RU2561793C2 - Power plant with gasificator and waste processing - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: power industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to power industry. The invention describes gradual oxidation systems to which solid, liquid or gaseous fuel is supplied and which provide processing of solid, liquid or gaseous fuel. The system can include a solid fuel gasification plant that provides removal and cleaning of gaseous fuel from solid fuel. The system can also include a reaction chamber to which gaseous fuel is supplied and which provides maintenance of a gradual fuel oxidation process. As per some versions of implementation, liquids containing contaminating substances can be subject to oxidation in the gradual oxidation chamber. Liquid fuel and gaseous fuel can be supplied to an oxidation chamber either separately or in a combination.

EFFECT: invention makes it possible to improve efficient use of fuel.

62 cl, 16 dwg

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many power plants used a gas turbine system in which fuel is burned when it is injected into the air under pressure, resulting in heating and an increase in the thermal energy of the gas. Energy is then taken from the heated gas through a turbine that converts thermal energy into kinetic energy. Kinetic energy can be used to drive another device, such as a generator. The combustion process is often triggered by an ignition source (such as a spark plug). Due to the high temperature of the ignition source and the high concentration of fuel when it is introduced into the air, combustion is very fast and almost instantaneous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

During gasification processes, solid fuels containing carbon materials such as coal, oil, biofuels or biomass are converted, for example, to carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane. These gaseous products can be used as fuel in systems that are otherwise incompatible with solid fuels. Gasification involves incomplete combustion of materials, leaving combustible gases (for example, CO, H ₂ and CH ₄ ). To clean these gases for operation in energy generation systems, these gases must be wet cleaned or cleaned of other components that can cause damage to the energy generation system, such as tar / tar and dust. The wet cleaning process can lead to the formation of toxic wastewater (or other liquids) that contain these contaminants. In addition, the gases generated by the gasification process can be very poor gases.

This document describes embodiments of integrated gasification power plants that are capable of utilizing lean gases from the gasification process and treating wastewater generated during wet gas treatment. In some embodiments, the gasifier is connected to a gradual oxidation chamber, wherein the oxidation chamber is configured to receive contaminated water and oxidize pollutants contained in the water while maintaining the temperature of the chamber, which provides a significant reduction and limitation of the amount of harmful emissions (e.g. , NO _x ) in the exhaust system. The system and methods described herein further benefit from the input of contaminated water to increase the potential yield of the energy generation system and to purify the water.

In some embodiments of the gradual oxidation apparatus, the fuel is oxidized in a reaction chamber that contains water, which may contain contaminants from the gasification process or contaminants from elsewhere, the decomposition of which may be preferred. In some embodiments, implementation, the energy released during the oxidation of the fuel is supplied to a gas turbine. Liquid fuels, such as ethanol mixed with significant amounts of water, are generally not amenable to instantaneous burning, since the latent heat needed to evaporate the water causes the combustion process to be suppressed. In addition, when pollutants are contained in the water used, the pollutants can also form fuel, since the pollutants are oxidized in the reaction chamber.

In some embodiments described herein, a gradual oxidation system with a solid fuel gasification apparatus includes: a solid fuel gasification apparatus that extracts gaseous fuel from solid fuel; a gas scrubber that cleans the gaseous fuel; a flameless combustion chamber, which is configured to receive purified gaseous fuel through the first inlet and to support the process of gradual oxidation of gaseous fuel, the flameless combustion chamber comprising a second inlet, and an input device connected to the second inlet and configured to enable receiving pollutants from the scrubber and introducing pollutants into the flameless combustion chamber. In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize pollutants.

In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber is configured to support the gradual oxidation process without a catalyst. Some embodiments provide purification of gaseous fuels with water through a scrubber. In some embodiments, it is ensured that the contaminants received from the scrubber are in water. In some embodiments, the implementation of the input device comprises a compressor to increase the water pressure before introducing water into the flameless combustion chamber. In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize the gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.01 seconds to about 10 seconds. In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.05 seconds to about 5 seconds. In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.05 seconds to about 2 seconds. In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.1 second to about 1 second. In certain embodiments, the system further includes a turbine in fluid communication with the flameless combustion chamber, wherein the turbine is configured to receive heated and compressed fluid from the flameless combustion chamber and expand the fluid.

Some of the methods described herein for oxidizing solid fuels include recovering gaseous fuels from solid fuels through a solid fuel gasification unit; cleaning gaseous fuels with water; gradual oxidation of gaseous fuel through a flameless combustion chamber, which is configured to receive purified gaseous fuel through a first inlet and to support the process of gradual oxidation of gaseous fuel; water input into the flameless combustion chamber; and maintaining the internal temperature in the flameless combustion chamber sufficient to evaporate and oxidize the water and pollutants in the water.

Some methods further include maintaining a gradual oxidation process in a flameless combustion chamber without a catalyst. Some methods further include compressing the gaseous fuel prior to the gradual oxidation of the gaseous fuel through a flameless combustion chamber. Some methods further include compressing the water before introducing water into the flameless combustion chamber. Some methods further include maintaining the internal temperature in the flameless combustion chamber sufficient to oxidize the gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.1 second to about 1 second. Some methods further include expanding the compressed and heated fluid from the flameless combustion chamber by means of a turbine in fluid communication with the flameless combustion chamber.

Some embodiments comprise a gradual oxidation system with a solid fuel gasification unit, including a solid fuel gasification unit that extracts and purifies gaseous fuel from solid fuel; a flameless combustion chamber, which is configured to allow reception of purified gaseous fuel through an inlet and supporting a process of gradual oxidation of gaseous fuel; and an input device configured to receive pollutants from the gasification unit and to introduce pollutants into the flameless combustion chamber. In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature without a catalyst, wherein said internal temperature is sufficient to oxidize contaminants.

In some embodiments, the gasification installation comprises a scrubber that provides for the purification of gaseous fuels. Some embodiments provide purification of gaseous fuels with water through a scrubber. In some embodiments, the contaminants received by the input device are in water. In certain embodiments, the input device comprises a compressor designed to increase the water pressure before introducing water into the flameless combustion chamber. In some embodiments, it is contemplated that the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize the gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.01 seconds to about 10 seconds.

In some embodiments, the system further includes a turbine in fluid communication with the flameless combustion chamber, the turbine configured to receive heated and compressed fluid from the flameless combustion chamber and expand the fluid. In some embodiments, the heated and compressed fluid from the flameless combustion chamber is a gas.

Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. The supply of water to the reaction chamber under pressure includes the supply of liquid to the reaction chamber under pressure. Evaporation of a liquid includes evaporation of a liquid in a pressure chamber. The air-fuel mixture, including air and fuel, is supplied to the pressure chamber. The liquid further includes fuel, the evaporation of liquid includes the evaporation of fuel and water, and the gas includes evaporated fuel and evaporated water. Fuel includes ethanol, kerosene and / or other fuels. A fluid includes water in an amount of more than fifty volume percent, or a fluid includes fuel in an amount of more than fifty volume percent. The supply of water to the reaction chamber under pressure includes the supply of evaporated fuel and evaporated water to the reaction chamber under pressure. Evaporation of a liquid involves the evaporation of fuel and water by mixing the liquid with heated air. The supply of water to the reaction chamber under pressure includes the supply of heated air, evaporated fuel and evaporated water to the reaction chamber under pressure. The fuel gas formed by the evaporation of liquid fuel combines with the evaporated water and / or air. The water supply to the reaction chamber includes the supply of a mixture of fuel gas, evaporated water and / or air into the reaction chamber. Oxidation of the fuel provides the formation of a gaseous oxidation product. The gaseous oxidation product expands in a gas turbine that drives the generator. The gas generated during the decomposition of the waste comes from the landfill / from the landfill before the liquid evaporates. The gas generated by the decomposition of waste is condensed to form a liquid that later evaporates. The gas generated by the decomposition of waste includes fuel, and condensation of the liquid separates the water from the fuel. Liquid includes toxic material. The supply of water to the reaction chamber under pressure includes the supply of toxic material to the reaction chamber.

In some embodiments, the system includes an evaporator and a reaction chamber. An evaporator provides vaporization of a liquid including water and fuel to form a gas including water and fuel. The evaporator has an evaporator inlet made and arranged to receive liquid, and an evaporator outlet made and arranged to exhaust gas from the evaporator. The reaction chamber is configured to allow oxidation of the fuel by means of air under a pressure exceeding the ambient pressure around the reaction chamber. The reaction chamber has an inlet of the reaction chamber in communication with the outlet of the evaporator for receiving gas, including water and fuel.

Embodiments may have one or more of the following features. The system includes a turbine having a turbine inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the reaction chamber. The turbine is configured to receive gas leaving the reaction chamber and convert the thermal energy of the outgoing gas into mechanical energy by expanding the outgoing gas between the inlet of the turbine and the outlet of the turbine. The system includes a generator mechanically coupled to the turbine. The generator is configured to enable conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy. The system includes a landfill tank that receives fluids from waste from the landfill. The fluid includes at least a portion of the fluids from the waste. The system includes a condenser that receives fluids from the waste from the landfill and condensation of liquids from the fluids from the waste.

In some embodiments, the oxidizing reaction chamber has a first inlet configured and disposed to receive a fluid including water and to supply fluid to the reaction chamber. The reaction chamber has a second inlet, made and located with the possibility of receiving gas, which includes air, and supplying gas to the reaction chamber. The reaction chamber is configured to vaporize liquid in the reaction chamber to form a gas mixture including water, air and fuel. The reaction chamber is configured to allow oxidation of fuel by air in the reaction chamber.

Embodiments may have one or more of the following features. Liquid includes fuel. Gas includes fuel. The reaction chamber has a third inlet, made and located with the possibility of supplying fuel to the reaction chamber. The reaction chamber has an outlet in fluid communication with the turbine.

Methods and embodiments for injecting water or steam into gas turbine systems are described herein. Burning more gas in gas turbines can increase the useful power of the turbines. However, this can lead to an increase in the amount of fuel burned and to higher temperatures, which leads to an increase in the formation of harmful gaseous nitrogen oxides (NO _x ). In some embodiments, by supplying water or steam to the system, the gradual oxidation system described herein can provide fuel oxidation without increasing NO _x formation while increasing system output.

In some embodiments, it has been described that the fuel from the systems is oxidized by a flameless gradual oxidation process when the air-fuel mixture passes along the flow channel in the reaction chamber. The fuel is preferably oxidized at a temperature low enough to reduce or prevent the formation and / or release of harmful compounds, such as nitrogen oxides, and at a temperature high enough to oxidize the fuel and other contaminants that are introduced into the chamber. The air-fuel mixture passes through the reaction chamber and absorbs heat from the inner surface of the reaction chamber, possibly including heat from the filler that may be contained in the chamber. In some embodiments, the reaction chamber does not contain a filler, and the air-fuel mixture passing through the reaction chamber absorbs heat from existing gas or other components in the reaction chamber. The temperature of the air-fuel mixture gradually rises as the mixture passes through the reaction chamber. When the temperature of the air-fuel mixture reaches the temperature of spontaneous combustion or exceeds the temperature of spontaneous combustion of the fuel, the fuel undergoes an exothermic oxidation reaction.

Many of the embodiments described herein include adding steam or water to the system for one or more of a variety of reasons (for example, to reduce the likelihood of fire, to control temperature, to increase efficiency and / or output, etc.). As described later in this document, this operation is separate from introducing water or steam into the combustion systems.

Some methods described herein include evaporating a liquid containing water to form a gas containing water; water supply to the reaction chamber, in which the pressure is increased to values exceeding the ambient pressure in the space outside the reaction chamber; and oxidizing fuel by air in a pressure chamber and containing air, fuel, and water, while maintaining the maximum temperature of the fuel in the reaction chamber below a temperature that causes the formation of nitrogen oxides.

In some methods, supplying water to a pressurized reaction chamber includes supplying liquid to a pressurized reaction chamber, and wherein vaporizing the liquid includes vaporizing the liquid in the pressurized reaction chamber. Some methods further include supplying an air-fuel mixture, including air and fuel, into the reaction chamber under pressure. In some cases, the liquid additionally contains fuel, the evaporation of the liquid includes the evaporation of fuel and water, and the gas contains the evaporated fuel and the evaporated water.

In some methods, the fuel comprises at least one of ethanol or kerosene compounds. In some cases, the liquid contains water in an amount of more than fifty volume percent. In some methods, supplying water to a pressurized reaction chamber includes supplying a gas containing vaporized fuel and vaporized water to a pressurized reaction chamber, and the method further includes supplying air to the pressurized reaction chamber.

Some methods further include mixing air with a gas containing evaporated fuel and evaporated water, while supplying water to the reaction chamber under pressure, including supplying a mixture containing air, evaporated fuel and evaporated water to the reaction chamber under pressure. In some methods, supplying water to a pressurized reaction chamber includes supplying liquid to a pressurized reaction chamber, and vaporizing the liquid includes vaporizing the liquid in the pressurized reaction chamber.

In some methods, the liquid further comprises fuel, the evaporation of the liquid includes the evaporation of fuel and water by mixing the liquid with heated air, and the gas contains heated air, evaporated fuel and evaporated water. In some cases, the supply of water to the reaction chamber under pressure includes the supply of gas containing heated air, evaporated fuel and evaporated water to the reaction chamber under pressure.

Some methods provide that the oxidation of fuel provides the formation of a gaseous oxidation product, the method further comprising expanding the gaseous oxidation product in a gas turbine. In some methods, the expansion of the gaseous oxidation product in a gas turbine enables the generator to be mechanically coupled to the gas turbine.

