NZ617148B2 - Syngas cooler system and method of operation - Google Patents

Abstract

process and system for cooling syngas provides effective syngas cooling and results in reduced levels of fouling in syngas cooling equipment is disclosed. A process for cooling syngas includes blending syngas with cooled recycled syngas in an amount effective for providing a blended syngas with a temperature at an inlet of a syngas cooler of about 600°F to about 1400°F. The blended syngas changes direction of flow at least once prior to the inlet of the syngas cooler. As shown in the figure, the gas mixing system includes a gasification chamber (100). A syngas recycle inlet (300) enters a distal end or exit section of the gasification chamber (200). In this aspect, the syngas recycle inlet enters the distal end of the gasification chamber tangentially at an outer circumference. Hot syngas leaving the gasifier contacts recycled cooled syngas through the syngas recycle inlet after the hot syngas leaves the gasifier and before the blended syngas enters a syngas cooler (not shown) through a gasification outlet (400). The gasification outlet may be a conduit or pipe. In this aspect, "recycled cooled syngas" refers to a syngas that has been cooled in a syngas cooler to a temperature of about 350°F to about 450°F. temperature at an inlet of a syngas cooler of about 600°F to about 1400°F. The blended syngas changes direction of flow at least once prior to the inlet of the syngas cooler. As shown in the figure, the gas mixing system includes a gasification chamber (100). A syngas recycle inlet (300) enters a distal end or exit section of the gasification chamber (200). In this aspect, the syngas recycle inlet enters the distal end of the gasification chamber tangentially at an outer circumference. Hot syngas leaving the gasifier contacts recycled cooled syngas through the syngas recycle inlet after the hot syngas leaves the gasifier and before the blended syngas enters a syngas cooler (not shown) through a gasification outlet (400). The gasification outlet may be a conduit or pipe. In this aspect, "recycled cooled syngas" refers to a syngas that has been cooled in a syngas cooler to a temperature of about 350°F to about 450°F.

Description

SYNGAS COOLER SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION This application claims the benefit of U.S. ional Application Nos. 61/516,667, 61/516,704 and 611516,646, all of which were filed on April 6, 2011, and all of which are incorporated in their entirety herein by nce.

A process and system is provided for cooling . More specifically, syngas is blended with cooled recycled syngas to provide a blended syngas. The blended syngas is subsequently transferred to a syngas cooler.

BACKGROUND Microorganisms can produce ethanol and other compounds from carbon monoxide (CO) through fermentation of gaseous substrates. The CO is often provided to the fermentation as part of a gaseous substrate in the form of a syngas. Gasification of carbonaceous materials to produce producer gas or synthesis gas or syngas that includes carbon monoxide and hydrogen is well known in the art. Typically, such a gasification process involves a partial oxidation or starved-air oxidation of carbonaceous material in which a sub-stoichiomeh·ic amount of oxygen is supplied to the cation process to promote production of carbon monoxide.

Syngas produced by cation ses bed in the art can be hot and needs g prior to downstream processing and subsequent fermentation. Hot syngas comprising carbon monoxide generated in a gasification apparatus, is cooled in a heat ger or waste heat boiler downstream of the cation apparatus, see for example US Patent No. 6,435,139; US Patent No. 7,587,995 and US Patent No. 7,552,701. Effective and controlled cooling of syngas is important in minimizing fouling.

SUMMARY In a first aspect, the present invention provides a process for cooling syngas, the process comprising: blending syngas with cooled ed syngas in an amount effective for providing a blended syngas with a temperature at an inlet of a syngas cooler of about 600° F. to about 1400° F., wherein the blended syngas changes direction of flow at least once prior to the inlet of the syngas cooler; wherein the cooled recycled syngas is supplied to a distal end of a gasification chamber having a diameter DH through a syngas recycle inlet having a diameter Dc; and wherein the blended syngas is ed to a gasification outlet having a 10370993_1 diameter DM, the gasification outlet is continuous with the distal end of the gasification chamber.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a syngas mixing system comprising: a gasification chamber having a diameter DH; a syngas e inlet having a diameter DC, the syngas recycle inlet entering the cation chamber at a distal end of the gasification chamber; and a gasification outlet having a diameter DM, the gasification outlet continuous with the distal end of the gasification chamber, the gasification outlet including at least one change of direction prior to entering a syngas cooler; and wherein the blended syngas is supplied to the gasification outlet.

