Abstract:
A system for increasing the conversion efficiency in a Fischer Tropsch based reactor system operating at low pressure for treating reactants or an exhaust stream generated by industrial processes. CO or CO 2  are sequestered and the gas is converted into a useful fuel. A plasma converter is used to generate the primary reactant which is hydrogen.

Description:
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/281,674, filed Nov. 19, 2009 (Foreign Filing License Granted) and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/270,035, filed Jul. 3, 2009, Confirmation No. 9380 (Foreign Filing License Granted); and is a continuation-in-part of copending International Patent Application Ser. No PCT/US2009/003934, filed Jul. 1, 2009, which claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/133,596, filed Jul. 1, 2008; and which claims the benefit of the filing dates of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 61/199,837, filed Nov. 19, 2008; 61/199,761 filed Nov. 19, 2008; 61/201,464, filed Dec. 10, 2008; 61/199,760, filed Nov. 19, 2008; 61/199,828 filed Nov. 19, 2008, 61/208,483, filed Feb. 24, 2009; 61/270,928, filed Jul. 14, 2009; 61/270,820, filed Jul. 13, 2009; 61/215,959, filed May 11, 2009; and 61/208,483 filed Feb. 24, 2009, the disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates generally to a system for enhancing the conversion rate in a reactor such as a Fischer Tropsch, or methanol reactor while operating at a low pressure. This is key in applications that are looking to minimize capital facility investment, and energy consumption in applications of dilute reactants where large flow rates exist such as in the processing of CO 2  in an exhaust stream of a power plant. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In the past the chemical industry has used higher concentrations of reactant than stoichiometric to aid in conversion efficiency of processes that utilize inexpensive reactants such as steam reformation. This has not been the case in a processes that uses hydrogen as a primary reactant. Hydrogen is expensive and difficult to produce. It is also dangerous when liberated as an excessive reactant at the conclusion of a process. With the advent of a plasma converter to generate hydrogen, high flow rate reactors such as foam reactors, and finally the introduction of functional membranes that can reliably reclaim hydrogen the combination of these components have now been brought together in this invention in a novel way. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In the parent patent applications listed above the systems therein described function in part to produce a fuel or product from a Fischer Tropsch style reactor, and in some cases in a methanol reactor. In all of the patent applications their primary hydrogen generators (reactant) are a plasma chamber. This is an efficient hydrogen generator. Conversely this invention works for any hydrogen generator such as hydrolysis or fluid bed style generators. To date when reactants such as hydrogen and CO 2  have been processed in a reactor they have been required to be operated at high pressures. In some examples up to many hundreds of atmospheres to enjoy high conversion efficiencies. This is energy inefficient and capital intensive when implemented in a high flow environment with dilute reactants. The patent applications noted above operate in this condition while sequestering CO 2  from a power plant or other manufacturing plant&#39;s exhaust, or processing any CO or CO 2  stream of reactants. Compressing this mammoth flow to high pressure causes huge energy penalties. Here to for that has made the process of sequestering CO 2  from a manufacturing process raw exhaust flow not feasible. This invention teaches a way to enjoy high conversion efficiency without the continuing energy penalty associated with a high pressure operation. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0007]    Comprehension of the invention is facilitated by reading the following detailed description, in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a simplified schematic representation of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a simplified schematic representation of a system  100  having a source of any combination of fossil fuel, waste, and or biomass  101  that represents the feedstock for the production of a reactant hydrogen, as will be described below. A plasma Chamber  102  is employed in this embodiment of this invention for the creation of hydrogen. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to only hydrogen as a reactant or plasma in general. Other reactants and hydrogen generators such as fluidized beds, or hydrolysis processes can also be used. 
         [0010]    A compressor  103  issues at its output  104  dirty H 2  and CO (Syngas) produced by the plasma chamber, which then is conditioned and cleaned in a cleaning and conditioning system  105 . A water gas shift reactor  106  is optional, and its use is dependent upon the reactor and process being implemented. 
         [0011]    An output gas  107 , which consists primarily of H 2  and CO 2  at this point, is directed into a system for concentrating the H 2  reactant such as a PSA, Membrane, or Aqueous Solution, designated herein as  108 . The concentrated H 2  is delivered to a compressor  111 , which in the case of a methanol system only has to boost the process pressure to approximately 20 atmospheres to reach a high conversion efficiency. This is approximately 5 times less pressure than many competing processes require. Low pressure hydrogen is combined with similar low pressure raw exhaust stack gas  110  is boosted in compressor  121  and combined in a combiner valve  113  with pressure boosted H 2  at the output of compressor  111 . Compressor  121  and CO 2  stream  110  are optional in the practice of the invention. 
         [0012]    In some embodiments of the invention, CO or CO 2  can be generated and recycled directly from output gas stream  107 . An inner loop of a high concentration of H 2  is established by control valve  113  and a membrane separator  118 . The control valve and the membrane separator serve to recycle the unused excess H 2  in reactors  115 . This present invention charges the reactant loop, which in this embodiment is a H 2  concentration, to over 5 times the typical stoichiometric amounts required. This highly saturated level of reactant allows reactors  115  to work at high efficiencies for their low pressure. Reactors  115  in the various embodiments of the invention are pellet style reactors, foam style reactors, or alpha alumina oxide foam reactors. The foam reactors facilitate high flow performance with exceptional heat transfer characteristics. 
         [0013]    The output of each reactor heat exchanger system  116  condenses the yielded product  117  to enhance the performance of each subsequent reactor that is positioned further downstream in the series of reactors  115  shown in the figure. 
         [0014]    The number of reactors  115  and heat exchanger systems  116  that are used in the practice of the invention are determined primarily by a financial optimization of reactor capital cost and conversion efficiency, versus compressor capital cost, versus energy costs associated with a high pressure operation. 
         [0015]    After the final reactor stage and the membrane separator  118  in this embodiment, Raw Stack Exhaust gas exits as a product at output  120  of membrane  118  with a significantly reduced CO 2  concentration. The CO 2  has been consumed as an additional reactant and has been expelled in liquid product fuel  117  in this embodiment. 
         [0016]    Although the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments and applications, persons skilled in the art can, in light of this teaching, generate additional embodiments without exceeding the scope or departing from the spirit of the invention herein claimed. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawing and description in this disclosure are proffered to facilitate comprehension of the invention, and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.