Method for converting energy with fuel regeneration in a cyclic process of a heat engine

Abstract

In the method for conversion with recovery of energy carriers in a cyclical process of a thermal engine, a first recirculation cycle is formed involving gas generator, device for converting kinetic and thermal energy into mechanical energy, hydrogenation reactor, and gas generator. Water is evaporated in steam boilers, and steam is fed into turbine for converting steam energy into mechanical energy. In this process, steam boilers are located in gas generator and in hydrogenation reactor. The steam is carried onward from conversion device into condenser, and a second recirculation cycle is formed. Atmospheric oxygen from an air bubble is supplied to gas generator. The air is cooled, and cooling operation is repeated, until a maximum residual water content in the air of 0.2 g/m3 is attained. Formed condensate is collected and used steam boilers. Invention makes it possible to simplify process of recovering carbon oxides formed in thermal engines.

Claims

1. A method for conversion with recovery of energy carriers in a cyclical process of a thermal engine in accordance with the following: hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen are supplied to a gas generator (1), and the fuel is gasified or, under autothermal or thermal conditions, converted so that a hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture is created; the hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture produced is fed into a turbine (4) for converting kinetic and thermal energy into mechanical energy, and the hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture is supplied to a hydrogenation reactor (5), in which hydrocarbons and heat-generated water are formed in a catalytic process; the hydrocarbons and heat-generated water are then fed into the gas generator (1) for conversion, so that a first recirculation cycle is created; and the heat-generated water is evaporated in steam boilers (2 and 6), and steam is then fed into a turbine (7), for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy wherein the steam boilers (2, 6) are located in the gas generator (1) and in the hydrogenation reactor (5), so that, by heating water in the gas generator (1) and in the hydrogenation reactor (5), an isothermal course of the gasification and hydrogenation processes is maintained in the gas generator (1) and in the hydrogenation reactor (5); wherein the steam is carried onward from the turbine (7) for converting steam energy into mechanical energy into a condenser (8); and condensate from the turbine flows back into the steam boilers (2, 6), so that a second recirculation cycle is thus created; wherein the condensate is distributed proportionately between the steam boilers (2, 6); wherein the hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture is formed in the gas generator (1) under autothermal or thermal conditions occurs during the gasification or transformation of the hydrocarbon fuels, and the hydrocarbon/heat-generated water mixture forms simultaneously by the catalytic process in the hydrogenation reactor (5); wherein pure oxygen from an oxygen station or atmospheric oxygen from an air bubble is supplied to the gas generator (1) of the engine; wherein air flowing into air intake is cooled down or heated beforehand in a heat exchanger cascade, depending on climate conditions, to the dew point and then is cooled to a temperature of 0° to −3° C. in an expansion turbine until a maximum residual water content in the air of 0.2 g/m3 is attained; wherein the condensate formed is collected and used for feeding the steam boilers (2, 6); and wherein when oxygen is derived from the atmosphere, the atmospheric oxygen is transported into the oxygen station or directly into the gas generator (1).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the air in the heat exchanger cascade is cooled with cold air or with cold nitrogen or with a cold mixed gas or heated by hot water or the steam.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the steam from the steam boiler constructed in the hydrogenation reactor (5) is fed into the turbine (7) for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy, via a steam superheater (3) built into the gas generator (1).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the gas generator of the engine, a product gas with a molar ratio H2:CO and H2:CO2, which is required and sufficient for complete recovery of the carbon oxides, is produced.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at a molar ratio CO:CO2 of less than 1, additional hydrogen required for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide is drawn from the heat-generated water or superheated steam.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the steam from the turbine (7) for converting steam energy into mechanical energy is carried onward into a steam superheater (3) built into the gas generator (1); and that the superheated steam then arrives back in the turbine (7) for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the hydrocarbons produced in the hydrogenation reactor is separated from the mixture produced and carried onward for further processing into a rectification column (9).

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) One exemplary embodiment of the method of the invention will be described in further detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is an overview of a thermal engine for performing the described method for energy conversion;

(3) FIG. 2 is an overview of the thermal engine for performing the described method for energy conversion with simultaneous production of chemical products in a rectification column; and

(4) FIG. 3 is an overview of a thermal engine for performing the described method for energy conversion with a steam superheater, which is connected to a device for converting steam energy into mechanical energy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) The described method for energy conversion can be performed in a thermal engine, such as an internal combustion engine of FIG. 1. The thermal engine includes a gas generator 1 with a steam boiler 2 built into it and with a steam superheater 3. The gas generator 1 is connected to oxygen and hydrocarbon fuel supplies. The outlet opening for hydrogen and carbon oxides at the gas generator 1 is also connected to a device 4, for converting their kinetic and thermal energy into mechanical energy, for instance to a turbine. The energy conversion device 4 is connected by its outlet to a hydrogenation reactor 5. A second steam boiler 6 is located in the hydrogenation reactor 5. The outlet of the second steam boiler 6 is connected to a device 7 for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy, for instance to a turbine. The outlet of the turbine is connected to a condenser 8. The water outlet of the condenser 8 communicates with the steam boilers 2 and 6. The outlet for hydrocarbons and heat generated water of the hydrogenation reactor 5 is connected to the gas generator 1.

