Method and system for producing liquid fuel and generating power
09611438 ยท 2017-04-04
Assignee
Inventors
- Masaki Iijima (Tokyo, JP)
- Ryuji Yoshiyama (Tokyo, JP)
- Haruaki Hirayama (Tokyo, JP)
- Yoshio Seiki (Tokyo, JP)
Cpc classification
C07C41/09
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Y02P20/50
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
Y02P20/129
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
C10L2270/026
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C07C29/1518
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
F01K23/064
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Y02P30/20
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
Y02P20/10
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
C01B2203/0233
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Y02E20/16
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
C07C29/1518
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C10G3/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
International classification
B01J19/24
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
C07C41/09
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C10G3/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Abstract
A steam reformer generates reformed gas by a steam-reforming reaction of hydrocarbon gas such as natural gas. A methanol synthesis column and a gasoline synthesis column synthesize gasoline from the reformed gas via methanol and produce a liquid fuel. A superheater superheats a part of low-pressure steam that has been heat-recovered from the reformed gas with a part of middle-pressure steam that has been heat-recovered by the methanol synthesis column or the gasoline synthesis column, and the steam thereby brought into an unsaturated state is supplied to a low-pressure steam turbine.
Claims
1. A system for producing a liquid fuel from hydrocarbon gas and for generating power, the system comprising: a steam-reforming device configured to generate reformed gas by performing a steam-reforming reaction with hydrocarbon gas; a synthesis column configured to synthesize gasoline, dimethyl ether, or a diesel fuel from the reformed gas via methanol; a heat exchanging device configured to obtain saturated steam with a temperature of 180 C. or lower by performing heat exchange with the reformed gas before the reformed gas is used by the synthesis column; a superheating device configured to superheat the saturated steam by using a heat source with a temperature of 200 C. or higher generated within the system and obtain superheated steam; and a power generation device configured to generate power by using the superheated steam, wherein the superheating device uses steam generated by an exothermic reaction run in the synthesis column as a heat source.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein a part of the reformed gas obtained by the steam-reforming device is used as the heat source for the superheating device.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein flue gas generated by from a burning portion of the steam-reforming device is used as the heat source for the superheating device.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
(5) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. As shown in
(6) The steam reformer 10 is provided with main components such as a reaction tube 11 for steam reforming, a burning portion (not shown) 12 disposed around the reaction tube 11, a waste heat recovery portion 12, which is configured to recover waste heat of flue gas generated in the burning portion, and a stack 13, which is configured to release the flue gas to the atmosphere after waste heat has been recovered therefrom. The reaction tube 11, which includes a steam reforming catalyst charged inside the tube, is a device for generating hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide from natural gas containing methane as its main ingredient by carrying out the following reactions. For the steam reforming catalyst, known catalysts such as a nickel-based catalyst can be used, for example.
CH.sub.4+H.sub.2O.fwdarw.3H.sub.2+CO(1)
CO+H.sub.2O.fwdarw.H.sub.2+CO.sub.2(2)
(7) To a side of an inlet port of the reaction tube 11 of the steam reformer 10, a feedstock supply line 14 for supplying natural gas which is a feedstock and a steam supply line 15 for supplying steam from a boiler and the like (not shown) are connected. To a side of an outlet port of the reaction tube 11, a reformed gas supply line 21 is connected, which is a line for supplying reformed gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide generated by a steam-reforming reaction as its main ingredients to the methanol synthesis column 30. Also connected to the steam reformer 10 is a fuel supply line 16 for supplying a fuel to the burning portion (not shown) for heating the reaction tube 11.
(8) The reformed gas supply line 21 is provided with a high-pressure steam heat exchanger 23 configured to obtain high-pressure steam from the reformed gas in the line, the low-pressure steam heat exchanger 25 configured to obtain low-pressure steam from the reformed gas in the line, and a compressor 22 configured to compress the reformed gas that has gone through the heat exchangers to obtain a pressure suitable for the synthesis of methanol, which are arranged in this order from the side of the steam reformer 10. The heat exchangers 23, 25 for high-pressure steam and low-pressure steam generate steam by performing heat exchange with the reformed gas. The compressor 22 compresses the reformed gas with a temperature lowered by the heat exchangers to a predetermined pressure before supplying the same to the methanol synthesis column 30.
(9) The high-pressure steam heat exchanger 23 is provided with a high-pressure steam line 24 for supplying the generated high-pressure steam to a facility for a predetermined purpose. The low-pressure steam heat exchanger 25 is provided with a low-pressure steam line 26 for supplying the generated low-pressure steam to the low-pressure steam turbine 60 illustrated in
(10) The methanol synthesis column 30 is a device configured to synthesize methanol from reformed gas by running the following reactions.