Some methods further include receiving the gas generated by the decomposition of the waste from the landfill / landfill prior to vaporizing the liquid and condensing the liquid from the gas generated by the decomposition of the waste. In some methods, the gas generated by the decomposition of waste contains fuel. In some methods, the liquid contains contaminants, and supplying water to the pressurized reaction chamber includes supplying pollutants to the reaction chamber, and the pollutants are oxidized in the reaction chamber.

In some embodiments described herein, systems are disclosed that include an evaporator that vaporizes a liquid containing water to form a gas containing water, wherein the evaporator has an evaporator inlet configured and disposed to receive liquid, and the release of the evaporator, made and located with the possibility of venting gas from the evaporator. The systems may further include a reaction chamber containing an inlet of the reaction chamber in fluid communication with the outlet of the vaporizer for receiving gas, wherein the reaction chamber is configured to oxidize the fuel by air while keeping the fuel, air and gas under pressure, exceeding the ambient pressure around the reaction chamber, and while maintaining the maximum temperature in the reaction chamber below a temperature that I cause the formation of nitrogen oxides.

In some embodiments, the liquid further includes fuel in a liquid state, and the gas further comprises fuel in a gaseous state. In some embodiments, it is contemplated that the reaction chamber further comprises one or more additional inlets of the reaction chamber configured and disposed to receive at least one of the fuel and air components. Some embodiments further include a turbine having a turbine inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the reaction chamber, the turbine configured to receive the oxidation product from the reaction chamber and convert the thermal energy of the oxidation product into mechanical energy by expanding the oxidation product between the inlet of the turbine and the outlet of the turbine. Some embodiments further include a generator mechanically coupled to the turbine, wherein the generator is configured to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy.

In some embodiments described herein, an oxidizing reaction chamber is disclosed having a first inlet configured and disposed to supply a liquid containing water to the internal volume of the reaction chamber; the second inlet, made and located with the possibility of supplying a gas containing air to the internal volume, while the reaction chamber is configured to oxidize fuel by air in the internal volume while maintaining the maximum temperature in the reaction chamber below a temperature that causes the formation of nitrogen oxides and an outlet configured and disposed to discharge exhaust gas from the internal volume, wherein the exhaust gas contains water and a gaseous oxide product Ia formed by oxidation of the fuel in the internal volume.

In some embodiments, the liquid further comprises fuel, and in some embodiments, the gas further comprises fuel. In some embodiments, it is contemplated that the outlet is in fluid communication with the turbine inlet. In some embodiments, the fluid further comprises pollutants, and the maximum temperature in the reaction chamber is at or above the oxidation temperature of the pollutants. In some embodiments, the gas further comprises pollutants that can be oxidized in the reaction chamber, and the temperature in the oxidation chamber is at or above the temperature intended to oxidize the pollutants.

Some embodiments described herein include a gradual oxidation system having a fluid inlet; a compressor that receives fluid containing the first fuel mixture from the fluid inlet and compresses the fluid containing the first fuel mixture; an injector that allows the second fuel mixture to enter the fluid, the second fuel mixture comprising a liquid that is a mixture of fuel and water, in which water is from 50 to 80 volume percent in the second fuel mixture; and a gradual oxidation chamber that receives fluid from the compressor and maintains a flameless oxidation process of the fluid in the chamber without catalyst.

Some embodiments further include a turbine that receives the heated and compressed fluid from the gradual oxidation chamber and expands the fluid. In some embodiments, the injector allows a second fuel mixture to be introduced before the compressor compresses the fluid. In some embodiments, the injector allows the second fuel mixture to enter the fluid after compression of the fluid and before the fluid enters the gradual oxidation chamber. In some embodiments, it is contemplated that the injector introduces a second fuel mixture into the gradual oxidation chamber.

Some embodiments further include a compressor that compresses the second fuel mixture before introducing the second fuel mixture into the gradual oxidation chamber. In some embodiments, the second fuel mixture comprises at least one of ethanol, gasoline, and petroleum distillates. In some embodiments, the second fuel mixture comprises a mixture of water and fuel with a fuel content of about 25 volume percent. In some embodiments, the injector is configured to allow the second fuel mixture to be injected into the system as a liquid. In some embodiments, the injector is configured to allow the second fuel mixture to be injected into the system in the form of gas. In some embodiments, it is contemplated that the ratio of the components in the fuel-water mixture in the second fuel mixture is based on the determination of the air-fuel mixture in the first fuel mixture, and in some embodiments, the ratio of the components in the air-fuel mixture is based on the determination mixtures of fuel and water.

In some embodiments described herein, the gradual oxidation system includes a fluid inlet; a compressor that receives fluid containing the fuel mixture from the fluid inlet and compresses the fluid containing the fuel mixture; an injector that allows steam to be introduced into the fluid after compression of the fluid; a gradual oxidation chamber that receives fluid from the compressor and supports the flameless oxidation of the fluid in a chamber without a catalyst; and a turbine that receives heated and compressed fluid from the gradual oxidation chamber and expands the fluid.

In some embodiments, the injector allows steam to be introduced before compressing the fluid through a compressor. In some embodiments, the injector allows steam to enter the fluid after compressing the fluid and before the fluid enters the gradual oxidation chamber. In some embodiments, it is contemplated that the injector allows steam to be introduced into the gradual oxidation chamber. Some embodiments further include a steam compressor that compresses the steam before introducing steam into the gradual oxidation chamber.

Some of the methods described herein for gradually oxidizing a fuel mixture include sucking air into a gradual oxidation system through a fluid inlet; mixing air with fuel to form a fuel mixture; compression of the fuel mixture; injecting steam into a system for connecting steam to the fuel mixture; gradual oxidation of the fuel mixture in the gradual oxidation chamber, which ensures the flameless oxidation of the fluid without a catalyst; directing the heated and compressed fluid from the gradual oxidation chamber to the turbine; and expanding the fluid through a turbine.

In some methods, steam is injected into the system before compressing the fuel mixture. In some methods, steam is injected into the system after compression of the fuel mixture and before the gradual oxidation of the fuel mixture. In some methods, steam is injected into the gradual oxidation chamber.

Some methods disclosed herein for gradually oxidizing a fuel mixture include suctioning air into a gradual oxidation system through a fluid inlet; mixing air with fuel to form a first fuel mixture; compression of the fuel mixture; injecting a second fuel mixture into a system for combining a second fuel mixture with a first fuel mixture, wherein the second fuel mixture comprises a liquid containing a mixture of fuel and water, wherein water comprises from 50 to 80 volume percent in the second fuel mixture; and the gradual oxidation of the first and second fuel mixtures in the gradual oxidation chamber, which ensures the maintenance of the flameless oxidation of the fluid without a catalyst.

Some methods further include directing the heated and compressed fluid from the gradual oxidation chamber to the turbine and expanding the fluid through the turbine. In some methods, the second fuel mixture is injected into the system before the fluid is compressed by a compressor. In some methods, the second fuel mixture is injected into the system after the fluid is compressed and before the fluid enters the gradual oxidation chamber. In some methods, the second fuel mixture is injected into the gradual oxidation chamber. Some methods further include compressing the second fuel mixture by means of a compressor before introducing the second fuel mixture into the gradual oxidation chamber.

In some embodiments, the second fuel mixture comprises at least one of ethanol, gasoline, and petroleum distillates. In some embodiments, the second fuel mixture comprises a mixture of fuel and water with a fuel content of about 25 volume percent. In some embodiments, the second fuel mixture is injected into the system as a liquid. In some embodiments, the second fuel mixture is injected into the system as gas. Some embodiments further include determining the ratio of the components of the air-fuel mixture in the first fuel mixture and adjusting the ratio of the components of the fuel-water mixture in the second fuel mixture based on the ratio of the components of the first fuel mixture.

In some of the embodiments described herein, the gradual oxidation system includes a solid fuel gasification unit that extracts gaseous fuel from solid fuel; a gas scrubber that removes contaminants from the gaseous fuel through a cleaning fluid; and a flameless combustion chamber that provides (i) the intake of the cleaning liquid and contaminants from the scrubber, (ii) maintaining an internal temperature sufficient to ensure a gradual oxidation process, and (iii) a residence time such that substantially all contaminants from the scrubber are oxidized in a flameless combustion chamber. In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber is configured to support the gradual oxidation process without a catalyst.

In some embodiments of the system, the gaseous fuel is cleaned with water through a scrubber. In certain embodiments, contaminants received from the scrubber are in the water, and the input device comprises a compressor to increase the pressure of the water before the water enters the flameless combustion chamber. The flameless combustion chamber is preferably configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize the gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.01 seconds to about 10 seconds. In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber maintains a maximum temperature below a temperature that causes the formation of nitric oxide.

In certain embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber is configured to receive gaseous fuel from the scrubber and oxidize the gaseous fuel during the gradual oxidation process. In some cases, the flameless combustion chamber receives and oxidizes substantially all of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber. In certain cases, the flameless combustion chamber receives and oxidizes the first part of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber, and the second part of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber is distributed from the system. In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber receives gaseous fuel from the scrubber through the first inlet and receives supplemental gaseous fuel from the second inlet.

Some embodiments include a turbine in fluid communication with a flameless combustion chamber. The turbine is preferably configured to receive heated and compressed gas from the flameless combustion chamber and expand the gas.

In the description, in some embodiments, a gradual oxidation system is also described, including a first inlet configured to allow contaminated fluid to enter the system; the second inlet, made with a configuration that provides the ability to supply fuel to the system; a flameless combustion chamber that receives contaminated liquid and fuel and maintains an internal temperature sufficient to ensure a gradual oxidation process, while maintaining the maximum temperature in the combustion chamber below a temperature that causes the formation of nitric oxide so that fuel and pollutants in the liquid oxidized; and an outlet configured and disposed to discharge exhaust gas from the combustion chamber, wherein the exhaust gas contains a gaseous oxidation product formed by a gradual oxidation process in the combustion chamber. In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber is configured to support the gradual oxidation process without a catalyst.

In certain embodiments, the system may be configured such that the scrubber receives contaminated liquid and purifies the gaseous fuel with water. In some embodiments, the contaminated liquid comprises water from a scrubber. In certain embodiments, the fuel includes gaseous fuel from the scrubber, and the flameless combustion chamber oxidizes the gaseous fuel during the gradual oxidation process. A compressor may be provided in the system that provides an increase in the pressure of the contaminated liquid before the liquid enters the flameless combustion chamber.

In some embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize the gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.01 seconds to about 10 seconds. In certain embodiments, the flameless combustion chamber maintains a maximum temperature below a temperature that causes the formation of nitric oxide. Some embodiments also include a turbine in fluid communication with a flameless combustion chamber, the turbine configured to receive exhaust gas and expand the exhaust gas.

This document describes methods for oxidizing solid fuels, which include the steps of extracting gaseous fuels from solid fuels through a solid fuel gasification unit; purification of gaseous fuel with a cleaning liquid in a gas scrubber to remove pollutants from the gaseous fuel; removal of cleaning fluid and pollutants from the scrubber to the flameless combustion chamber; and oxidizing the pollutants in the combustion chamber by (i) maintaining the internal temperature in the combustion chamber sufficient to provide a gradual oxidation process and (ii) providing such a residence time in the combustion chamber that substantially all of the pollutants from the scrubber are oxidized in the combustion chamber.

Some methods provide that the flameless combustion chamber maintains a gradual oxidation process without a catalyst. Some methods provide that gaseous fuels are purified with water through a scrubber. In some methods, the pollutants received by the combustion chamber from the scrubber are in water. Certain methods further include compressing water and pollutants by means of a compressor before oxidation in a flameless combustion chamber. In some methods, the residence time is from about 0.01 seconds to about 10 seconds.

Certain methods also include the removal of heated and compressed gas from the flameless combustion chamber to the turbine and the expansion of the gas in the turbine. Some methods further include removing gaseous fuel from the scrubber to the flameless combustion chamber and oxidizing the gaseous fuel during the gradual oxidation process. In some methods, substantially all of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber is discharged to the flameless combustion chamber and oxidized by the flameless combustion chamber.

Some methods provide that the first part of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber is discharged into the flameless combustion chamber and oxidized by the flameless combustion chamber, and the second part of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber is distributed away from the combustion chamber. In some methods, gaseous fuel is diverted to the flameless combustion chamber by the first inlet, and the combustion chamber receives the complementary gaseous fuel from the second inlet. In certain methods, it is provided that the combustion chamber maintains a maximum internal temperature below a temperature that causes the formation of nitric oxide.

This document describes methods for oxidizing contaminants in a liquid, including operations for supplying a contaminated liquid to a flameless combustion chamber through a first inlet; supplying fuel to the flameless combustion chamber by means of a second inlet; and oxidizing the pollutants in the contaminated liquid together with the fuel in the flameless combustion chamber by (i) maintaining the internal temperature in the combustion chamber sufficient to ensure a gradual oxidation process, (ii) maintaining the maximum temperature in the combustion chamber below a temperature that causes oxide formation nitrogen, and (iii) providing such a residence time in the combustion chamber that substantially all of the contaminants from the scrubber are oxidized in the combustion chamber. Some methods provide that the flameless combustion chamber maintains a gradual oxidation process without a catalyst. In some methods, the residence time is from about 0.01 seconds to about 10 seconds.