In a third aspect, the present invention es a process for cooling syngas, the process comprising: blending syngas with cooled recycled syngas in an amount effective for providing a blended syngas with a ature at an inlet of a syngas cooler of about 600° F. to about 1400° F., wherein cooled recycled syngas is supplied to a distal end of a gasification chamber having a diameter DH through a syngas recycle inlet having a diameter DC and DC/DH is about 0.25 to about 0.75; n the blended syngas changes direction of flow at least once prior to the inlet of the syngas cooler; and wherein blended syngas is supplied to a gasification outlet having a er DM, the gasification outlet is continuous with the distal end of the gasification r.

A process and system for cooling syngas provides effective syngas cooling and results in reduced levels of fouling in syngas cooling equipment. In one aspect, a process for g syngas includes ng syngas with cooled recycled syngas in an amount effective for providing a blended syngas with a temperature at an inlet of a syngas cooler of about 600°F to about 1400°F. The blended syngas changes direction of flow at least once prior to the inlet of the syngas cooler.

In another aspect, a syngas mixing system es a gasification chamber having a er DH and a syngas recycle inlet having a diameter DC. The syngas recycle inlet enters the gasification chamber at a distal end of the gasification chamber. The system includes a gasification outlet having a diameter DM. The gasification outlet is continuous 10370993_1 with the distal end of the gasification chamber and the gasification outlet including at least one change of direction prior to entering a syngas cooler.

In another , a process for cooling syngas includes blending syngas with cooled recycled syngas in an amount ive for providing a d syngas with a temperature at an inlet of a syngas cooler in the range of about 600°F to about 1400017.

The cooled recycled syngas is supplied to a distai end of a gasitication chamber having a diameter D“ through a syngas recycle inlet having a diameter Dc, and Dc/Dn is about 0.25 to about 0.75.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES The above and other aspects, features and advantages of several aspects of the s will be more apparent from the following drawings.

Figure ‘2 illustrates a syngas mixing system.

Figure 2 shows a bottom view of a syngas mixing .

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Skitled artisans wiil appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and y and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the ts in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various aspects of the present process and apparatus. Also, common but wen—understood elements that are useful or necessary in commercially feasible s are often not depicted in order to facilitate a Iess obstructed view of these various aspects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description is not to be taken in a ng sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of exemplary ments. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.

The syngas g process and system are operated at temperatures effective for providing effective syngas cooking and reduced fouling of equipment. Design of the system provides effective syngas .

Definitions Unless otherwise defined, the following terms as used throughout this specification for the present disciosnre are defined as foilows and can include either the singular or plural forms of definitions below defined: The term “about” modifying any amount refers to the variation in that amount encountered in real world conditions, e.g., in the lab, pilot plant, or production facility. For example, an amount of an ingredient or measurement employed in a mixture or quantity when modified by “about” includes the variation and degree of care typically employed in ing in an experimental condition in production plant or lab. For e, the amount of a component of a t when modified by “about” es the ion between batches in a multiple experiments in the plant or iab and the variation inherent in the ical method. Whether or not modified by “about,” the amounts include equivalents to those amounts. Any quantity stated herein and modified by “about” can also be employed in the t disclosure as the amount not modified by “about”.

“Carbonaceous material” as used herein refers to carbon rich material such as coal, and petrochemicals. However, in this specification, carbonaceous material includes any carbon material whether in solid, liquid, gas, or plasma state. Among the numerous items that can be considered carbonaceous material, the present disclosure contemplates: carbonaceous al, carbonaceous liquid product, carbonaceous industrial liquid recycle, carbonaceous municipal solid waste (MSW or msw), carbonaceous urban waste, carbonaceous agricultural material, carbonaceous forestry material, carbonaceous wood waste, aceous construction material, aceous vegetative material, carbonaceous rial waste, carbonaceous fermentation waste, carbonaceous petrochemical co products, carbonaceous alcohol production co—products, carbonaceous coal, tires, plastics, waste plastic, coke oven tar, fibersoft, lignin, black liquor, polymers, waste polymers, polyethylene terephthalate (PETA), polystyrene (PS), sewage sludge, animal waste, crop residues, energy crops, forest processing residues, wood processing residues, livestock wastes, poultry , food processing residues, liermentative process wastes, ethanol co—products, spent grain, spent microorganisms, or their combinations.

The term “fibersoft” or “Fibersoft” or “fibrosoft” or “fibrousoft” means a type of carbonaceous material that is produced as a result of softening and concentration of various substances; in an example carbonaceous material is produced via steam autociaving of various substances. in another example, the libersoft can include steam autoclaving of municipal, rial, commercial, and medical waste resulting in a fibrous mushy material.