CO+2H.sub.2.fwdarw.CH.sub.3OH(3)
CO.sub.2+3H.sub.2.fwdarw.CH.sub.3OH+H.sub.2O(4)
(11) The methanol synthesis column 30 includes a methanol synthesis catalyst charged inside the tube. For the methanol synthesis catalyst, known catalysts such as a copper-based catalyst can be used. A methanol supply line 31 is connected to methanol synthesis column 30, which is a line for supplying methanol synthesized by the methanol synthesis column 30 to the gasoline synthesis column 40. In addition to the synthesized methanol, liquid crude methanol containing water, which is a byproduct of the reaction of Formula (4), flows in the methanol supply line 31.
(12) The methanol synthesis reaction run in the methanol synthesis column 30 is an exothermic reaction. Accordingly, middle-pressure steam can be obtained from water by using thermal energy generated by the methanol synthesis reaction run in the methanol synthesis column 30 as a heat source. The methanol synthesis column 30 is provided with a middle-pressure steam line 32 for supplying the middle-pressure steam that has been obtained in the above-described manner to a facility for a predetermined purpose, such as the superheater 50.
(13) The gasoline synthesis column 30 is a device configured to synthesize gasoline from methanol by running the reactions expressed by the following Formulae.
2CH.sub.3OH.fwdarw.CH.sub.3OCH.sub.3+H.sub.2O(5)
nCH.sub.3OCH.sub.3.fwdarw.(CH.sub.2)n+nH.sub.2O(6)
(14) As described above, methanol is synthesized by the gasoline synthesis reaction expressed by Formula (6) into gasoline via the dimethyl ether (DME) synthesis reaction expressed by Formula (5). In the gasoline synthesis column 40, two types of catalysts including a DME synthesis catalyst and a gasoline synthesis catalyst are provided in two stages so that the two reactions can be run in stages. For the DME synthesis catalyst, known catalysts such as an aluminosilicate type zeolite-based catalyst can be used, for example. In addition, for the gasoline synthesis catalyst also, known catalysts such as an aluminosilicate type zeolite-based catalyst can be used.
(15) A gasoline supply line 41 is connected to the gasoline synthesis column 40, which is a line for supplying gasoline synthesized by the gasoline synthesis column 40 to storage facilities (not shown). In addition, the above-described reaction run in the gasoline synthesis column 40 is an exothermic reaction. Accordingly, middle-pressure steam can be obtained from water by using thermal energy generated by the reaction run in the gasoline synthesis column 40 as a heat source. The gasoline synthesis column 40 is provided with a middle-pressure steam line 42 for supplying the middle-pressure steam obtained in the above-described manner to a facility for a predetermined purpose, such as the superheater 50.
(16) As shown in
(17) The low-pressure steam turbine 60 is provided with a generator 61, which is driven by the turbine and configured to generate power, and a steam condenser 62, which is configured to condense the steam used for driving the turbine back into water. A discharge line 63 is connected to the steam condenser 62, which is a line for discharging a steam condensate into the steam generation system to be recycled there.
(18) The waste steam line 54 is provided with a valve 55, which can be controlled to be opened or closed according to the steam pressure in the line. The waste steam line 54 is connected to a gas-liquid separation device 56. The gas-liquid separation device 56 is a device configured to perform gas-liquid separation for separating steam that has been introduced therein into reusable steam and condensed water. The gas-liquid separation device 56 is provided with a steam return line 59 for returning the reusable steam to the low-pressure steam line 26 and a condensed water line 57 for discharging the condensed water into a condensed water line 63. The low-pressure steam line 26 can be provided with an auxiliary line for supplying steam generated in a waste heat recovery boiler (not shown) to the low-pressure steam line where necessary. The condensed water line 57 is provided with a valve 58 that can be controlled to be opened or closed in accordance with the liquid level of the condensed water in the gas-liquid separation device 56.
(19) In the above-described configuration, first, natural gas and steam from the boiler (not shown) are respectively supplied to the reaction tube 11 of the steam reformer 10 via the feedstock supply line 14 and the steam supply line 15. In order to suppress precipitation of carbon on the catalyst in the reaction tube, it is preferable that the steam be supplied at a molar ratio of 2 or higher compared with hydrogen contained in the natural gas.
(20) The fuel is supplied to the burning portion (not shown) of the steam reformer 10 via the fuel supply line 16. The fuel is burned in the burning portion together with air to heat the reaction tube 11 up to a temperature of about 800 to 900 C. The temperature of the flue gas containing carbon dioxide generated in the burning portion is about 1,000 C., and after having gone through heat recovery in the waste heat recovery portion 12, the flue gas is released from the stack 13 into the atmosphere.