In certain methods, it is provided that the contaminated liquid is discharged into the combustion chamber from a scrubber, which provides for the purification of the gaseous fuel with water. In some methods, the contaminated liquid contains water from the scrubber. Some methods provide that the fuel contains gaseous fuel from the scrubber, and the flameless combustion chamber oxidizes the gaseous fuel during the gradual oxidation process. Certain methods further include compressing the contaminated liquid before supplying the liquid to the flameless combustion chamber. Some methods further include discharging the heated and compressed gas from the flameless combustion chamber to the turbine and expanding the gas in the turbine.

Details of one or more embodiments of these ideas are shown in the accompanying drawings and in the description below. Other features, objectives, and advantages of these ideas will become apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A general configuration in which various features of the invention are implemented will be described below with reference to the drawings. The drawings and related descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention, and not to limit the scope of the invention. Throughout the drawings, reference numerals are used repeatedly to indicate correspondence between designated elements.

Figa is a schematic representation of embodiments of a power plant with a gasifier.

Figv is a schematic representation of embodiments of a power plant with a gasifier.

2A is a schematic illustration of further embodiments of a gasifier power plant.

2B is a schematic illustration of further embodiments of a gasifier power plant.

3A is a schematic illustration of further embodiments of a gasifier power plant.

3B is a schematic illustration of further embodiments of a gasifier power plant.

4 is a schematic illustration of embodiments of a gas turbine system.

5 is a schematic illustration of further embodiments of a gas turbine system.

6 is a schematic illustration of additional embodiments of a gas turbine system.

7A is a flowchart showing a fluid flow in an exemplary oxidative reaction system.

7B is a flowchart showing a fluid flow in an exemplary oxidative reaction system.

7C is a flowchart showing a fluid flow in an exemplary oxidative reaction system.

Fig. 7D is a block diagram showing a fluid flow in an exemplary oxidative reaction system.

Fig. 8 is a schematic illustration of embodiments of a gas turbine system.

Fig.9 is a schematic illustration of additional embodiments of a gas turbine system.

10 is a schematic illustration of further embodiments of a gas turbine system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Gasification of solid fuels, such as coal or biomass, can be used to form gaseous fuels. During gasification processes, carbon materials such as coal, oil, biofuels or biomass are converted, for example, to carbon monoxide and hydrogen by introducing the starting material into the reaction at high temperatures with an adjustable amount of oxygen and / or steam. These processes lead to the formation of gases that can be used as fuel in systems that are otherwise incompatible with solid fuels.

In some embodiments of the gasification processes, solid fuels containing organic material are provided. One example of biomass gasification is the incomplete combustion of biomass, which leads to the formation of combustible gases, including carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H ₂ ) and methane (CH ₄ ). This mixture may be called generator gas or fuel gas. Fuel gas can be used to operate internal combustion engines, can be used as a replacement for boiler fuel oil, and can be used to produce methanol. Since biomass material can undergo gasification, this process is of interest when comparing it with the production of ethanol or biogas, in which fuel can be obtained only from certain types of biomass materials. Gasification of biomass is provided only as an example of gasification processes, and it is contemplated that the invention is not limited to gasification of biomass, since gasification processes can be performed using other carbon materials.

During gasification, a limited amount of oxygen or air is introduced into the reactor together with the organic material to allow slight or partial oxidation of some of the organic material, the formation of carbon monoxide and energy production. This first process initiates a second reaction, which provides further conversion of the organic material to hydrogen and additional carbon dioxide. The third reaction occurs when carbon monoxide and residual water from organic material react with the formation of methane and excess carbon dioxide. This third reaction occurs with greater completeness in reactors, which provide an increase in the residence time of reactive gases and organic materials, as well as an increase in temperature and pressure in the reactor.

The products of complete combustion of biomass usually contain nitrogen, water vapor, carbon dioxide and may contain oxygen and nitrogen. However, with incomplete combustion during gasification, the products are combustible gases (for example, CO, H ₂ and CH ₄ ). Less useful products of the gasification process include, for example, tar / tar and dust. The formation of fuel gases is ensured by the reaction of water vapor and carbon dioxide through, for example, a hot layer of charcoal. Thus, in many gasification systems, the processes include creating the conditions under which the conversion of biomass to charcoal is ensured, and maintaining the appropriate temperature of the charcoal to convert charcoal to CO and H ₂ . Among the various types of gasification systems are, for example, downstream gasifiers, upstream gasifiers and cross-flow gasifiers.

However, some features of a given gaseous fuel and the processes that are used to form a given gaseous fuel cause limited use of gasification processes. For example, most gasification processes produce lean gas. For example, obtained in some gasification processes, fuel gas comprises only about 2-6 volume percent CH ₄ . The low percentage of fuel gas limits its possible use. This document describes methods and systems in which fuel gas is used at the same low levels that are provided by these gasification processes.

In many gasification processes, moisture is generated when fuel gas is used, either through reactions provided in the process, or through the processing of fuel gas. In some cases, fuel gas should be flushed / wet cleaned or cleaned. This can be done by purifying the gas with water. This can lead to an increase in moisture content in the fuel gas, which may make the fuel gas less suitable for many applications. This document describes methods and systems in which fuel gas and scrubber water are used by the power generation system to both clean the scrubber water and increase the yield of the power generation system by introducing scrubber water into the power generation system.

Gasification processes also produce undesirable components such as tar / tar. As mentioned above, one method of purifying fuel gas is to wet clean the gas with water. This process is undesirable as the water becomes contaminated with tar / tar and other hydrocarbons extracted from the gas. In this case, water becomes hazardous waste, and the removal of this water can be very costly. The tar / tar removal from the gas was also carried out by means of filters, which require regular maintenance and can lead to periodic shutdowns of the system for cleaning or replacing filters. This document describes embodiments of an integrated power plant with a gasifier, which provides wet cleaning of the fuel gas with water and subsequent water supply to the oxidation system, in which the water is evaporated and the tar / tar and other hydrocarbons are oxidized in addition to using a poor gaseous gasification product to generate electrical energy. These methods and systems provide energy production and form a means of complete consumption of contaminated water.

1A shows embodiments of an integrated gasification and oxidation system 50. Solid fuel 21 and 23 is supplied through a conveyor 22 to the gasifier 19 through the receiving hopper 24 of the gasifier. The gasifier includes a blower 20, which provides air intended to react with the fuel in such a way that partial or incomplete oxidation is provided. Through a chain of temperature and time-dependent reactions, the gasifier converts solid fuel to fuel gas with components such as CO, H ₂ and CH ₄ . Fuel gas also contains nitrogen and carbon dioxide, which reduce its energy content. Other complex hydrocarbons such as C ₄ s, C ₅ s, C ₆ s and C ₇ s, and ash are also formed during the gasification process. Some of these products are trapped by gas as contaminants such as tar / tar and particulate matter, as mentioned above.

There is reason to believe that the pollutants in the fuel gas will harm end-users of the gas and should be removed from the gas. For example, if gas is cooled to be used as fuel for gas turbines, contaminants can damage the compressor and turbine components. This cooling and removal of contaminants is provided, for example, by wet cleaning the gas leaving the gasifier by means of a stream of water in the gas scrubber 27. By means of the pump 108, pipes 28 and 30 and the spray nozzle 29, the water contained in the reservoir 104 is circulated. the implementation provides that the water is cooled during circulation. Water from reservoir 104 becomes increasingly polluted as it purifies new gas flows. In some embodiments, other liquids are used to wet clean the fuel gas, and these embodiments function in a similar manner.

As illustrated in FIG. 1A, water having contaminants contained therein can be used in the integrated system 50 with a gasifier and a gas turbine. In some embodiments, the contaminants may be tar / tar and other hydrocarbons that may be oxidized during the gradual oxidation process. During this process, tar / tar and hydrocarbons can be used as fuel, as they will be completely oxidized and “contribute” as fuel in the system. Accordingly, as described herein, water with fuel can be called water mixed with fuel gas, or water with pollutants that will be oxidized in the reaction chamber 101. In addition, as described herein, water with pollutants can be called water with fuel gas or pollutants from the gasifier 19.

The exemplary system 50 of FIG. 1A includes an air source (eg, ambient air) 110 that can be connected to a gasifier 19 and can receive wet cleaned fuel gas via a feed line 31. The system also includes a compressor 114, a turbine 115, a heat exchanger 122, a pressure generating device 108, an evaporation chamber 118 and a reaction chamber 101. An integrated power plant with a gasifier may include additional components, fewer components / Or other components that may be used in the same and / or other means.

An air source 110 provides air for oxidation processes in the reaction chamber 101. An air source 110 provides gas from a gasifier 19, which is mixed with air. The air source 110 may provide air from the atmosphere surrounding the system 50. The air from the air source 110 may contain oxygen in any concentration sufficient to oxidize the fuel. Air from the air source 110 may include gases other than gaseous oxygen. For example, air may include nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and / or other chemically active or chemically inactive gases.

Air from the air source 110 may be supplied to the compressor 114. In the exemplary system 50 shown in FIG. 1A, the compressor 114 may receive mechanical rotational energy from the turbine 115 via a shaft. The mechanical rotational energy from the turbine 115 may be used in the compressor 114 to increase the pressure of the air-fuel mixture in the compressor 114. In some embodiments, the system 50 may include a compressor that operates differently.

Compressed air can be supplied from compressor 114 to heat exchanger 122. The compression process causes air to be heated, and air can be additionally heated by heat exchanger 122. Heat exchanger 122 receives compressed air from compressor 114, heats the compressed air and supplies heated compressed air to the reaction chamber 101 The heat exchanger 122 can also receive exhaust gas from the turbine 115. In the heat exchanger 122, heat from the exhaust gas can be used to pre-heat the compressed air. For example, the exhaust gas and the air-fuel mixture may come into contact with opposite sides of the heat transfer structure passing through the heat exchanger 122. The heat transfer structure may allow heat to be taken from the exhaust gas having a higher temperature and to transfer this heat energy to the air having a lower temperature.

In the example shown, the reservoir 104 for the fluid contains a liquid mixture 102, which includes liquid water and fuel and / or pollutants from the gasification process. The reservoir 104 for the fluid may contain additional and / or other gas, liquid and / or solids. The fluid reservoir 104 may include any type of system or container for holding fluid with any suitable size or configuration. The reservoir 104 for the fluid may have inlets and / or outlets that allow fluid to enter the reservoir 104 for the fluid and the removal of fluid from the reservoir 104 for the fluid. In some examples, the liquid mixture 102 includes liquid ethanol, liquid kerosene and / or another type of liquid fuel. In some examples, the liquid mixture 102 includes tar / tar and other contaminants from the gasification process. The fluid mixture 102 may include water from any source of water.

The fluid mixture 102 may include fluids from a source of fluids. Many different types of fluid sources are possible. Some examples of fluid sources include winemaking enterprises, ethanol enterprises, landfills / landfills, alcohol companies, oil refineries, steel mills, chemical plants, oil fields, catering and / or other sources of liquid fuel and / or water in a liquid state. As used herein, the term “fluid” is a general term, and is intended to encompass, without limitation, substances that are capable of flowing like a liquid or gas. In some embodiments, the term “fluid fuel” refers to gaseous fuel, but in many embodiments, the term “fluid fuel” can refer to a fuel that is in at least one state from a liquid and gaseous state. In some embodiments, the term “fluid fuel” can refer to both liquid fuel and gaseous fuel.

The fluid mixture 102 may be supplied from the fluid reservoir 104 to the vaporization chamber 118. In the exemplary system 50 shown, conduit 106 and pressure generating device 108 provide fluid communication between the outlet of the fluid reservoir 104 and the inlet of the vaporization chamber 118 The pressure generating device 108 may be a pump or other type of device that causes fluid to flow from the reservoir 104 into the evaporation chamber 118. The evaporation chamber 118 may include heat oobmennik or other type of heating device, which provides increased temperature of the liquid mixture 102.

An increase in the temperature of the liquid mixture can lead to an increase in the rate at which the liquids evaporate in the evaporation chamber 118. The exhaust from the system 50 and / or other sources of thermal energy can be used to heat the liquids in the evaporation chamber 118. In the example shown, conduit 124 provides thermal energy to the evaporation chamber 118 from the heat exchanger 122. After the transfer of thermal energy to the evaporation chamber 118, the exhaust can be discharged into the atmosphere through exhaust 112.

The liquid mixture 102 is vaporized in the evaporation chamber 118 to form a gas mixture. The gas mixture generated in the evaporation chamber 118 may include fuel vapor from liquid fuel in mixture 102 and / or water vapor from liquid water present in mixture 102. For example, heating a liquid mixture that is a mixture of ethanol and water, can provide evaporation of both ethanol and water.

The gas mixture formed in the evaporation chamber 118 can be introduced into the reaction chamber 101. In the example shown in FIG. 1A, the gas mixture, which includes evaporated water and fuel or contaminants, enters the pipe 120 and from the pipe 120 to line 128 for mixing it with compressed and preheated air from heat exchanger 122. Since the evaporation chamber 118 in FIG. 1A provides the formation of a gaseous mixture of fuel and water, mixing the flow exiting the evaporation chamber 118 with air in the conduit 120 causes the formation of a gaseous mixture of air, fuel and water. As mentioned above, since pollutants will be oxidized in the reaction chamber 101, even pollutants are referred to herein as fuels.

