from a location upstream of the desulfurization system, and combinations of the portions to the feed stream. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the feed stream further comprises an oxidant stream and a fresh air stream. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 measuring a concentration of oxygen in the oxidant stream generated by an oxygen producing unit; and   selectively adjusting a feed rate of air provided to the oxygen producing unit based on the measured concentration of oxygen in the oxidant stream.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 measuring a flow rate of the fresh air stream provided to the feed stream; and   selectively adjusting the flow rate of the portion of the flue gas stream directed to the feed stream based on the measured flow rate of the fresh air stream provided to the feed stream.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 measuring a concentration of oxygen present in the feed stream; and   selectively adjusting an amount of the flue gas stream directed to the feed stream based on the measured concentration of oxygen in the feed stream such that the feed stream maintains an oxygen concentration in a range of between about 10% to 90% by volume.   
     
     
         19 . A method for managing an amount of energy utilized by a carbon dioxide capture system, the method comprising:
 providing a fuel and a feed stream to a combustion system, the feed stream comprising oxygen and including a portion of a flue gas stream generated upon combustion of the fuel in the combustion system;   subjecting the flue gas stream to a carbon dioxide capture system to remove carbon dioxide therefrom;   measuring a concentration of carbon dioxide present in the flue gas stream exiting the combustion system;   selectively adjusting a feed rate of the feed stream directed to the combustion system based on the measured concentration of carbon dioxide present in the flue gas stream such that the flue gas stream maintains a carbon dioxide concentration in a range of between about 10% to 60% by volume;   measuring a concentration of oxygen present in the feed stream; and   selectively adjusting an amount of the flue gas stream present in the feed stream based on the measured concentration of oxygen in the feed stream such that the feed stream maintains an oxygen concentration in a range of between about 10% to 90% by volume and the carbon dioxide capture system operates at an energy load between 1.4 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide and 3.0 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the carbon dioxide capture system operates at an energy load between 1.4 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide and 2.5 GJ/ton of carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 subjecting the flue gas stream to a desulfurization system located downstream of the combustion system and upstream of the carbon dioxide capture system, thereby removing sulfur oxide from the flue gas stream and forming a treated flue gas stream.   
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 directing at least one of a portion of the flue gas stream from a location upstream of the desulfurization system, a portion of the treated flue gas stream from a location downstream of the desulfurization system, and combinations thereof, to the feed stream.   
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the feed stream further comprises an oxidant stream and a fresh air stream. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , further comprising generating the oxidant stream in an oxygen producing unit. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 24 , further comprising:
 measuring a concentration of oxygen in the oxidant stream generated by an oxygen producing unit; and   selectively adjusting a feed rate of air provided to the oxygen producing unit based on the measured concentration of oxygen in the oxidant stream.   
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 24 , further comprising:
 measuring a flow rate of the fresh air stream provided to the feed stream; and   selectively adjusting the flow rate of the flue gas stream directed to the feed stream based on the measured flow rate of the fresh air stream provided to the feed stream.