(21) On the other hand, the natural gas and the steam that have been supplied to the reaction tube 11 are converted by the steam-reforming reaction into reformed gas run in the reaction tube 11. The temperature of the reformed gas is about 800 to 900 C., and the reformed gas is first introduced into the high-pressure steam heat exchanger 23 via a reformed gas supply line 18. In the high-pressure steam heat exchanger 23, boiler water and the like are heated with the reformed gas, thus high-pressure steam having the temperature of about 200 C. or higher, for example, and a corresponding saturated steam pressure is generated, and thereby heat is recovered from the reformed gas. The high-pressure steam is supplied to a facility of a predetermined purpose via the high-pressure steam line 24.
(22) The temperature of the reformed gas is lowered by the heat recovery performed by the high-pressure steam heat exchanger 23 to a temperature of about 200 to 300 C., for example, before being introduced into the low-pressure steam heat exchanger 25. In the low-pressure steam heat exchanger 25, the reformed gas heats the boiler water and the like, thus generates low-pressure steam having a temperature of about 100 to 180 C., preferably a temperature of about 100 to 180 C., for example, and a corresponding saturated steam pressure, and thereby heat is recovered from the reformed gas. The reformed gas cooled by the heat recovery down to the temperature of about 100 to 180 C. is further cooled with cooling water and an air cooler before being introduced into the compressor 22. In the compressor 22, the temperature of the reformed gas is controlled to a temperature suitable for a methanol synthesis reaction (e.g., about 200 C.) before supplying the reformed gas to the methanol synthesis column 30.
(23) In the methanol synthesis column 30, methanol is synthesized by the reactions expressed by Formulae (3) and (4) from the reformed gas and carbon dioxide gas. Because the methanol synthesis reaction is an exothermic reaction, middle-pressure steam with a temperature of about 250 C. and a corresponding saturated steam pressure can be generated in the methanol synthesis column 30 due to thermic energy. The methanol synthesized by the methanol synthesis column 30 is supplied to the gasoline synthesis column 40 via the methanol supply line 31 as crude methanol containing water. The middle-pressure steam is supplied to a facility of a predetermined purpose via the middle-pressure steam line 32.
(24) In the gasoline synthesis column 40, gasoline is synthesized from methanol by running the reactions of Formulae (5) and (6). Because the gasoline synthesis reaction is also an exothermic reaction, middle-pressure steam with a temperature of about 250 C. and a corresponding saturated steam pressure can be generated in the gasoline synthesis column 40 due to thermic energy. The gasoline synthesized by the gasoline synthesis column 40 is supplied to the storage facilities (not shown) via the gasoline supply line 41. The middle-pressure steam is supplied to a facility of a predetermined purpose via the middle-pressure steam line 42.
(25) Next, a part of the low-pressure steam which flows through the low-pressure steam line 26 is introduced into the superheater 50 via the low-pressure steam extraction line 51 as illustrated in
(26) Because the low-pressure steam supplied to the low-pressure steam turbine 60 has been superheated as described above, the level of wetness on the side of the outlet port of the low-pressure steam turbine can be reduced, thus the superheated low-pressure steam can be inflated to have a steam pressure of a low degree of vacuum, a high specific enthalpy can be obtained, and thereby the output from the low-pressure steam turbine 60 can be greatly improved. The steam that has been used by the low-pressure steam turbine 60 is condensed by the steam condenser 62 before being recycled into the steam generation system via the condensed water line.
(27) On the other hand, the middle-pressure steam that has been used by the superheater 50 is supplied to the gas-liquid separation device 56 via the waste steam line 54. In the gas-liquid separation device 56, the pressure of the middle-pressure steam of which the temperature has been lowered due to the use thereof for the superheating is lowered to the same pressure as that of the low-pressure steam, and then is gas-liquid separated into reusable steam and condensed water. The condensed water is discharged into the condensed water line via the condensed water line 57. The steam is supplied to the low-pressure steam line 26 via the steam return line 59, then is superheated by the superheater 50, and the superheated steam can be reused for power generation by the low-pressure steam turbine 60.