Air and fuel are held in the reaction chamber 101 during the oxidation of the fuel. The oxidation of fuel in the reaction chamber 101 can be initiated by raising the temperature of the fuel to a temperature equal to the temperature of spontaneous combustion of the fuel or higher than the temperature of spontaneous combustion of the fuel. The system 50 can provide for the initiation of oxidation in the reaction chamber 101, regardless of materials representing oxidation catalysts (e.g., platinum), and regardless of the source of ignition (e.g., flame or spark). The fuel may be oxidized by air in the reaction chamber 101 without increasing the temperature of the air-fuel mixture to a temperature exceeding the threshold temperature, for example, by maintaining the maximum temperature of the fuel in the reaction chamber below a threshold temperature. The threshold temperature can be determined based on one or more factors, for example, the threshold temperature can be the recommended or maximum operating temperature of the turbine, the recommended or maximum temperature at the inlet of the turbine, the temperature that causes the formation of nitrogen oxides, the temperature selected based on the fuel flow rate passing through the reaction chamber 101 and / or other factors.

In some embodiments, the fuel is oxidized in the reaction chamber 101 at a temperature that is lower than the temperature causing the formation of nitrogen oxides. Essentially, the reaction chamber 101 can provide oxidation of almost all of the fuel while simultaneously generating only minimal amounts of nitrogen oxides. For example, the exhaust gas 112 from the system may include each of the substances, which are nitric oxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and CO, in an amount of less than one part per million and may even provide a reduction in the concentrations of volatile organic compounds and CO contained in incoming air.

In some cases, the heat storage capacity of the refractory materials in the reaction chamber 101 can serve as a compensator / damper to absorb heat and prevent excessive temperatures that could cause damage to the turbine and / or the formation of unwanted by-products (e.g., nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds and / or others). In some cases, the heat storage capacity of the refractory materials in the reaction chamber 101 can provide a temporary source of thermal energy, which can help maintain the fuel oxidation process.

The reaction chamber 101 may have one or more inlets. Each of the inlets can provide air, fuel, water, or any combination of these components to the reaction chamber. For example, a gaseous mixture of fuel and water from the evaporation chamber 118 can be supplied directly to the reaction chamber 101. In some embodiments, the liquid mixture 102 can be supplied directly to the reaction chamber 101 in a liquid state, as will be illustrated in the embodiments described herein . The reaction chamber 101 has one or more outlets that allow the supply of oxidized fuel and / or other materials to the turbine 115.

In the example shown, the exhaust pipe 132 supplies exhaust gas to the inlet of the turbine 115 through a conduit 130. When the fuel contained in the water mixture includes contaminants from the gasifier, it may be preferable to include a filter 32 in the line with the pipe 132 to ensure that heated air passing to the turbine 115 will not cause damage to the turbine or other components of the system 50. The filter 32 may be configured to collect ash or dust that form a resulting oxidation of contaminants or other components in a mixture of 102 water.

During the heating process and / or during prolonged operation, the gas exiting the exhaust chamber of the reaction chamber 101 may include products of complete oxidation of the fuel, chemically inactive gases, and only negligible amounts of nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide. In some cases, the gas leaving the reaction chamber 101 at the exhaust may include unoxidized fuel, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and / or other materials in amounts exceeding negligible amounts.

Turbine 115 converts the energy of the gaseous oxidation product into mechanical energy of rotational motion. An exemplary turbine 115 receives oxidized fuel through a turbine inlet, expands oxidized fuel between a turbine inlet and a turbine outlet, and expands the expanded gas through a turbine outlet. In some embodiments, the mixture remains in the reaction chamber 101 long enough to oxidize substantially all of the fuel in the mixture, including contaminants from the gasifier. In some cases, the heat generated in the reaction chamber 101 during oxidation of the evaporated fuel and / or pollutants in the liquid mixture 102 can provide sufficient thermal energy to heat the incoming fuel to an oxidation temperature while maintaining the internal temperature of the reaction chamber 101 above the temperature required for oxidizing fuel and supplying turbine 115 with energy.

After that, the exhaust gas is supplied to the turbine 115, and the turbine 115 converts the thermal energy of the exhaust gas into mechanical energy of rotational motion. The mechanical rotational energy provided by the turbine 115 drives the compressor 114, and the turbine 115 supplies the gas exiting the turbine 115 to the heat exchanger 122. The exhaust gas supplies the heat exchanger 122 with thermal energy and is then preferably supplied to the evaporation chamber 118 to supply the evaporation chamber 118 thermal energy. Exhaust gas exits the system through outlet 112, for example, through an exhaust pipe.

Scrubber and / or cooling water (or other cooling liquid) in the reservoir 104 allows the tar / resin, solids and other soluble contaminants to be trapped from the gas stream in the gasifier. The fluid is pumped through a pipe 28 through a pipe 28 to a scrubber tank 27, in which it is sprayed onto a gas stream exiting from the gasifier 19 and fed into a scrubber tank 27 through a pipe 26. The scrubber fluid collects tar / tar and solid particles from the gas and moves the tar / resin and particulate matter to tank 104 through pipe 30. When the concentration of tar / resin and particulate matter in the water or liquid reaches a sufficiently high value, dirty water or liquid is pumped into the evaporator 18. A cooling system may be added a liquid intended for lowering the temperature of a liquid before its recycling for further wet cleaning. The evaporator 118 is heated by means of a gas leaving the heat exchanger 10, but a sufficient amount of heat is retained to evaporate dirty water or liquid. Vapors from evaporator 118 are supplied to pipe 128 and from there to reaction chamber 101, in which the fuel part of the vapor and part of the vapor formed by contaminants are oxidized using any useful heat from the gas.

In some cases, the dirty water is too polluted, and the evaporator 118 may not be able to vaporize all the pollutants in the water through the heat of the exhaust gas. For such a situation, the systems shown in FIGS. 2A-3B may be used.

2A illustrates further embodiments of an integrated gasifier system 60. In this configuration, the evaporated water, along with the vaporized or trapped contaminants, is introduced directly into the reaction chamber 101 from the evaporator 118, after which the reaction continues to a significant extent as before.

FIG. 3A illustrates further embodiments of an integrated gasifier system 70 in which contaminated water is sprayed directly into the reaction chamber 101 and does not first pass through the evaporation chamber 118. As soon as the water and the contaminants are in the reaction chamber 101, water and pollutants are oxidized and the gases generated in this way are transported through the reaction chamber 101 and into the turbine 115. If the atomization of water is characterized by a tendency to cool the reaction chamber 101, then It may be restricted or discontinued temporarily until such time as the reaction chamber 101 is again sufficiently hot. Any ash that is transported will be trapped either on the porous media inside the reaction chamber 101 or in the high-temperature filter 32. Other potential means of trapping the ash include the use of gravity, directional changes, or cyclone separators. Alternatively, the binary system can be used so that if the ash content is too high, a second reaction chamber 101 can be used, so that while the ash is removed from one reaction chamber, the other is in operation.

Removing contaminated water may or may not improve system efficiency and / or yield, depending on how the process is performed. If contaminated water contains significant amounts of hydrocarbons, energy in the hydrocarbons can be released, resulting in increased output due to the use of fuel, which otherwise would go to waste. In addition, if the heat of the gases leaving the system is used to generate steam in the configurations of FIGS. 1A-2B, the overall efficiency of the system can be improved.

In some of the configurations described above, the temperature inside the reaction chamber 101 may be maintained below 2300 ° F (1260 ° C), and this temperature is the temperature at which harmful NO _x begin to form. Therefore, these embodiments have the additional advantage of preventing the formation of NO _x .

1B, 2B and 3B show embodiments of integrated power plants with a gasifier with many features similar to those illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 2A and 3A. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1B, 2B, and 3B, the systems are configured to redirect the gaseous fuel generated by the gasifier for use outside the system in addition to directing the gaseous fuel to the reaction chamber 101 through an air source 110. A pipe 33 is shown as connected to a scrubber 27 and a pipe 31. Gaseous fuel can be redirected through a pipe 33 for use outside the system when there is less demand for gaseous fuel in the reaction chamber 101. When there is a greater demand for gaseous fuel in the reaction chamber 101, the amount gaseous fuels whose flow direction is changed by means of a pipe 33 for use outside the system can be reduced to ensure sufficient quantity CTBA gaseous fuel to the oxidation process in the reaction chamber 101. The amount of gaseous fuel that is forwarded via a conduit 33, can be reduced to a state in which all the gaseous fuel from the scrubber 27 is sent to air source 110.

One advantage of the present invention is that the oxidation of fuel and contaminants in the reaction chamber is performed by a gradual oxidation process. During this gradual oxidation process, the temperature in the reaction chamber is maintained at a temperature that provides complete oxidation of the fuel and pollutants without the formation of a harmful exhaust. Since a gradual oxidation process is used, the moisture content of the fuel does not adversely affect the oxidation of the fuel. In many combustion chambers, the moisture content can suppress ignition of the fuel and thereby make the chamber unreliable. However, since the gradual oxidation process is performed without burning fuel, the oxidation of fuel and pollutants can be performed regardless of the increased moisture content. Indeed, in many cases, an increased moisture content may provide additional benefits.

Additional embodiments of gradual oxidation systems that can be used in conjunction with an integrated gasifier power plant are described below. Although the gasifier is not illustrated in these embodiments, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand how the gasifier will work based on the previous descriptions of the systems and operations described below. In the embodiments below, the mixture of water and fuel may include, unless explicitly stated otherwise, supplied water that contains contaminants from the gasification process that will be oxidized in the reaction chamber through a gradual oxidation process, since the contaminants may “serve” as fuel during this process.

As mentioned above, fuels containing water are often not compatible with some conventional combustion processes, as the water content of the fuel makes it non-combustible. In addition, water evaporates when the fuel is ignited, and the latent heat of vaporization is due to the removal of heat from the combustion process. If the water content of the fuel is too high, combustion cannot be carried out. Ethanol, a common alcohol that can be obtained from fruits, sugarcane, grains, cellulosic waste, and other sources, has been used as a renewable fuel, but ethanol is typically produced by first forming a diluted mixture of ethanol and water and then separating water from mixtures. Water and ethanol are completely mixed, and the separation of water requires expensive distillation. Even distillation usually cannot ensure the separation of all water from ethanol, and, as a rule, special processes are needed to make ethanol completely anhydrous. Similarly, oil-water mixtures from fuel tanks and wastewater collection tanks are often transported to means for separating and / or decomposing water for processing purposes, which can be quite expensive. A gas turbine that can efficiently consume a mixture of fuel and water can reduce fuel consumption, fuel costs, reduce cleaning requirements and / or reduce environmental damage. In some conventional systems, the latent heat of vaporization of liquid fuel and any trapped water causes a reduction in the energy cycle of a gas turbine.

In the exemplary system 100 shown in FIG. 4, a mixture of fuel and water 102 is stored in a tank 104. A mixture of fuel and water 102 may include contaminants from a gasifier. The mixture can be injected by using a pressure generating device 108 through a heat exchanger / evaporator 118. The exhaust gas exiting the heat exchanger 122 through a pipe 124 is supplied to the evaporator 118, in which the liquid mixture of fuel and water is vaporized. Due to the evaporation of liquid fuel and water by means of excess heat, which would otherwise be removed to the atmosphere, the latent heat of vaporization is provided from the source of excess heat and, therefore, does not significantly reduce the efficiency of the system.

In some embodiments, the overall system efficiency may be improved. For example, it is estimated that for many common types of liquid fuels (for example, ethanol, gasoline, petroleum distillates and / or others), a mixture of fuel and water, which has 25 volume percent of the fuel, can be evaporated only by the excess heat taken from the exhaust system. An additional advantage is that the evaporated water can provide an increase in the mass flow of the gas mixture and, therefore, can also provide an increase in the output power of the turbine. In some embodiments, the water-fuel mixture may include contaminants from a gasifier.

In some embodiments, environmental damage can be reduced by reducing emissions of pollutants and / or other harmful materials. For example, system 100 can provide fuel oxidation in a manner that reduces or eliminates emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO _x ), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and / or other types of potentially hazardous gases.

In some embodiments, system 100 can reduce or eliminate the formation of nitrogen oxides by maintaining the maximum fuel temperature below 2300 ° F (1260 ° C) during continuous operation (temperatures above 2300 degrees Fahrenheit (° F) can cause the formation of nitrogen oxides ) By controlling the temperature and residence time inside the reaction chamber, a gas turbine system can provide exhaust gases having a carbon monoxide (CO) content of less than one ppm (ppm) and / or a nitric oxide (NO _x ) content of less than one parts per million. In some embodiments, the system 100 may be configured to allow formation of exhaust gases having an NO _x content of less than 5 ppm. In some embodiments, the system 100 may be configured to allow formation of exhaust gases having an NO _x content of less than 3 ppm. In some embodiments, the system 100 may be configured to allow formation of exhaust gases having an NO _x content of less than 2 ppm. Some systems provide for the formation of exhaust gases having a CO content of 15 ppm or more and / or an NO _x content of 15 ppm or more.

In some embodiments, the system 100 is configured to reduce or eliminate the formation of nitrogen oxides by maintaining a maximum temperature in the reaction chamber 101 that is below a threshold temperature at which significant formation of nitrogen oxides occurs. For example, in some embodiments, the maximum temperature in the reaction chamber 101 is less than 2300 ° F (1260 ° C). In some embodiments, the implementation of the maximum temperature in the reaction chamber 101 is in the range from approximately 2000 ° F (1093.3 ° C) to approximately 2300 ° F (1260 ° C). In some embodiments, the maximum temperature in the reaction chamber 101 is in the range of from about 2100 ° F. (1148.9 ° C.) to about 2300 ° F. (1260 ° C.). In some embodiments, the maximum temperature in the reaction chamber 101 is in the range of from about 2200 ° F (1204.4 ° C) to about 2300 ° F (1260 ° C). In some embodiments, the maximum temperature in the reaction chamber 101 may exceed about 2300 ° F (1260 ° C) or be less than about 2000 ° F (1093.3 ° C).