The term “municipal solid waste” or “MSW” or “msw” means waste that may e household, commercial, industrial and/or residual waste.

The term “syngas” or “synthesis gas” means synthesis gas which is the name given to a gas mixture that contains varying amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

Examples of production methods include steam reforming of natural gas or hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen, the gasification of coal and in some types of waste-to—energy gasification facilities. The name comes from their use as intermediates in creating synthetic natural gas (SNG) and for producing ammonia or methanol. Syngas is combustible and is often used as a fuel source or as an ediate for the production of other chemicals.

In one aspect, gasification of carbonaceous materials provides syngas. Gasification l0 involves l combustion of biomass in a restricted supply of oxygen. The resultant gas includes CO and H2. In this , syngas will contain at 1east about 20 mole % CO, in one aspect, about 20 to about 100 mole % CO, in another aspect, about 30 to about 90 mole 0/0 CO, in another aspect, about 40 to about 80 mole % CO, and in another aspect, about 50 to about 70 mole % CO. The syngas will have a CO/COZ ratio of at least about 0.75. Serial Numbers 61/516,667, ,704 and 6,646 be some examples of suitable gasification methods and apparatus (U.S Serial Numbers 61/516,667, 61/516,704 and 61/516,646, all of which were filed on April 6, 20} 1, and all of which are orated herein by nce). Syngas leaving the gasifier will have a temperature above about 1400°F, and in another aspect, at least about £400°F to about 3500°F. The gasitication process is effective for destruction of tars.

Syngas Cooling System As shown in Figure l, the gas mixing system includes a ation chamber 100.

A syngas recycle inlet 300 enters a distal end or exit section of the gasification chamber 200. In this aspect, the syngas recycle inlet 300 enters the distal end 200 of the gasification r 100 at an outer circumference. The gasification inlet 300 enters the distal end of the ation chamber 200 tangentially and may be at an angle (shown as 6)) of about 15 to about 165°, in another aspect, about 30 to about 150°, in another aspect, about 45 to about 135°, in another aSpect, about 60 to about 120°, in another aspect, about 75 to about 105°, and in another aspect, about 85 to about 95°.

Hot syngas leaving the gasifier I00 contacts recycled cooled syngas through a syngas recycle inlet 300. The recycled cooled syngas contacts the hot syngas at a point after the hot syngas leaves the gasifier and before the blended syngas enters a syngas cooler (not shown) through a gasification outlet 400. The gasification outlet 400 may be a conduit or pipe. in this aspect, “recycled cooled syngas” refers to a syngas that has been cooled in a syngas cooler to a temperature of about 350°F to about 450°F.

The process includes blending recycled cooled syngas with hot syngas at a ratio of about 0.1 to about 20. In other aspects, ratios of recycled cooled syngas to hot syngas may e about 1 to about 15, about i to about 10, about i to about 5, about 1 to about 4, about 1 to about 3, about 1 to about 2, and about 1 to about 1.

The blended syngas has a ature of about 1400°F or less, in another aspect, about 600°F to about 1400°F, in another aspect, about "50°F to about 1400°F, in another aspect, about 600°F to about l400°F, in another aspect, about 750°F to about 1200°F, in another aspect, about 750°F to about 900°F, in another aspect, about 750°F to about 825°F, and in another aspect, about 600°}I to about 900°F. In this aspect, a thermal couple measures temperature at an inlet of the syngas cooler 500. The thermal couple may be positioned at any position across a diameter of thc inlet of the syngas cooler 500.

As used , “average temperature” refers to known methods utilized to determine multiple temperatures across a diameter and then express those multiple ature measurements as an average. In one aspect, er modeling may be used to provide an average temperature. In other aspects, multiple temperatures may be made using couples equipped for such ements, infrared sensing and the like.

Temperature, flow rates and configuration of the syngas cooler are effective for preventing flow of recycled cooled syngas and blended syngas into the gasification r 200. In this aspect, flow through the syngas cooler is greater than about 24 meters per second.

As further shown in Figure l, the distal end of the gasification chamber 200 is continuous with a gasification outlet 400. The ation outlet 400 may change direction at least once before entering a syngas cooler. As shown in Figure 1, the gasification outlet 400 changes direction once at a 90° angle. In this aspect, the gasifrcation outlet 400 may change direction at least once, with any change of direction each independently being at an angle of about 15 to about 165°.