(28) Alternatively, instead of using the superheater 50, the low-pressure steam can be superheated by providing and using a steam mixing line 68 to the middle-pressure steam line 32 as illustrated in
(29) Although
(30) In the present invention, the heat source for superheating the low-pressure steam is not limited to the heat from the middle-pressure steam generated in the methanol synthesis column and the gasoline synthesis column. For example, alternatively, heat from the reformed gas generated by the steam reformer and heat from the flue gas can be used as the heat source. As configurations that can be used alternatively to the configuration illustrated in
(31) As shown in
(32) In the above-described configuration, a part of the low-pressure steam which flows through the low-pressure steam line 26 is introduced into the superheater 70 via the low-pressure steam extraction line 71. In addition, a part of the reformed gas which flows through the reformed gas supply line 21 is introduced to the superheater 70 via the reformed gas extraction line 73 to superheat the low-pressure steam. By performing the superheating, the temperature of the low-pressure steam can be raised to a temperature higher than the temperature of the saturated steam by about 50 to 150 C., for example. The low-pressure steam that has been superheated in the above-described manner is supplied to the low-pressure steam turbine 60 via the superheated steam supply line 72. In the low-pressure steam turbine 60, the turbine is driven as described above and thereby power is generated by the generator 61. In this configuration also, the output from the low-pressure steam turbine 60 can be greatly improved and the level of wetness of the steam that has been used by the low-pressure steam turbine 60 on the side of the outlet port of the turbine can be improved.
(33) On the other hand, the reformed gas that has been used by the superheater 70 is introduced into the gas-liquid separation device 75 via the reformed gas discharge line 74. Condensed water is separated by the gas-liquid separation device 75, then the condensed water is supplied to the methanol synthesis column 30 via the compressor 22 illustrated in
(34) As shown in
(35) In the above-described configuration, a part of the low-pressure steam which flows through the low-pressure steam line 26 is introduced into the superheater 80 via the low-pressure steam extraction line 81. The low-pressure steam is superheated by the flue gas that flows through the waste heat recovery portion 12 of the steam reformer 10. By performing this superheating, the temperature of the low-pressure steam can be raised to a temperature higher than the temperature of the saturated steam by about 50 to 150 C., for example. The low-pressure steam that has been superheated in the above-described manner is supplied to the low-pressure steam turbine 60 via the superheated steam supply line 82. In the low-pressure steam turbine 60, the turbine is driven as described above and thereby power is generated by the generator 61. In this configuration also, the output from the low-pressure steam turbine 60 can be greatly improved and the level of wetness of the steam that has been used by the low-pressure steam turbine 60 can be improved.
EXAMPLES
(36) Simulations of the steam to be supplied to the steam turbine which can be obtained by the superheating were carried out for the embodiments illustrated in
(37) temperature: 143 C.,
(38) pressure: 3 kg/cm.sup.2G, and
(39) flow rate: 114.3 t/h.
(40) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 3 4 Temperature of superheat source ( C.) 331 200 300 Pressure of superheat source (kg/cm.sup.2G) 26.5 18.0 atmospheric pressure Flow rate of superheat source (t/h) 7.84 63.5 100 Temperature of superheated steam ( C.) 210 190 210 Pressure of superheated steam (kg/cm.sup.2G) 2.8 2.8 2.8 Temperature of superheat source after 223 155 220 being used for superheating ( C.) Thermal energy for superheating (kcal/h) 3.96 2.8 3.96 10.sup.6 10.sup.6 10.sup.6
(41) According to
(42) In addition, the moisture content is usually distilled off from methanol generated by a methanol synthesis column. In the reaction for synthesizing gasoline from methanol, water is generated at the same time as gasoline as expressed by Formulae (5) and (6). Accordingly, in the configuration illustrated in
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
(43) 10: Steam reformer
(44) 11: Reaction tube
(45) 12: Waste heat recovery portion
(46) 13: Stack
(47) 14: Feedstock supply line
(48) 15: Steam supply line
(49) 16: Fuel supply line
(50) 21: Reformed gas supply line
(51) 22: Compressor
(52) 23: High-pressure steam heat exchanger
(53) 24: High-pressure steam line
(54) 25: Low-pressure steam heat exchanger
(55) 26: Low-pressure steam line
(56) 30: Methanol synthesis column
(57) 31: Methanol supply line
(58) 32: Middle-pressure steam line
(59) 40: Gasoline synthesis column
(60) 41: Gasoline supply line
(61) 42: Middle-pressure steam line
(62) 50, 70, 80: Superheaters
(63) 51, 71, 81: Low-pressure steam extraction lines
(64) 52, 72, 82: Superheated steam supply lines
(65) 53: Middle-pressure steam extraction line
(66) 54: Waste steam line
(67) 55: Valve
(68) 56: Gas-liquid separation device
(69) 57: Condensed water line
(70) 58: Valve
(71) 59: Steam return line
(72) 60: Low-pressure steam turbine
(73) 61: Generator
(74) 62: Steam condenser
(75) 63: Condensed water line
(76) 73: Reformed gas extraction line
(77) 74: Reformed gas discharge line
(78) 75: Gas-liquid separation device