Some mixtures of fuel and water (for example, mixtures of ethanol and water, by-products of biomass processing and others) are relatively easy to obtain, but they require additional processing for some modern power plants. Such fuel can be directly used in the system described herein to generate energy, and in some cases provides even more energy than fuel that is not mixed with water. In some cases, a power plant can run on a mixture of fuel and water, which is mostly water. For example, a mixture of evaporated fuel and water can be fed into a reaction chamber that provides oxidation of the fuel, and energy from oxidation of the fuel can provide the drive of the turbine.

In some cases, the efficiency / efficiency is further enhanced by using the heat of the turbine exhaust gas to vaporize all or part of the fuel-water mixture before introducing the fuel-water mixture into the reaction chamber. In addition, the mass flow through the system can increase due to the steam generated from the water, which can lead to an additional increase in the output of the system. An increased yield (without increasing the amount of fuel introduced) can also provide increased efficiency. In some embodiments, water vapor from such a system provides an increase in mass flow through the oxidizing agent by a maximum of about 6%, while the resulting efficiency and potential yield increase by a maximum of about 5%. For example, in a 200 kW system, an increase in power may be approximately 12 kW without an increase in fuel consumption.

In some embodiments, a mixture containing about 25% ethanol and about 75% water can be evaporated by the waste heat from the power plant, and the turbine system can process the resulting evaporated mixture to generate energy. In some embodiments, the mixture may include approximately 20% ethanol and 80% water, and in further embodiments, the mixture may include approximately 15% ethanol and 85% water. In further embodiments, the mixture may have a water content in excess of about 85% and / or an ethanol content of less than about 15%. For example, in some embodiments, the mixture may include up to about 15% ethanol. In some embodiments, the mixture may include from about 2% to about 15% ethanol. In embodiments that have a low fuel content, for example, in embodiments with a mixture with an ethanol content of about 2% to about 15%, additional fuel may be added to supplement the low fuel mixture, as explained hereinafter document. In some embodiments, other fuels other than ethanol may be used with the same or similar proportions.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a gas turbine system 100 in which fuel mixed with water can be used. An exemplary system 100 includes an air source (eg, ambient air) 110, a compressor 114, a turbine 115, a heat exchanger 122, a fluid reservoir 104, a pressure generating device 108, an evaporation chamber 118, and a reaction chamber 101. As shown in FIG. .4, an exemplary system 100 may also include an electric power generator 119. In the exemplary system shown, shaft 105 mechanically connects turbine 115 to compressor 114 and generator 119 (the combination of turbine 115, compressor 114, and generator 119 is called a turbogenerator). The gas turbine system may include additional components, fewer components and / or other components that can be used in the same and / or other way.

An exemplary air source 110 provides air for oxidation processes in the reaction chamber 101. Hydrocarbon fuel is oxidized when it is heated to a temperature above its spontaneous combustion temperature in the presence of oxygen. An air source 110 supplies oxygen containing gas that mixes with the fuel to oxidize the fuel. In some embodiments, an air source 110 is provided to the system 100 via a gasifier, as explained in the embodiments herein. The air source 110 may provide air from the atmosphere surrounding the system 100. The air from the air source 110 may contain oxygen in any concentration sufficient to oxidize the fuel. Air from the air source 110 may include gases other than gaseous oxygen. For example, air may include nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and / or other chemically active or chemically inactive gases.

In some embodiments, combustible gases may be added to the air source 110 to control the performance of the system 100. For example, in embodiments in which the low-fuel mixture does not contain enough fuel for self-sustaining decomposition or in which the oxidation process cannot be supported, combustible gases may be added together with air in the air source 110 to provide sufficient fuel for the oxidation process. Combustible gases that may be added to the air source 110 include, for example, without limitation, hydrogen, methane, ethane, ethylene, natural gas, propane, propylene, propadiene, n-butane, isobutane, butylene-1, butadiene, isopentane, n-pentane, acetylene, hexane and carbon monoxide.

In some embodiments, the amount of combustible gas added to the air source 110 may be controlled depending on the amount of fuel found in the fuel / water mixture 102. If the fuel content of the fuel-water mixture 102 changes so that the mixture 102 has an undesired fuel concentration, in response to this, the amount of combustible gases added to the air source 110 can be increased or decreased. In some embodiments, the amount of combustible gas added to the air source 110 depends on the amount of fuel in the fuel and water mixture 102 entering the system 100. In some embodiments, the amount of combustible gas added to the air source 110 depends on a combination of the content fuel in a mixture of fuel and water and temperature in a reaction chamber 101. In some embodiments, the amount of combustible gas added to the air source 110 depends on a combination of the fuel content willow in a mixture of 102 fuel and water and changes in temperature or rate of change in temperature in the reaction chamber 101.

The amount of fuel in the fuel-water mixture 102 can be determined in the liquid tank 104, between the pressure generating device 108 and the vaporization chamber 118, or between the vaporization chamber 118 and the reaction chamber 101. Since in some cases some fuel is in the fuel-water mixture 102 can be oxidized by heating the fuel-water mixture 102 by means of the evaporation chamber 118, in some embodiments it is provided that the fuel content in the fuel-water mixture 102 is determined between the evaporation chamber 118 and the reaction chamber 101. In such embodiments, the amount of combustible gas added to the air source 110 depends on the fuel content in the fuel-water mixture 102 defined between the evaporation chamber 118 and the reaction chamber 101.

In some cases, the fuel / water mixture 102 may contain additional components that may not be considered fuel. For example, in some embodiments, the fuel-water mixture 102 may contain contaminants and water. Contaminated water may be a by-product of some other process, and contaminated water is supplied to system 100 to oxidize contaminated water or wastewater. For example, contaminated water may come from a scrubber, which is part of a gasifier, as described above. In the gasification process, water is used to clean the resulting gaseous fuel from contaminants before distributing the gaseous fuel for use. After that, the contaminated water is supplied to the system 100, for example, by the deposition of contaminated water in the tank 104 for liquid. Then, the contaminated water is sucked into the system 100 in a manner similar to that described above for the fuel and water mixture 102, and the water evaporates during the oxidation of the pollutants in the reaction chamber 101. Thus, the system 100 can function as a means of treating and purifying the contaminated, toxic or waste water. System 100 can function as a pollution control device that purifies contaminated water while at the same time generating a minimum amount of harmful gaseous by-product, if any.

In embodiments where the fuel-water mixture 102 has a very low fuel content, comprises a combination of low fuel and contaminated water, or includes only contaminated water, the complementary gaseous fuel can be introduced into the system 100 via an air source 110, as explained above. . In some embodiments, the gaseous fuel is essentially the only fuel that maintains the oxidation process in the reaction chamber 101. In some embodiments, the gaseous fuel is at least a portion of the gaseous fuel produced by the gasifier.

In some cases, the contaminated water supplied to the system 100 may be supplemented with liquid fuel before being oxidized in the reaction chamber 101. For example, if contaminated water from a gasifier is introduced into the liquid tank 104, liquid fuel may be added to the liquid tank 104 to increase the fuel content in a mixture of 102 fuel and water. This process may be performed in addition to introducing gaseous fuel into the air source 110, or instead of introducing this gaseous fuel.

Air from the air source 110 may be supplied to the compressor 114. In the exemplary system 100 shown in FIG. 4, the exemplary compressor 114 receives air from the air source 110 through the inlet of the compressor, compresses the resulting air and removes the compressed air through the outlet of the compressor. Compressor 114 may receive rotational mechanical energy from turbine 115 via shaft 105. Rotational mechanical energy from turbine 115 may be used in compressor 114 to increase the pressure of the air-fuel mixture in compressor 114. In some embodiments, system 100 may include a compressor, which works differently. An exemplary shaft 105 transmits rotational energy from turbine 115 to compressor 114 and generator 119. In some embodiments, shaft 105 may include multiple shafts. For example, a first shaft can transmit energy from a turbine 115 to a compressor 114, and a second shaft can transfer energy from a turbine to a generator 119.

Compressed air can be supplied from compressor 114 to heat exchanger 122. The compression process causes air to heat, and heat exchanger 122 can provide additional air heating. An exemplary heat exchanger 122 receives compressed air from the compressor 114, heats the compressed air, and draws heated compressed air to the reaction chamber 101. The heat exchanger 122 can also receive gas from the turbine 115. Heat from the exhaust gas can be used in the heat exchanger 122 to preheating compressed air. For example, the exhaust gas and the air-fuel mixture may come into contact with opposite sides of the heat transfer structure passing through the heat exchanger 122. The heat transfer structure can provide heat energy from the exhaust gas having a higher temperature and transfer heat energy to the air having a lower temperature. In some embodiments, system 100 may include a heat exchanger that operates differently. For example, system 100 can provide preheating of air by using heat from another source, or system 100 can supply air to reaction chamber 101 without preheating the mixture.

Air can be mixed with fuel to form an air-fuel mixture before air and fuel are fed into reaction chamber 101. Typically, air can be connected to fuel anywhere in system 100. For example, fuel can be mixed with air before air is fed into compressor 114, before supplying air to the heat exchanger 122, before supplying air to the reaction chamber and / or after supplying air to the reaction chamber 101. In the example shown in FIG. 4, air is mixed with fuel in a conduit 128 between the heat exchanger 122 and the morning part of the reaction chamber 101. The fuel entering the line 128 includes gaseous fuel formed by vaporizing the liquid mixture 102 in the evaporation chamber 118. In some cases, air and fuel can be mixed at the inlet of the reaction chamber.

In the shown example, the reservoir 104 for the fluid contains a liquid mixture 102, which includes liquid fuel and water in a liquid state. The reservoir 104 for the fluid may contain additional and / or other gas, liquid and / or solids. The fluid reservoir 104 may include any type of system or container for holding fluid with any suitable size or configuration. The reservoir 104 for the fluid may have inlets and / or outlets that allow fluid to enter the reservoir 104 for the fluid and the removal of fluid from the reservoir 104 for the fluid. In some examples, the liquid mixture 102 includes liquid ethanol, liquid kerosene and / or another type of liquid fuel. The fluid mixture 102 may include water from any source of water.

In some embodiments, the water in the liquid mixture 102 includes contaminants, solid particles, toxic materials, and / or other types of substances. In some embodiments, contaminants, solid particles, toxic materials, and / or other types of substances may result from using water to wet clean the gas stream in the gasifier. Typically, the liquid mixture 102 may have any ratio of water to fuel. In some examples, the liquid mixture 102 has a low percentage of liquid fuel (e.g., 25%), and in some examples the liquid mixture 102 has a higher percentage of liquid fuel (e.g., 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70% , 80%, 90% or more). In some examples, the liquid mixture 102 has a low percentage of water in the liquid state (for example, 20%, 10% or less), and in some examples, the liquid mixture 102 has a higher percentage of water in the liquid state (for example, 30%, 40% , 50%, 60%, 70% or more). The reaction chamber 101 is preferably configured to oxidize the fuel, pollutants, particulate matter, toxic materials and / or other types of substances sufficiently to render the exhaust gases or effluents harmless. For example, in some embodiments, these substances are decomposed to at least CO ₂ , H ₂ O and O ₂ . In some embodiments, the substances decompose essentially only into CO ₂ , H ₂ O, and O ₂ .

In some cases, the liquid mixture 102 may include only liquid fuel and liquid water in the absence of any other material in the mixture 102. The liquid mixture 102 may include materials other than liquid fuel and water in the liquid state. For example, the liquid mixture 102 may include additional and / or other liquids, gases, and / or solids. In some cases, additional water may be added to the liquid mixture 102 to increase the output of the gas turbine system 100.

The fluid mixture 102 may include fluids from a source of fluids. Many different types of fluid sources are possible. Some examples of fluid sources include winemaking enterprises, ethanol enterprises, landfills / landfills, alcohol companies, oil refineries, steel mills, chemical plants, oil fields, catering and / or other sources of liquid fuel and / or water in a liquid state.

The fluid mixture 102 may be supplied from the fluid reservoir 104 to the evaporation chamber 118. In the exemplary system 100 shown, conduit 106 and pressure generating device 108 provide fluid communication between the outlet of the fluid reservoir 104 and the inlet of the evaporation chamber 118 The pressure generating device 108 may be a pump or other type of device that causes fluid to flow from the reservoir 104 into the evaporation chamber 118. The evaporation chamber 118 may include heat another type of heat exchanger or heating device, which provides an increase in the temperature of the liquid mixture 102.

An increase in the temperature of the liquid mixture can lead to an increase in the rate at which the liquids evaporate in the evaporation chamber 118. The exhaust from the turbine system 100 and / or other sources of thermal energy can be used to heat the liquids in the evaporation chamber 118. In the shown example, conduit 124 provides heat energy to the evaporation chamber 118 from the heat exchanger 122. After the transfer of thermal energy to the evaporation chamber 118, the exhaust can be discharged into the atmosphere through exhaust 112.

The liquid mixture 102 is vaporized in the evaporation chamber 118 to form a gas mixture. The gas mixture generated in the evaporation chamber 118 may include fuel vapor from liquid fuel in mixture 102 and / or water vapor from liquid water present in mixture 102. For example, heating a liquid mixture that is a mixture of ethanol and water, can provide evaporation of both ethanol and water. The ratio of evaporated substances may depend on partial pressures.

