Generating Power Using an Ion Transport Membrane

Abstract

In some implementations, a system may include a compressor, a heat exchanger and an ITM. The compressor is configured to receive an air stream and compress the air stream to generate a pressurized stream. The heat exchanger is configured to receive the pressured stream and indirectly heat the pressurized stream using heat from an oxygen stream from an Ion Transport Membrane (ITM). The ITM is configured to receive the heated pressurized stream and generate an oxygen stream and the non-permeate stream, wherein the non-permeate stream is passed to a gas turbine burner and the oxygen stream is passed to the heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a gas turbine including a turbine compressor and an expander, wherein the turbine compressor discharges an air stream in connection with compressing air used during combustion;   a separate compressor configured to receive the air stream and compress the air stream to generate a pressurized stream;   a first heat exchanger configured to receive all or at least a portion of the pressured stream and indirectly heat the pressurized stream using heat from an oxygen stream from an Ion Transport Membrane (ITM);   a second heat exchanger configured to receive at least a portion of the heated pressurized air or the total pressurized air stream from the first heat exchanger and indirectly heat the pressurized stream to the ITM inlet temperature using heat from the non-permeate stream from the ITM which has been further heated;   the ITM configured to receive the heated pressurized stream and generate an oxygen stream and the non-permeate stream, wherein the non-permeate stream is passed to a fuel gas burner and the oxygen stream is passed to the first heat exchanger;   a fuel gas burner configured to receive the non-permeate stream and combust a fuel gas in combination with the non-permeate stream to generate a heated non-permeate stream,   a second heat exchanger configured to receive the heated non-permeate stream from the gas turbine burner and heat at least a portion of the pressurized stream using heat from the heated non-permeate stream, wherein the heated non-permeate stream is cooled during the indirect heating;   a conduit configured to receive the cooled non-permeate stream from the second heat exchanger and introduce the cooled non-permeate in at least one of a fuel gas for the gas turbine or at a point between the compressor and the expander; and   a gas turbine fuel gas burner which combusts a fuel gas mixed with at least a portion of the none permeate stream in air from the gas turbine compressor section. wherein a temperature of the combination of the fuel gas and the non-permeate stream is below a predefined threshold temperature for the gas turbine burner, and a concentration of oxygen in the heated non-permeate stream is such that when mixed with a fuel gas stream results in an oxygen concentration below a lower flammable limit of the mixture.   
     
     
         2 . A system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein between 30% and 70% of the heated pressurized stream is received from an air compressor which is separate from the gas turbine. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heated non-permeate stream is about 700° C. or higher. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein an oxygen concentration of the heated non-permeate stream is about below 2.5% or less molar concentration. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heated pressurized stream is a range from about 800° C. to about 900° C. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the air stream discharged from the gas turbine compressor as part of the air feed for the ITM is compressed in a range from about 12 bars to 45 bars. 
     
     
         7 . A method, comprising:
 discharging, from a turbine compressor, an air stream in connection with compressing air used during combustion in a gas turbine;   compressing the air stream to generate a pressurized stream;   indirectly heating the pressurized stream using heat from an oxygen stream from an Ion Transport Membrane (ITM) in a first heat exchanger;   generating an oxygen stream and the non-permeate stream using the ITM, wherein the non-permeate stream is passed to a fuel gas burner and the oxygen stream is passed to the first heat exchanger;   receiving at least a portion of the heated pressurized air or the total pressurized air stream from the first heat exchanger and indirectly heating the pressurized stream to the ITM inlet temperature using heat from the non-permeate stream from the ITM which has been further heated   combusting a fuel gas in combination with the non-permeate stream and air from the gas turbine air compressor section to generate a heated non-permeate stream, wherein a temperature of the combination of the fuel gas and the non-permeate stream is below a predefined threshold temperature for the gas turbine burner inlet system, and a concentration of oxygen in the heated non-permeate stream is such that when mixed with a fuel gas stream results in an oxygen concentration below a lower flammable limit of the mixture;   heating at least a portion of the pressurized stream using heat from the heated non-permeate stream, wherein the heated non-permeate stream is cooled during the indirect heating; and   introducing the cooled non-permeate in at least one of a fuel gas for the gas turbine or at a point between the compressor and the expander.   
     
     
         8 . A method as defined in  claim 7 , wherein between 30% and 70% of the heated pressurized stream is received from an air compressor which is separate from the gas turbine. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the heated non-permeate stream is about 700° C. or higher. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein an oxygen concentration of the heated non-permeate stream is about below 2.5% or less molar concentration. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the heated pressurized stream is a range from about 800° C. to about 900° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the heated pressurized stream is at a pressure in a range from about 12 bars to 45 bars.