System and method for producing hydrogen rich fuel

Abstract

A system for providing hydrogen enriched fuel includes first and second gas turbines. The second gas turbine receives a fuel from a fuel supply and portion of compressed working fluid from the first gas turbine and produces a reformed fuel, and a fuel skid provides fluid communication between a turbine in the second gas turbine and a combustor in the first gas turbine. A method for providing hydrogen enriched fuel includes diverting a portion of a first compressed working fluid from a first compressor to a second compressor and providing a second compressed working fluid from the second compressor. Mixing a first portion of a compressed fuel with the second compressed working fluid in a reformer to produce a reformed fuel, flowing a second portion of the compressed fuel to a second turbine for cooling, and flowing the reformed fuel through the second turbine to cool the reformed fuel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing hydrogen enriched fuel, comprising:
 a. a first gas turbine comprising:
 i. a first compressor, wherein the first compressor produces a first compressed working fluid; 
 ii. a combustor downstream of the first compressor; 
 iii. a first turbine downstream of the combustor; 
   b. a second gas turbine comprising:
 i. a second compressor in fluid communication with the first compressor, wherein the second compressor receives a portion of the first compressed working fluid from the first compressor and produces a second compressed working fluid having a higher pressure than the first compressed working fluid; 
 ii. a fuel compressor in fluid communication with a fuel source and including an inlet and an outlet, wherein the fuel compressor receives a fuel through the inlet from the fuel source at a first pressure and a first temperature and provides a compressed fuel at a higher pressure and a higher temperature than the first pressure and the first temperature; 
 iii. a reformer downstream of the second compressor and the fuel compressor, wherein the reformer receives the second compressed working fluid and the compressed fuel and produces a reformed fuel; 
 iv. a second turbine downstream of the reformer, wherein the second turbine receives the reformed fuel and produces a cooled reformed fuel; and 
   c. a fuel skid in fluid communication with the second turbine and the combustor, wherein the fuel skid provides a flow path for the cooled reformed fuel from the second turbine to the combustor.   
     
     
         2 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the fuel compressor further comprises an extraction port downstream from the inlet, wherein the extraction port provides fluid communication between the fuel compressor and the second turbine through a coupling. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel source is in fluid communication with the fuel skid. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mixer downstream from the second turbine and upstream from the fuel skid, wherein the mixer provides fluid communication between the fuel source, the second turbine, and the fuel skid. 
     
     
         5 . The system as in  claim 4 , wherein the mixer provides a flow path for the cooled reformed fuel from the second turbine to at least one of a third gas turbine or an auxiliary process. 
     
     
         6 . The system as in  claim 4 , wherein the fuel skid provides a flow path for the cooled reformed fuel from the second turbine to at least one of a third gas turbine or an auxiliary process. 
     
     
         7 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the cooled reformed fuel comprises at least 5% by volume hydrogen. 
     
     
         8 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the reformer comprises at least one of a catalyst or a combustor. 
     
     
         9 . A system for providing hydrogen enriched fuel, comprising:
 a. a low pressure compressor, wherein the low pressure compressor produces a first compressed working fluid;   b. a combustor downstream of the low pressure compressor;   c. a low pressure turbine downstream of the combustor;   d. a high pressure compressor in fluid communication with the low pressure compressor, wherein the high pressure compressor receives a portion of the first compressed working fluid and produces a second compressed working fluid having a higher pressure than the first compressed working fluid;   e. a fuel compressor downstream from the high pressure compressor and including an inlet in fluid communication with a fuel source, wherein the fuel compressor receives a fuel from the fuel source through the inlet at a first pressure and a first temperature and compresses the fuel to provide a compressed fuel at a higher pressure and a higher temperature;   f. a reformer downstream of the high pressure compressor and the fuel compressor, wherein the reformer receives the second compressed working fluid and the compressed fuel produces a reformed fuel;   g. a high pressure turbine downstream of the reformer, wherein the high pressure turbine receives the reformed fuel and produces a cooled reformed fuel;   h. at least one shaft coupling the low pressure compressor, the high pressure compressor, the fuel compressor, the high pressure turbine and the low pressure turbine; and   i. a fuel skid in fluid communication with the combustor and the high pressure turbine, wherein the fuel skid provides a flow path for the cooled reformed fuel from the high pressure turbine to the combustor.   
     
     
         10 . The system as in  claim 9 , wherein the fuel compressor further comprises an inlet and an extraction port downstream from the inlet, wherein the extraction port provides fluid communication between the fuel compressor and the second turbine through a coupling. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the fuel source is in fluid communication with the fuel skid. 
     
     
         12 . The system as in  claim 9 , wherein the fuel skid mixes the cooled reformed fuel with the fuel supply. 
     
     
         13 . The system as in  claim 9 , wherein the fuel skid provides a flow path for the cooled reformed fuel from the high pressure turbine to at least one of a third gas turbine or an auxiliary process. 
     
     
         14 . The system as in  claim 9 , wherein the cooled reformed fuel comprises at least 5% by volume hydrogen. 
     
     
         15 . The system as in  claim 9 , wherein the reformer comprises at least one of a catalyst or a combustor. 
     
     
         16 . A method for providing hydrogen enriched fuel, comprising:
 a. diverting a portion of a first compressed working fluid from a first compressor to a second compressor;   b. providing a second compressed working fluid from the second compressor;   c. providing a fuel to a fuel compressor at a first pressure and a first temperature;   d. compressing the fuel to a second pressure and a second temperature;   e. flowing a first portion of the compressed fuel to a reformer;   f. flowing a second portion of the compressed fuel from the fuel compressor to a second turbine to cool the second turbine;   g. mixing and burning the compressed fuel with the second compressed working fluid in the reformer to produce a reformed fuel;   h. flowing the reformed fuel through the second turbine to provide a cooled reformed fuel; and   i. flowing the cooled reformed fuel to a gas turbine combustor.   
     
     
         17 . The method as in  claim 16 , further comprising coupling the second turbine to the fuel compressor with a shaft. 
     
     
         18 . The method as in  claim 16 , further comprising mixing the cooled reformed fuel with the fuel. 
     
     
         19 . The method as in  claim 16 , further comprising mixing and burning the compressed fuel with the second compressed working fluid in the reformer at an equivalence ratio of at least approximately 2. 
     
     
         20 . The method as in  claim 16 , further comprising providing the reformed fuel with greater than 5% by volume hydrogen.