Systems and methods for power production including ion transport components

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for power production utilizing an ion transfer membrane (ITM) unit. An air stream and a fuel stream can be passed through the ITM unit so that the fuel is at least partially oxidized or combusted to form an outlet stream comprising CO 2 . The CO 2 stream can be compressed and expanded to generate power.

1 . A system for power production comprising:
 a power production turbine;   an oxygen-containing stream source configured to provide an oxygen-containing stream;   a fuel source configure to provide a fuel stream;   an ion transport membrane system (ITM) configured for receiving the oxygen-containing stream and configured for receiving the fuel stream, the ITM being effective for diffusion of oxygen from the oxygen-containing stream into the fuel stream to at least partially combust at least a portion of the fuel stream and to provide a heated CO 2 -containing stream.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a recuperator heat exchanger configured for withdrawing heat from the heated CO 2 -containing stream to form a cooled CO 2 -containing stream. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a compressor configured for compressing at least a portion of cooled CO 2 -containing stream to form a compressed stream of CO 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the recuperator heat exchanger is configured for transferring at least a portion of the heat withdrawn from the heated CO 2 -containing stream to the compressed stream of CO 2 . 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen-containing stream source is air. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen-containing stream source is an exhaust stream from a gas turbine. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ITM comprises a diffusion membrane that is in the form of a tube, the diffusion membrane having an outer surface configured for contacting the oxygen-containing stream and an inner surface configured for contacting the fuel stream. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein one or more of the following conditions is met:
 the diffusion membrane that is in the form of a tube has an upstream end that is open and a downstream end that is closed;   the ITM comprises an inner metallic tube positioned within the diffusion membrane that is in the form of a tube;   the ITM comprises an outer metallic tube that is surrounding and is concentric with the diffusion membrane that is in the form of a tube;   the ITM comprises an outer pressure vessel.   
     
     
         9 . A method for power production, the method comprising:
 passing an oxygen-containing stream and a fuel stream through an ion transport membrane system (ITM) that is effective for diffusion of oxygen from the oxygen-containing stream into the fuel stream so as to at least partially combust at least a portion of the fuel in the fuel stream and to provide a heated CO 2 -containing stream;   compressing at least a portion of CO 2  from the CO 2 -containing stream to form a compressed stream comprising CO 2;  and   expanding at least a portion of the compressed stream comprising CO 2  in a power production turbine to generate power and form a turbine exhaust stream.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising heating at least a portion of the compressed stream comprising CO 2  in a recuperator heat exchanger using heat from the heated CO 2 -containing stream prior to expanding at least a portion of the compressed stream comprising CO 2  in the power production turbine 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the compressed stream comprising CO 2  is compressed to a pressure of about 200 bar or greater. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the oxygen-containing stream source is air. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the oxygen-containing stream source is an exhaust stream from a gas turbine. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the power production turbine comprises a series of at least two turbines. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ITM comprises a diffusion membrane that is in the form of a tube, the diffusion membrane having an outer surface configured for contacting the oxygen-containing stream and an inner surface configured for contacting the turbine exhaust stream with the input fuel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein one or more of the following conditions applies:
 the diffusion membrane that is in the form of a tube has an upstream end that is open and a downstream end that is closed;   the ITM comprises an inner metallic tube positioned within the diffusion membrane that is in the form of a tube;   the ITM comprises an outer metallic tube that is surrounding and is concentric with the diffusion membrane that is in the form of a tube;   the ITM comprises an outer pressure vessel.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the turbine exhaust stream has a pressure of about 80 bar or less. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the oxygen-containing stream is at a pressure of no greater than 10 bar.