Evaporation of the liquid mixture 102 may include evaporation of water to form a gas mixture, which includes water in a gaseous state, and evaporation of the liquid mixture 102 may include evaporation of fuel to form a gas mixture, which includes gaseous fuel. The gas mixture can have any gaseous state, for example, a vapor state and / or a gaseous state of another type generated by the evaporation process. For example, the gas mixture may include an evaporated liquid, such as water vapor and / or fuel vapor, resulting from any type of vaporization process. In the vaporous state, the partial pressure of the steam may be equal to the pressure at the boiling point or exceed the pressure at the boiling point, and / or the steam temperature may be equal to the boiling point or exceed the boiling point. The gas mixture may have a temperature below the boiling point and / or a pressure below the pressure at the boiling point.

The process of liquid evaporation may include a phase transition from liquid to gas at a temperature that is lower than the boiling point of the liquid. The evaporation process may include additional and / or other types of evaporation processes. For example, in some cases, the evaporation process may include boiling and / or other thermodynamic processes that allow gas to form from the liquid. The heat for evaporating the liquid mixture 102 can be provided partially or completely by the gas leaving the heat exchanger 122. In addition to the fuel and / or water, the gas mixture generated in the evaporation chamber 118 may also include other materials. For example, vapors from a liquid mixture 102 may be mixed with additional and / or other liquids, gases and / or solids.

The gas mixture generated in the vaporization chamber 118 can be introduced into the reaction chamber 101. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the gas mixture, which includes the evaporated water and the vaporized fuel, is supplied to the pipe 120 and from the pipe 120 to the pipe 128 for mixing it with compressed and preheated air from a heat exchanger 122. Since the evaporation chamber 118 of FIG. 4 provides the formation of a gaseous mixture of fuel and water, mixing the flow exiting the evaporation chamber 118 with air in the pipeline 120 provides the formation of a gas-phase mixture of air, fuel and water. A mixture of air, fuel and water may have a low concentration of fuel, for example, a concentration that is lower than the concentration corresponding to the lower explosive limit (LEL) for fuel.

The mixture can have a low calorific value, for example, of approximately 15 BTUs per second per cubic foot (btu / scf) (37,259 kWh / m ³⁾ or less, or the mixture may have a higher calorific value. The mixture may be a non-combustible mixture, for example, unable to maintain an open flame. In some embodiments, the amount of fuel vaporized from the liquid mixture 102 is sufficient to maintain the system 100.

System 100 may further include a mixer (not shown) that can mix air with an evaporated mixture of fuel and water. Air can be mixed with fuel and water without a mixing device, for example, by injecting an evaporated fuel mixture into an air stream. In some examples, air, fuel, water and / or other substances can be mixed in additional and / or other places in the system 100. For example, the air from the air source 110 can be connected to additional fuel before the air is supplied to the compressor 114. In some examples, the reaction the chamber 101 may have an air inlet channel that allows air to be introduced from the air source 110 directly into the reaction chamber 101. In some embodiments, air may be introduced into the reaction chamber 101 as a control eye, for example, for cooling a high temperature zones in the reaction chamber 101. In some embodiments, the air and the vaporized mixture may be summed separately to the reaction chamber 101 to form a mixture of air, fuel and water in the reaction chamber 101.

Air and fuel are held in the reaction chamber 101 during the oxidation of the fuel. The oxidation of fuel in the reaction chamber 101 can be initiated by raising the temperature of the fuel to a temperature equal to the temperature of spontaneous combustion of the fuel or higher than the temperature of spontaneous combustion of the fuel. System 100 can provide for the initiation of oxidation in the reaction chamber 101, regardless of the materials that are the oxidation catalysts (e.g., platinum), and regardless of the source of ignition (e.g., a flame or spark). The fuel may be oxidized by air in the reaction chamber 101 without increasing the temperature of the air-fuel mixture to a temperature exceeding the threshold temperature, for example, by maintaining the maximum temperature of the fuel in the reaction chamber below a threshold temperature.

The threshold temperature can be determined based on one or more factors, for example, the threshold temperature can be the recommended or maximum operating temperature of the turbine, the recommended or maximum temperature at the inlet of the turbine, the temperature that causes the formation of nitrogen oxides, the temperature selected based on the fuel flow rate passing through the reaction chamber 101, and / or other factors.

In some embodiments, the fuel is oxidized in the reaction chamber 101 at a temperature that is lower than the temperature causing the formation of nitrogen oxides. Essentially, the reaction chamber 101 can provide oxidation of almost all of the fuel while simultaneously generating only minimal amounts of nitrogen oxides. For example, the exhaust gas from system 100 may include each of the substances that are nitric oxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and CO in an amount of less than one part per million and may even provide a reduction in the concentrations of volatile organic compounds and CO contained in incoming air.

The reaction chamber 101 may have an internal volume lined with insulating refractory material. Heat absorbing material at high temperatures and / or a heat-resistant material, such as ceramic material or rock, called filler, may be provided in the reaction chamber 101. The filler may have a heat storage capacity that contributes to the slow oxidation of lean fuel passing through the reaction chamber 101. Heat storage the ability can help stabilize temperatures for the gradual oxidation of fuel by transferring heat to incoming gases and receiving heat from the oxidation nnyh gases.

In some cases, the heat storage capacity of the refractory materials in the reaction chamber 101 can serve as a compensator / damper to absorb heat and prevent excessive temperatures that could cause damage to the turbine and / or the formation of unwanted by-products (e.g., nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds and / or others). In some cases, the heat storage capacity of the refractory materials in the reaction chamber 101 can provide a temporary source of thermal energy, which can help maintain the fuel oxidation process.

The volume and shape of the reaction chamber 101 and the configuration of the system as a whole can be set so as to provide an adjustable flow and an adjustable flow rate through the chamber, with a residence time sufficient for complete oxidation of the fuel. The flow path can be quite long, so that the flow rate of the air-fuel mixture along the flow path averaged over the length of the flow path allows complete oxidation of the fuel. As an example, the average gas residence time in the chamber may be equal to one second or more than one second in some cases. The average residence time of the gas in the chamber may be less than one second in some cases. In some embodiments, the gas residence time in the chamber may range from about 0.1 seconds to about 10 seconds. In some embodiments, the gas residence time in the chamber may range from about 0.5 seconds to about 5 seconds. In some embodiments, the gas residence time in the chamber may range from about 0.5 seconds to about 2 seconds. In some embodiments, the gas residence time in the chamber may range from about 0.5 seconds to about 1 second. In some embodiments, the gas residence time in the chamber may range from about 1 second to about 2 seconds. In some embodiments, the gas residence time in the chamber may be less than about 0.1 seconds, or more than about 10 seconds. The oxidation rate of the mixture depends on the components of the fuel, fuel concentration, oxygen concentration, pressure, temperature and other factors. Thus, the oxidation rate can be controlled by appropriately adjusting these parameters.

The reaction chamber 101 may also include one or more sensors for determining characteristics such as temperature, pressure, flow rate, or other characteristics corresponding to the start and / or operation of the gas turbine system 100. The reaction chamber 101 may also include internal structural elements and / or devices that provide regulation of the characteristics of the oxidation process. For example, reaction chamber 101 may include flow deflectors, valves, and / or other elements that provide for controlling / controlling temperature, pressure, flow rate, and / or other characteristics of the fluids in the reaction chamber.

The reaction chamber 101 may have one or more inlets. Each of the inlets can provide air, fuel, water, or any combination of these components to the reaction chamber. For example, a gaseous mixture of fuel and water from the evaporation chamber 118 may be supplied directly to the reaction chamber 101. In some embodiments, the liquid mixture 102 may be supplied directly to the reaction chamber 101 in a liquid state. The reaction chamber 101 has one or more outlets that allow the supply of oxidized fuel and / or other materials to the turbine 115.

In the example shown, the exhaust pipe 132 provides the supply of exhaust gas to the inlet of the turbine 115 through the pipe 130. During the heating process and / or during continuous operation, the gas leaving the exhaust reaction chamber 101 may include chemically inactive products of complete oxidation of the fuel gases and only negligible amounts of nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide. In some cases, the gas leaving the reaction chamber 101 at the exhaust may include unoxidized fuel, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and / or other materials in amounts exceeding negligible amounts.

During operation, the pressure in the reaction chamber 101 may be increased, for example, to a pressure exceeding atmospheric pressure and / or to a pressure exceeding the ambient pressure in the outer space around the reaction chamber 101. The pressure in the reaction chamber may be provided by means of compressor 114 and / or other pressure generating device. In some examples, the gauge pressure in the pressurized reaction chamber 101 is more than two psi (13.79 kPa) (i.e., more than two psi higher than the ambient pressure in the space external to the reaction camera). In some cases, the gauge pressure in the reaction chamber 101 during operation is from ten to fifty pounds per square inch (68.9476 to 344.738 kPa) or more.

The materials supplied to the pressure chamber 101 can be introduced into the reaction chamber 101 at high pressure, for example, a pressure higher than the pressure inside the reaction chamber 101. For example, air, fuel and / or water can be introduced into the reaction chamber 101 under pressure, at a pressure equal to the internal pressure in the reaction chamber 101 or greater than the internal pressure in the reaction chamber 101. High pressure in the reaction chamber 101 provides the supply of fluid from the reaction chamber to a casing 115, which allows the gas leaving the reaction chamber 101 to supply energy to the turbine.

Turbine 115 converts the energy of the gaseous oxidation product into mechanical energy of rotational motion. An exemplary turbine 115 receives oxidized fuel through a turbine inlet, expands oxidized fuel between a turbine inlet and a turbine outlet, and expands the expanded gas through a turbine outlet. Turbine 115 may provide rotational mechanical energy to compressor 114 via shaft 105. Turbine 115 may provide rotational mechanical energy to generator 119 via shaft 105. In some embodiments, system 100 may include a turbine that operates differently.

A generator 119 converts rotational energy from a turbine 115 into electrical energy. For example, generator 119 may provide for the transfer of electrical energy to an electrical network or to a system that stores electrical energy and / or runs on electrical energy. In some implementations, generator 119 may provide mechanical energy to compressor 114 during startup. For example, the generator may be configured to operate in an engine mode that converts electrical power into mechanical energy. In some cases, system 100 may operate without transferring energy to generator 119. For example, system 100 may act as a thermal oxidizer to decompose fuel and / or other materials (eg, materials in liquid mixture 102) regardless of energy generation.

In some embodiments of the exemplary system 100, the reaction chamber 101 operates in a reaction state. Air source 110 provides air to compressor 114. Compressor 114 compresses air and supplies compressed air to heat exchanger 122. Heat exchanger 122 provides heating of compressed air. The liquid mixture 102, which includes liquid fuel and water in a liquid state, is supplied to the evaporation chamber 118 through a pressure generating device 108. The liquid mixture 102 evaporates in the evaporation chamber 118 to form a gas mixture. The gas mixture includes fuel and water, while both components are in the gas phase, which may include fuel and / or water vapor. The gas mixture is connected to the heated compressed air in line 128. The resulting mixture of air, fuel and water is introduced into the reaction chamber 101. The mixture is heated and the fuel is oxidized in the reaction chamber 101.

In some embodiments, the mixture remains in the reaction chamber 101 long enough to oxidize substantially all of the fuel in the mixture. In some cases, the heat released in the reaction chamber 101 during the oxidation of the evaporated fuel from the liquid mixture 102 can provide sufficient heat to heat the incoming fuel to an oxidation temperature while maintaining the internal temperature of the reaction chamber 101 above the temperature required for oxidizing the fuel and supplying turbine 115 with energy.

The exhaust gas, which includes the gaseous oxidation product and water, is supplied through the reaction chamber 101 to the outlet of the reaction chamber to the turbine 115. The temperature of the exhaust gas leaving the reaction chamber may be about 1600 ° F. (871.1 ° C.) or more , or the exhaust gas may have a lower temperature. The exhaust gas may be filtered before entering the turbine inlet. The gaseous oxidation product can be cooled by means of a fluid (for example, air and / or another gas or liquid) supplied to the oxidation product in front of the turbine 115, for example, to prevent overheating of the turbine 115.

The exhaust gas energizes the turbine 115, and the turbine 115 converts the thermal energy of the exhaust gas into mechanical energy of rotational motion. The mechanical rotational energy supplied by the turbine 115 enables the compressor 114 and / or the generator 119 to be driven. The turbine 115 provides the outlet gas from the outlet of the turbine 115 to the heat exchanger 122. The exhaust gas provides heat energy to the heat exchanger 122. The exhaust gas can also be supplied to the evaporation chamber 118 and can provide heat to the evaporation chamber 118. Exhaust gas exits the system, for example, through an exhaust / exhaust pipe.

The oxidation system can work as a device for combating pollution by treating wastewater, liquid waste and waste in the form of mixtures with any concentration of fuel or pollutants. The system is also capable of treating gaseous wastes and wastes in the form of mixtures in concentrations that are not suitable for providing a self-sustaining reaction by supplying additional liquid fuel or gaseous fuel to maintain the course of the reaction. Accordingly, the system can ensure the destruction of gaseous and / or liquid wastes while providing the advantages of higher efficiency, increased capacity and more environmentally friendly, by-products.

5 shows another exemplary gas turbine system 200 in which fuel that is mixed with water can be used. These embodiments include gasifier contaminants that can be oxidized in the reaction chamber 101 through a gradual oxidation process. In the exemplary system 200, the liquid mixture 102 is introduced into the heated air stream in the pipe 128. The liquid mixture 102 is supplied from the reservoir 104 by the pressure generating device 108 and from the pressure generating device 108 through the pipe 134. The liquid mixture 102 in FIG. line 134 to line 128, in which the liquid mixture 102 is mixed with heated air. The thermal energy from the heated air in line 128 provides vaporization of the liquid mixture 102 to form the gas mixture. Essentially, an exemplary system 200 does not require a separate evaporation chamber. The thermal energy in air may be sufficient to vaporize the liquid mixture 102 before being introduced into the reaction chamber 101. Other components of the system 200 may function essentially as described with respect to the exemplary system 100 of FIG. 4.