(6) The second steam boiler 6 can be connected to a device 7 for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy, via the steam superheater 3. Alternatively, a steam discharge line from the device 7 for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy can be connected via the steam superheater 3 to the device 7 for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy.

(7) The outlet for hydrocarbons and heat-generated water of the hydrogenation reactor communicates with a rectification column 9.

(8) Moreover, an air bubble or an oxygen station (not shown in the drawings) can be used for oxygen supply for the gas generator 1. (In the case of air preparation, a heat exchanger cascade and an expansion turbine (not shown) can also be employed.)

(9) The method for energy conversion with recovery of energy carriers in a cyclical process of a thermal engine provides that hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen are delivered to the gas generator 1. There, the fuel is gasified or converted, under autothermal or thermal conditions, forming a hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture. The hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture produced flows into the device 4 for converting its kinetic and thermal energy into mechanical energy. After that, the hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture is carried onward into the hydrogenation reactor 5. There, hydrocarbons and heat-generated water are formed in a catalytic process and afterward are fed into the gas generator 1 for conversion. This involves a first recirculation cycle: gas generator 1-device 4 for conversion of kinetic and thermal energy into mechanical energy-hydrogenation reactor 5-gas generator 1.

(10) Water is evaporated in steam boilers 2 and 6, and the water vapor is then fed into the device 7, for instance a turbine, for converting the steam energy into a mechanical energy. The steam boilers 2 and 6 are located in the gas generator 1 and in the hydrogenation reactor 5, respectively. Thus as a result of the water heating in the gas generator 1 and in the hydrogenation reactor 5, an isothermal course of the gasification and hydrogenation processes in them is maintained. The water vapor flows from the device 7 for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy into the condenser 8. From there, the condensate flows back into the steam boilers 2 and 6. Thus a second recirculation cycle is created: steam boilers 2 and 6-device 7 for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy-condenser 8-steam boilers 2 and 6.

(11) The condensate is distributed proportionally between the steam boilers 2 and 6 in accordance with their capacity. A hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture is formed in the gas generator 1 during the gasification or conversion of the hydrocarbon fuels under autothermal or thermal conditions, and a mixture of hydrocarbons and heat-generated water is formed in the hydrogenation reactor 5 during the catalytic process.

(12) Pure oxygen from an oxygen station or atmospheric oxygen from an air bubble is delivered to the engine's gas generator 1. The air flowing into the air intake is cooled or heated, depending on climatic conditions, previously in a heat exchanger cascade to the dew point and then cooled to a temperature of 0° to −3° C. in an expansion turbine. The cooling operation is repeated until a maximum residual water content in the air of 0.2 g/m3 is attained. The condensate formed is collected and used to feed the steam boilers 2 and 6. After that, the atmospheric oxygen is transported into the oxygen station or directly into the gas generator 1.

(13) The air is cooled in the heat exchanger cascade with cold air or with cold nitrogen or a cold mixed gas, or heated with hot water or steam, and the condensate is used for feeding the steam boilers 2 and 6.

(14) The steam of the steam boiler 6 located in the hydrogenation reactor 5 (see FIG. 1) is fed into the device 7 for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy, via the steam superheater 3 built into the gas generator 1.

(15) In the gas generator 1 of the engine, a product gas (synthesis gas) with a molar ratio of H2:CO and H2:CO2 is produced, which is required and sufficient for a complete recovery of the carbon oxides.

(16) If the molar ratio CO:CO2 is less than 1, then the additional hydrogen required for the carbon dioxide hydrogenation is taken from the heat-generated water or from the superheated steam.

(17) A portion of the steam (see FIG. 2) is fed from the device 7 for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy into the steam superheater 3 built into the gas generator 1. After that, the superheated steam returns to the device 7 for converting the steam energy into mechanical energy.

(18) A portion of the hydrocarbons generated in the hydrogenation reactor 5 is separated from the previous mixture in the hydrogenation reactor and carried onward for further processing into a rectification column 9 (see FIG. 3).

(19) The aforementioned systems may be combined, as shown in FIG. 3.

(20) As hydrocarbon fuels, gas or liquid fuel can be used. The following should be noted: Since the thermal content of its oxidation is maximal with respect to a quantity of 1 liter, the gas generator 1, which is basically a combustion chamber or a unit of gas generators 1 of the engine, is supplied from a fuel tank or gas bottle. In the gas generator 1, a product gas is formed at a temperature of 1625 to 2500 K in the open air, or at a temperature of 785 to 1620 K with catalysts. The product gas (synthesis gas) is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon oxides. The process is preferably carried out a pressure of 0.11 to 30 mPa. In a plasma-catalytic process, the plasma temperature is set in the range between 1700 and 10000 K and higher. In the hydrogenation reactor 5, hydrocarbons with from C1 to C25 carbon atoms, oxygen-containing C1 to C4 hydrocarbon compounds, and optionally water vapors are formed during the catalytic hydrogenation of the carbon oxides under catalytic isothermal conditions. The process is carried out at 3.1 mPa and at a temperature of 610 K.

(21) The theoretical effective efficiency can attain 0.733; the Carnot performance coefficient can be approximately −0.89.

(22) The method of the invention can be employed in energy production as well as mechanical engineering, specifically automotive engineering or shipbuilding and can also be used in the chemical industry for generating mechanical energy for turbine shaft operation, for driving conveyors and current generators, and at the same time for producing various chemical products, for instance using rectification columns.