As illustrated in Figure l, the gasification chamber 200 has a diameter of I)“, the syngas recycle inlet 300 has a diameter of Dc, and the ation outlet 400 has a diameter of DM. The syngas recycle inlet 300 is d a distance (1,.) away from the gasification outlet 400. Ratios of measurements may be as follows: Dc/DH: about 0.25 to about 0.75, in another aspect, about 0.35 to about 0.65, and in r , about 0.45 to about 0.55; LID“: about 1 to about £0, in another aspect, about 3 to about 8, and in another aspect, about 4 to about 6; and DH/DM: about 0.5 to about 2.0, in another aspect, about 0.75 to about 1.75, and in another aspect, about 1.0 to about 3.5.

In another aspect, the syngas recycle inlet 300 may have a diameter of about 32 to about 42 inches, in another aspect, about 34 to about 40 inches, and in another aspect, about 35 to about 38 inches. The gasification outlet 400 may have a diameter of about 40 to about 52 inches, in another aspect, about 43 to about 49 inches, and in another , about 45 to about 47 inches.

Figure 2 illustrates a bottom View of the syngas cooling system, In this aspect, the circumference 600 syngas recycle inlet 300 enters the ation r 100 at an outer of the gasification chamber.

In another aspect, the syngas recycle inlet 300 enters the gasification chamber 100 at a point above the gasification chamber 100 and initiat gas mixing occurs at a point above the gasification chamber 100. In this configuration, any deposits formed may fall back down into the gasification chamber 100.

EXAMPLES Example 1: Effect of Syngas Cooler Inlet Temperature on Heat Transfer and Fouling A gasitier having the design described herein was operated with the temperatures and flow rates bed below. A fouling factor was determined as indicated.

Fouling factor at 600°}? inlet temperature to the syngas cooter: Accumulated Temperature of Syngas at Syngas Feed Fouling Factor Fouting Time (hrs) Inlet of Syngas Cooler (°F) Rate to Cooler Btu:l (ft2h°F) Factor (lb/hr) 601 47?”, . 45 614 512 Average fouling factor at 600°F inlet was 0.019 BttI/(ft2h°F).

A gasifier having the design described herein was operated with lower syngas cooler inlet atures and flow rates described below. A fouling factor was determined as indicated.

Fouling factor at 1300012 inlet ature to the syngas cooler: Accumulated Temperature of Syngas Feed Fouiing Factor Fouling Factor Time (hrs) Syngas at Inlet of Rate to Cooler Btu/ (‘ftzli°F) Syngas Cooler (0F) (lb/hr) 7.5 1297 288 9.042 23.6 14.322m 215 3.4 1295 0.100 10 ...... 1294 194 8.1 19L“--- ......0__-098 ,,,,.,,.,..__MLQ.-..2.. 196 0.096 10.41““~ 1295 13.8 1297 10.1 1308 20.2 1302 14.9 1301 12.2. -_ 1296 12.3 1296 ?2-5 1314 10.3 1326 12.8 _____._ 1322 14.8 1332.... . 114.3? 1346 312 14 1336. 0.081 12.3 1335 253 0.074 13.6 Average fouling factor at 1300°F inlet was 0.078 Btii/(ftzlioi'3).

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific ments, examples and applications thereof, numerous modifications and ions could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims (9)

CLAIMS 1.:

1. A process for cooling syngas, the s comprising: blending syngas with cooled recycled syngas in an amount effective for providing a blended syngas with a temperature at an inlet of a syngas cooler of about 600° F. to about 1400° F., wherein the blended syngas changes direction of flow at least once prior to the inlet of the syngas cooler; n the cooled recycled syngas is supplied to a distal end of a gasification chamber having a diameter DH through a syngas recycle inlet having a diameter Dc; and wherein the blended syngas is supplied to a gasification outlet having a diameter DM, the gasification outlet is continuous with the distal end of the gasification chamber.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the cooled recycled syngas has a temperature of about 350° F. to about 450° F.

3. The s of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein cooled recycled syngas is blended with syngas at a ratio of about 0.1 to about 20.

4. The process of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the blended syngas has a temperature of about 600° F. to about 900° F.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the blended syngas has a temperature of about 750° F. to about 825° F.

6. The process of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the syngas recycle inlet enters the distal end of the cation chamber tangentially at an outer circumference of the cation chamber.

7. The process of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the syngas recycle inlet enters the distal end of the gasification chamber at an angle of about 15 to about 165°.

8. The process of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein ance syngas recycle inlet is away from er outlet)/DH is about 1 to about 10.

9. The process of any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein DC/DH is about 0.25 to about 0.75. 10370993