Figure 5 shows a liquid mixture 102 entering the air stream behind the heat exchanger 122 along the stream. The liquid mixture 102, in addition or as an alternative, can be introduced upstream of the heat exchanger 122, provided that there is sufficient thermal energy in the air to evaporate the mixture. Although this approach may cause a decrease in system efficiency / efficiency, it can provide the possibility of using mixtures of even poorer fuel and water. In addition, the heat of the exhaust gases at the outlet of the heat exchanger 122 can be used for other applications.

6 shows an example of a gas turbine system 300 that can process liquids. System 300 includes a fuel source 136 and a liquid source 131. In some embodiments, liquid (eg, water) may be supplied to a fluid source 131 from a gasifier. In such embodiments, the fluid may include contaminants that may be oxidized during the gradual oxidation process in the reaction chamber 101. The fluid mixture 138 in the fluid reservoir 104 includes fluid from a fluid source 131. In some embodiments, a combination of liquid fuel and gaseous fuel is supplied to system 300. For example, gaseous fuel may be provided by a fuel source 136, and liquid fuel may be provided by a liquid source 131. In some embodiments, only or mainly liquid fuel is supplied to the system 300 from a liquid source 131, and the fuel source provides a small amount of additional fuel or no additional fuel. In some embodiments, only or mainly gaseous fuel is supplied from the fuel source 136 to the system 300, and the liquid source 131 provides a small amount of additional fuel or no additional fuel.

An exemplary fuel source 136 provides fuel to the system 300 in some cases to support the oxidation process in the reaction chamber 101 and / or to heat the reaction chamber 101. In the exemplary system 300, fuel that is initially gaseous can be used, and / or in the system 300, liquid or solid fuels can be used, which can be converted to gas or steam.

A fuel source 136 can provide fuel of one type and / or many different types of fuel, one or all of which can be oxidized in the reaction chamber 101. A fuel source 136 can provide a supply of hydrocarbon fuel and / or other types of fuel. Fuel source 136 may provide lean fuel. Poor fuel may include gases with low calorific value (i.e., low energy per unit mass) and / or fuel having a low calorific value. Poor fuels may include gases that contain fuels in a concentration that is less than the concentration that makes it possible to maintain an open flame and / or other combustion reaction. For example, fuel can be mixed with air, resulting in a concentration of fuel that is lower than the concentration corresponding to the lower explosive limit (LEL) for fuel.

In some cases, supplying such poor fuel to a spark or flame, even in the presence of air, can cause blowing of the spark or flame without oxidizing the fuel in the mixture. However, when the temperature of the lean fuel rises to a temperature above its spontaneous combustion temperature, the fuel can oxidize in the presence of air without introducing a spark or flame. A specific example of lean fuel includes gas, which is mostly carbon dioxide or nitrogen and contains small amounts of methane, ethane, carbon monoxide and other fuels. Such gas often comes out of so-called unproductive wells for natural gas production. A fuel source 136 may provide fuel other than poor fuel, or in addition to poor fuel. For example, in some embodiments, fuel source 136 may provide propane, butane, kerosene, gasoline, and / or other types of fuel in addition to poor fuel or in addition to poor fuel. In some cases, fuel source 136 may provide hydrogen fuel.

The fuel source 136 may contain gas released during decomposition of waste in a landfill / landfill, which may have only a small percentage of fuel in the form of methane (for example, 3 percent or less). A gas having a similar low concentration of methane may have a concentration that is lower than the concentration corresponding to the lower explosive limit. The lower explosive limit (LEL) for fuel may refer to the lowest concentration of fuel in the air, allowing the formation of a flash of fire in the presence of an ignition source. Concentrations lower than the lower explosive limit (LEL) are generally too low for combustion. Different fuels have different values of the lower explosive limit (LEL), usually in the range from about 1 volume percent to 5 volume percent, although some types of fuel have a lower explosive limit outside this range of approximate values. Some specific examples of lower explosive limit (LEL) values are (approximately based on volume) 3 volume percent for ethane, 4 volume percent for hydrogen, 5 volume percent for methane and 2 volume percent for propane.

The fuel from fuel source 136 may be fuel from a natural (eg, “non-anthropological”) source or fuel from an artificial (eg, anthropological) source. For example, fuel source 136 may provide methane from livestock waste, from swamps, rice farms, and / or methane produced by fermentation or other biological or chemical treatment of organic matter. Other exemplary fuel sources may include manure, household waste, wetlands, gas leaking from leaks in system 300 or other systems, or drilling and recovery operations. In some embodiments, the fuel source 136 includes fuel mixed with water, and the fuel from the fuel source 136 includes water vapor. In some embodiments, the fuel source 136 provides only gaseous fuel to the system 300. One or more additional fuel sources may also be used in the system 300. For example, gaseous fuel may be supplied to the system via a fuel source 136, and liquid fuel may be supplied to the system 300 through a liquid source 131.

In cases where solid fuel is provided, the conversion process can be used to convert solid fuel to gaseous fuel, which can then be used by system 300 by injecting gaseous fuel through a fuel source 136. The conversion process may include the use of a gasifier, as explained above. In cases where liquid fuel is provided, liquid fuel can be added to the liquid tank 104 through a liquid source 131 from which it is sucked into the liquid mixture system 138. Accordingly, the system 300 can be configured to receive fuel in a solid, liquid or gaseous form.

A fluid source 131 provides all or part of the fluid mixture 138 to a fluid reservoir 104. The fluid mixture 138 supplied from the fluid source 131 may include a fluid mixture 102 or may be identical to the fluid mixture 102 described in connection with other embodiments described herein. The liquid source 131 may include many different sources of liquid water, liquid fuel, and / or other liquids to be processed by the system 300. In some embodiments, the liquid mixture 102 includes contaminants resulting from wet cleaning of the gas stream in gasifier. In some embodiments, a fluid source 131 provides only water in a liquid state, only liquid fuel, or some combination of two components.

Some examples of fluid sources include wineries, ethanol enterprises, landfills / landfills, alcohol plants, coal mines, oil refineries, steel mills, chemical plants, oil fields, wetlands, sewage treatment plants, and / or other sources of liquid fuel and / or water in a liquid state. For example, flows in winemaking, in the production of ethanol and in brewing may have substandard products containing water, which can be processed in system 300. Ethanol is produced in hundreds of ways, for example, in large and small distillation apparatuses, any of which can be used in as a source of 131 liquids. As the use of biofuels expands, more and more raw materials are used to produce ethanol. In cases where raw materials such as algae, pueraria (kudzu), or wood are used to produce ethanol, system 300 can provide for the decomposition of lignin, fiber, and inefficient streams.

The fluid mixture 138 may include alcohol in a variety of different concentrations, for example, 40 set degrees of strength, 100 set degrees of strength and / or other concentrations. As such, system 300 may be located, for example, in a brewery, in a biomass processing plant, or in an ethanol plant for the consumption of by-products in a plant. System 300 may also be located in a separate location and receive by-products through delivery or distribution. In addition to these examples, a liquid mixture 138 can be obtained and / or formed in another way.

The system 300 may operate based on the use of fuel from a fuel source 136, the system 300 may operate based on the use of fuel from a liquid source 131, and / or the system 300 may operate based on the use of fuel from both a fuel source 136 and a liquid source 131 at the same time. and / or at different points in time. For example, in coal mines, where energy is required to drill wells to extract and discharge methane, system 300 may initially operate on kerosene or ethanol from a fluid source 131. Since methane is captured from coal mines, methane can serve as a source of fuel 136 and can displace kerosene or ethanol until only the recovered methane is the only fuel for system 300.

Once the exhausted methane is sufficiently exhausted, system 300 can run on methane from the ventilation shafts, providing clean energy and destroying greenhouse gas. In metallurgical enterprises, clean energy can be supplied by a system 300 operating on kerosene or ethanol from a source 131 of liquid. When blast furnace gas becomes available, system 300 may run on blast furnace gas from a fuel source 136. In refineries or chemical plants, exhaust gas carrying volatile organic compounds can serve as fuel for system 300 instead of being burned in a thermal oxidizer. Substandard by-products, such as naphtha, can be used as additional fuel and generate clean energy, for example, instead of being collected and transported by trucks to a landfill. Landfill gas having a low methane content can be combined with gas from oil and gas fields near the landfill to generate clean energy. In addition to these examples, system 300 may operate based on the use of liquid fuel and gaseous fuel in another way.

When the liquid mixture 138 includes liquid fuel, the system 300 can operate essentially the same as the system 100 of FIG. 4. For example, the evaporation chamber 118 can provide vaporization of the liquid mixture 138 and the resulting gas mixture can be combined with air and brought into the reaction chamber 101. The evaporated fuel from the evaporation chamber 118 can provide fuel-free system 300 with fuel from the fuel source 136. In some cases, the air flow from the heat exchanger 122 includes fuel from a fuel source 136. Essentially the fuel from the fuel source 136 and the vaporized fuel from the evaporation chamber 118 can be combined, and both fuels can be simultaneously oxidized in the reaction chamber 101.

In some embodiments, the liquid mixture 138 does not include significant amounts of liquid fuel, and the system 300 runs entirely or substantially entirely on fuel from a fuel source 136. For example, the liquid mixture 138 may include liquid water and / or other materials that do not emit significant amounts of thermal energy when they are processed in the reaction chamber 101. In such cases, the heat released in the reaction chamber 101 when the fuel is oxidized from the source 136 fuels, can provide the decomposition of pollutants, by-products and / or other materials in a liquid mixture 138. As an example, liquid water from a landfill / landfill may contain toxic materials and / or other types of contaminants that can be decomposed in the reaction chamber 101. In essence, the liquid source 131 may be a landfill tank / landfill in which landfill fluids are generated. Landfill fluids may include methane, which is supplied to a fuel source 136, and landfill fluids may include water, which is condensed and fed to a fluid reservoir 104.

In the exemplary system 300, the liquid mixture 138 is vaporized in the evaporation chamber 118 by using heat from the heat exchanger 122, as in the system 100 of FIG. 4. The fluid mixture 138 may alternatively or additionally be evaporated in another manner. For example, the liquid mixture 138 may be vaporized by injecting the mixture into a stream of hot air, as in system 200 of FIG. 5; in some embodiments, the liquid mixture 138 may be vaporized in the reaction chamber 101.

In some embodiments, combustible gases may be added via a fuel source 136 to control the performance of the system 300. For example, in embodiments where the low fuel mixture does not contain enough fuel for self-sustaining decomposition or in which the oxidation process cannot be supported based on the fuel content of the liquid mixture only 138, combustible gases can be added together with air in the air source 110 through a source of 136 tons Pliva to provide sufficient fuel for self-sustaining oxidation process. Combustible gases that can be added via fuel source 136 include, for example, without limitation, hydrogen, methane, ethane, ethylene, natural gas, propane, propylene, propadiene, n-butane, isobutane, butylene-1, butadiene, isopentane, n-pentane, acetylene, hexane and carbon monoxide.

The amount of combustible gas added through the fuel source 136 can be controlled depending on the amount of fuel found in the liquid mixture 138. If the fuel content in the liquid mixture 138 is changed so that the mixture 138 will have an undesirable concentration of fuel in response to this amount of combustible gas added to the fuel source 136 can be increased or decreased. In some embodiments, the amount of combustible gas added to the fuel source 136 depends on the amount of fuel in the liquid mixture 138 entering the system 300. In some embodiments, the amount of combustible gas added in the fuel source 136 depends on a combination of the amount of fuel in liquid mixture 138 and temperature in the reaction chamber 101. In some embodiments, the amount of combustible gas added to the fuel source 136 depends on a combination of the fuel content in the liquid cm B 138 and the temperature or rate of temperature change in the reaction chamber 101.

The amount of fuel in the liquid mixture 138 can be determined in the liquid tank 104, between the pressure generating device 108 and the vaporization chamber 118, or between the vaporization chamber 118 and the reaction chamber 101. Since in some cases some of the fuel in the liquid mixture 138 can oxidize when heated liquid mixture 138 by means of the evaporation chamber 118, in some embodiments, it is contemplated that the fuel content in the liquid mixture 138 is determined between the evaporation chamber 118 and the reaction chamber 101. In paragraph It is convenient embodiments, the amount of combustible gases added to the fuel source 136 depends on the fuel content in the liquid mixture 138, defined between the vaporization chamber 118 and reaction chamber 101.

In some cases, the fluid mixture 138 may contain additional components that may not be considered fuel. For example, in some embodiments, the implementation of the liquid mixture 138 may contain contaminants and water. Contaminated water may be a by-product of some other process, and contaminated water is supplied to system 300 to oxidize contaminated water or wastewater. For example, contaminated water may come from a scrubber, which is part of a gasifier similar to that described above, which may be a fluid source 131. In the gasification process, water is used to clean the resulting gaseous fuel from contaminants before distributing the gaseous fuel for use. After that, the contaminated water is supplied to the system 300, for example, by the deposition of contaminated water in the reservoir 104 for the liquid. The contaminated water is then sucked into the system 300 in a manner similar to that described above for the liquid mixture 138, and the water evaporates during the oxidation of the contaminants in the reaction chamber 101. Thus, the system 300 can function as a means of treating and treating contaminated, toxic or waste water . System 300 may function as a pollution control device that purifies contaminated water while minimizing the formation of a harmful gaseous by-product, if any.

