Patent ID: 7467660
Filing Date: 2008-12-23
Classification: C10G,C10L

Abstract:
1. A continuous process for producing substitute natural gas and other products comprising the steps of, (a) hydrogasifying a carbon-containing resource using hydrogen at a temperature and pressure sufficient to form a reaction effluent composed primarily of methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide; (b) cleaning the reaction effluent to remove gases other than methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide and particulates; (c) cooling the cleaned reaction effluent to a temperature suitable for processing in a water gas shift reactor; (d) processing the cooled reaction effluent through a water gas shift reactor to convert the carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a gaseous outflow of hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide; (e) separating said outflow of hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide into separate streams; (f) producing said carbon dioxide stream as a product gas; (g) processing a first portion of said methane stream in a steam reformer, water gas shift reactor and gas separator to produce segregated flows of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, wherein the quantity of said first portion is the amount of methane that will yield after such processing a quantity of hydrogen that when combined with the separated hydrogen stream will equal an amount of hydrogen at least equal to the amount needed to sustain a continuous operation of the process; (h) combining the segregated hydrogen flow with the separated hydrogen stream; (i) heating and repressurizing the combined hydrogen stream to the temperature and pressure of the hydrogen in the first step; (j) producing a second portion of said methane stream as a product gas, wherein said second portion is the amount of methane not subjected to processing in the steam reformer, water gas shift reactor and gas separator; and, (k) using the heated and repressurized hydrogen in the hydrogasifying step to continue the process.