Patent ID: 8430938
Filing Date: 2013-04-30
Classification: C01B,G05B

Abstract:
1. A method for chemically processing a hydrocarbon so as to produce a high purity hydrogen stream, the method comprising: performing a first reaction, said first reaction including the combination of oxygen-containing gas, hydrocarbon, and steam, said first reaction further including the production of a first mixture, said first mixture containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide; performing a second reaction, said second reaction including the combination of steam and said first mixture, said second reaction further including the production of a second mixture, said second mixture containing hydrogen and carbon dioxide; performing a third reaction, said third reaction including the membrane separation of hydrogen from non-hydrogen ingredients of said second mixture so as to produce a permeate hydrogen stream and a retentate stream; performing a fourth reaction, said fourth reaction including the oxidation of said retentate stream, thereby producing hot and pressurized gas; rotating a shaft, said rotating of said shaft including using heat and pressure of said hot and pressurized gas to drive said shaft using a turbine mounted on said shaft; producing energy and compressed air, said energy being produced using said turbine and a generator connected to said turbine, said compressed air being produced using a compressor mounted on said shaft; maintaining a constant pressure of said permeate hydrogen stream, said pressure of said permeate hydrogen stream being maintained on an ongoing basis at a permeate pressure setpoint, said maintaining at said permeate pressure setpoint including using a master controller and five subordinate controllers, said five subordinate controllers controlling five subordinate setpoints, each said subordinate controller independently controlling a different one of said subordinate setpoints, the first said subordinate setpoint representing the flow rate of said oxygen-containing gas preceding said first reaction, the second said subordinate setpoint representing the flow rate of said hydrocarbon preceding said first reaction, the third said subordinate setpoint representing the flow rate of said steam preceding said first reaction, the fourth said subordinate setpoint representing the flow rate of said steam preceding said second reaction, the fifth said subordinate setpoint representing the speed of said shaft rotation, said use of said master controller and said five subordinate controllers including accessing control data contained in said master controller, said control data establishing a relationship among said five subordinate setpoints and at least three optimal output levels of said permeate hydrogen stream, said optimal output levels varying in said relationship on a scale from zero output of said permeate hydrogen stream to maximum output of said permeate hydrogen stream, each said optimal output level in said relationship having corresponding thereto a group of said five subordinate setpoints, wherein on said ongoing basis: a pressure sensor transmits sensory signals to said master controller, said sensory signals being indicative of said pressure of said permeate hydrogen stream; said master controller processes said sensory signals in relation to said control data so as to determine said optimal output level resulting in restoring said pressure of said permeate hydrogen stream to said permeate pressure setpoint, and so as to determine said group of said five subordinate setpoints that corresponds to the determined said optimal output level; said master controller simultaneously transmits master control signals to said five subordinate controllers, said master control signals transmitted to the first said subordinate controller being indicative of the determined first said subordinate setpoint, said master control signals transmitted to the second said subordinate controller being indicative of the determined second said subordinate setpoint, said master control signals transmitted to the third said subordinate controller being indicative of the determined third said subordinate setpoint, said master control signals transmitted to the fourth said subordinate controller being indicative of the determined fourth said subordinate setpoint, said master control signals transmitted to the fifth said subordinate controller being indicative of the determined fifth said subordinate setpoint; said subordinate controllers separately and simultaneously transmit subordinate control signals in accordance with said master control signals, said subordinate control signals transmitted by the first said subordinate controller being indicative of the determined first said subordinate setpoint, said subordinate control signals transmitted by the second said subordinate controller being indicative of the determined second said subordinate setpoint, said subordinate control signals transmitted by the third said subordinate controller being indicative of the determined third said subordinate setpoint, said subordinate control signals transmitted by the fourth said subordinate controller being indicative of the determined fourth said subordinate setpoint, said subordinate control signals transmitted by the fifth said subordinate controller being indicative of the determined fifth said subordinate setpoint.