In embodiments in which the liquid mixture 138 has a very low fuel content, comprises a combination of a low fuel content and contaminated water, or includes only contaminated water, the complementary gaseous fuel can be introduced into the system 300 via a fuel source 136, as explained above. In some embodiments, the gaseous fuel is essentially the only fuel that maintains the oxidation process in the reaction chamber 101. In some embodiments, the gaseous fuel is at least a portion of the gaseous fuel produced by the gasifier and water from the scrubber provided in the gasifier is introduced into the system 300 through a fluid source 131.

In some cases, the contaminated water supplied to the system 300 may be supplemented with liquid fuel before being oxidized in the reaction chamber 101. For example, if contaminated water from a gasifier is introduced into the liquid tank 104, liquid fuel may be added to the liquid tank 104 to increase the fuel content in liquid mixture 138. This process can be performed in addition to introducing gaseous fuel through a source of fuel 136 or instead of introducing a given gaseous fuel.

The system 200 of FIG. 5 may be adapted to receive fluids from a fluid and / or fuel source 131 from a fuel source 136. In any of the systems 100, 200, 300, liquid mixtures can be converted into gas in the reaction chamber and / or before the mixture is fed into the reaction chamber. In cases where the liquid mixture is converted to gas before the reaction chamber, the gaseous mixture can be combined with air, fuel and / or other gases in the reaction chamber and / or before the air, fuel and other gases are introduced into the reaction chamber. The movement of fluids through systems 100, 200, 300, for example, between different components of the systems can be measured by sensors and / or control devices, control of this movement and / or regulation of this movement can be carried out by means of control valves and other types of flow controllers, and / or moving fluids may be contained in pipelines, pipes, channels, chambers and / or structural elements of other types. Essentially, systems 100, 200, 300 may include additional devices, structural elements, and subsystems not shown specifically in the figures.

7A and 7B are flowcharts showing fluid flow in exemplary oxidative reaction systems. 7A and 7B, flows of water, fuel, and air are shown schematically. Although fluids are shown separately in flow diagrams, in various embodiments, fluids may be mixed in one or more appropriate places. For example, liquid water and liquid fuel shown in FIG. 7A may be components of the liquid mixture 102 of FIGS. 1A-2B. As another example, the fuel and air shown in FIG. 7B may be an air-fuel mixture entering the compressor 114 of FIG. 6.

The fluids are shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B as entering the reaction chamber 410 and leaving the reaction chamber 410. Each of the fluids may be introduced into the reaction chamber 410 separately from the remaining fluids shown, and / or one or more of the fluids shown can be brought into the reaction chamber 410 together with another fluid. For example, in some embodiments, air and a mixture of fuel and water are separately introduced into the reaction chamber 410 (i.e., air is introduced through a first inlet and a mixture of fuel and water is introduced through a second inlet), and in some embodiments, air and a mixture of fuel and water are mixed to form a mixture of air, fuel and water before fuel enters the reaction chamber 410 (i.e., a mixture of air, fuel and water can be introduced into the reaction chamber under pressure at the common inlet).

In some embodiments, air is mixed through a system with a mixture of fuel and water. In some embodiments, the fuel-water mixture is vaporized gas. In some embodiments, the air-fuel mixture is mixed with the water mixture. In some embodiments, the air-fuel mixture is mixed with steam. In some embodiments, the air-fuel mixture is mixed with a mixture of fuel and water. In some embodiments, the fuel-water mixture is vaporized gas.

The dashed lines in FIGS. 7A and 7B are a schematic representation of the thermal energy from the reaction chamber used to raise the temperature of the fluids outside the reaction chamber 410. In some embodiments, the fluids are heated outside the reaction chamber 410 without heat from the reaction chamber 410, and one or several of the heat transfer processes shown in the figures may be excluded. In some embodiments, additional and / or other fluids are heated outside the reaction chamber 410 by heat from the reaction chamber 410, and additional and / or other heat transfer processes are used.

Both FIGS. 7A and 7B show fuel oxidation by air in the reaction chamber 410. Fuel oxidation by air can occur without increasing the temperature of the fuel to values above the threshold temperature, for example, by maintaining the maximum temperature of the fuel in the reaction chamber at level below threshold temperature. The threshold temperature may be the recommended or maximum operating temperature of the turbine, the recommended or maximum temperature at the inlet of the turbine, the temperature that causes the formation of nitrogen oxides, the temperature selected based on the flow rate of fuel passing through the reaction chamber 410, and / or other factors, and t .d. In some embodiments, the fuel is oxidized in the reaction chamber 410 at a temperature that is lower than the temperature causing the formation of nitrogen oxides. The reaction chamber 410 may be a reaction chamber 101 shown in other embodiments described herein. The reaction chamber 410 may be a different type of oxidation reaction chamber. In the reaction chamber 410, increased pressure may or may not be created.

In the examples shown, the thermal energy released during the oxidation of fuel in the reaction chamber 410 is converted to mechanical energy. Essentially a gas turbine, a steam turbine, and / or another system that converts thermal energy into mechanical energy can be used in conjunction with a reaction chamber 410. Mechanical energy can be converted into electrical energy, for example, by means of a generator. In some cases, the energy released during the oxidation of fuel in the reaction chamber 410 is used by additional or other methods.

In the exemplary oxidation reaction system 400 shown in FIG. 7A, liquid water 401 and liquid fuel 402 are converted to gaseous water 403 and gaseous fuel 404. The fuel may include alcohol, kerosene, gasoline and / or other types fuel. Gaseous fuel 404 may include other types of fuel vapor and / or fuel in a gaseous state. Water 403 in a gaseous state may include water vapor and / or another type of gaseous water. Water 403 in a gaseous state, gaseous fuel 404, and air 405 are supplied to the reaction chamber 410. Fuel 404 is oxidized by air 405 in the reaction chamber 410 when fuel 404, air 405, and water 403 are in the reaction chamber 410.

Contaminants, toxic materials and / or other substances mixed with water 403 can be decomposed, oxidized and / or otherwise modified in the reaction chamber 410. Pollutants, which may include toxic materials, include substances that may be harmful to the environment and / or living organisms. The oxidation reaction of fuel 404 and air 405 causes the formation of a gaseous oxidation product 406, which is removed from the reaction chamber 410 together with water 403. The thermal energy of water 403 and oxidation product 406 is converted to mechanical energy.

In the exemplary oxidation reaction system 450 shown in FIG. 7B, water 431 in a liquid state is supplied to a reaction chamber 410, and / or water 431 in a liquid state is converted to water 436 in a gaseous state outside the reaction chamber. In embodiments where water 431 in a liquid state is supplied to a reaction chamber 410, water 431 in a liquid state is converted to water 434 in a gaseous state in a reaction chamber 410.

In embodiments where water 431 in a liquid state is converted to water 436 in a gaseous state outside of reaction chamber 410, water 436 in a gaseous state is supplied to reaction chamber 410. Fuel 432 and air 433 are supplied to reaction chamber 410. Fuel 432 is oxidized by air 433 in the reaction chamber 410 when fuel 432, air 433 and water 434 and / or water 436 are in the reaction chamber. The oxidation reaction of fuel 432 by air 433 leads to the formation of a gaseous oxidation product 435, which is removed from the reaction chamber 410 together with water 434 and / or water 436. The thermal energy of water 434 and / or water 436 and oxidation product 435 is converted to mechanical energy.

In both exemplary systems 400, 450, the process of converting liquid to gas may include an evaporation process that uses heat from oxidation of fuel in the reaction chamber 410. The conversion of liquid to gas may include evaporation, vaporization, boiling, and / or other types of processes. Contaminants, toxic materials and / or other substances mixed with water 403, 434 and / or 436 may be decomposed, oxidized and / or otherwise modified in the reaction chamber 410 in either of the two exemplary systems 400, 450 The mass of water 403, 434 and / or 436 may lead to an increase in the mechanical energy produced by the exemplary systems 400, 450.

FIGS. 7C and 7D are flowcharts showing a process similar to the processes illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B. FIGS. 7C and 7D show fluid flow in exemplary oxidative reaction systems including a gasifier (FIG. 7C) and optionally including a gasifier (FIG. 7D). On figs and 7D the flows of water, fuel and air are shown schematically. Although fluids are shown separately in flow diagrams, in various embodiments, fluids may be mixed at one or more appropriate locations. For example, gaseous fuel and air between the gasifier and the reaction chamber in FIG. 7C are shown separately, and two of these components may be constituents of the gas mixture.

7C, the gasifier receives solid fuel and converts solid fuel to gaseous fuel. Water in a gaseous state is supplied for wet purification of the gaseous fuel, and the gaseous fuel subjected to wet purification exits the gasifier and can be sent directly to the reaction chamber or, alternatively, can be redirected for use outside the system. Liquid contaminated water used for wet cleaning of gaseous fuels is also sent to the reaction chamber. Although the figure shows the redirection of gaseous fuel from the system, this is a possible but optional operation, and in some embodiments, all gaseous fuel produced by the gasifier is used in the reaction chamber. In some embodiments similar to those shown, only a fraction of the gaseous fuel produced by the gasifier is used in the reaction chamber.

In the reaction chamber, water in a liquid state is heated to obtain water in a gaseous state, and in some embodiments, water in a gaseous state that has been previously heated is further heated in preparation for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy. Polluted water in a liquid state entering the reaction chamber is converted into water in a gaseous state and pollutants contained in water in a liquid state. The pollutants are oxidized together with any fuel that is fed into the reaction chamber and form an oxidation product, which is then used together with water in a gaseous state to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy.

Fluids are shown in FIG. 7C as entering and leaving the reaction chamber. Fluids may be introduced into the reaction chamber separately from the remaining fluids shown, and / or one or more of the fluids shown may be introduced into the reaction chamber together with another fluid. For example, in some embodiments, air and a mixture of fuel and water are separately introduced into the reaction chamber (i.e., air is introduced through the first inlet and the mixture of fuel and water is introduced through the second inlet), and in some embodiments, air and the mixture of fuel and water are mixed to the formation of a mixture of air, fuel and water before fuel enters the reaction chamber (that is, a mixture of air, fuel and water can be introduced into the reaction chamber under pressure at the common inlet).

In some embodiments, air is mixed through a system with a mixture of fuel and water. In some embodiments, the fuel-water mixture is vaporized gas. In some embodiments, the air-fuel mixture is mixed with the water mixture. In some embodiments, the air-fuel mixture is mixed with steam. In some embodiments, the air-fuel mixture is mixed with a mixture of fuel and water. In some embodiments, the fuel-water mixture is vaporized gas.

The dashed lines in FIGS. 7C and 7D are a schematic representation of the thermal energy from the reaction chamber used to raise the temperature of the fluids outside the reaction chamber. This can be accomplished, for example, by means of a heat exchanger 122 or an evaporation chamber 118 of FIG. 4. In some embodiments, fluids are heated outside the reaction chamber without heat from the reaction chamber, and one or more of the heat transfer processes illustrated in the figures can be omitted. In some embodiments, additional and / or other fluids are heated outside the reaction chamber by heat from the reaction chamber, and additional and / or other heat transfer processes are used. The process of converting a liquid into gas may include an evaporation process that uses heat from oxidation of fuel in the reaction chamber. Converting a liquid into gas may include evaporation, vaporization, boiling, and / or other types of processes.

Figs and 7D show the oxidation of fuel by air in the reaction chamber. Oxidation of fuel by air can occur without increasing the temperature of the fuel to values that exceed the threshold temperature, for example, by maintaining the maximum temperature of the fuel in the reaction chamber below a threshold temperature. The threshold temperature may be the recommended or maximum operating temperature of the turbine, the recommended or maximum temperature at the inlet of the turbine, the temperature that causes the formation of nitrogen oxides, the temperature selected based on the flow rate of the fuel passing through the reaction chamber and / or other factors, etc. . In some embodiments, the fuel is oxidized in the reaction chamber at a temperature that is lower than the temperature causing the formation of nitrogen oxides. The reaction chambers of FIGS. 7C and 7D, as well as other parts of the system, can be reaction chambers shown in other embodiments described herein. The reaction chamber may be a different type of oxidation reaction chamber. An increased pressure may or may not be created in the reaction chamber.

In the processes shown by way of example, the thermal energy released during the oxidation of fuel in the reaction chamber is converted to mechanical energy. A gas turbine, a steam turbine, and / or another system that converts thermal energy into mechanical energy can be used in conjunction with a reaction chamber. Mechanical energy can be converted into electrical energy, for example, by means of a generator. In some cases, the energy released during the oxidation of fuel in the reaction chamber is used by additional or other methods.

In the examples of FIGS. 7C and 7D, fuel is supplied to the reaction chamber. The fuel may be a gaseous fuel that combines with gaseous fuel from a gasifier. The fuel may also be liquid fuel, which is supplied to the reaction chamber alone or together with water in a liquid state. In some embodiments, the amount of gaseous fuel or liquid fuel added to the system in addition to gaseous fuel from the gasifier and / or contaminated water in the liquid state is based on determining the content of fuel supplied to the reaction chamber by (i) gaseous fuel from the gasifier, (ii) pollutants in water in a liquid state, or (iii) a combination of gaseous fuel from a gasifier and pollutants in water in a liquid state.

In the oxidizing reaction system shown in FIG. 7C, liquid water, liquid fuel, and contaminated liquid are converted to gaseous water, gaseous fuel, and pollutants. Fuel may include alcohol, kerosene, gasoline and / or other types of fuel. Gaseous fuels may include fuel vapors and / or another type of gaseous fuel. Water in a gaseous state may include water vapor and / or water in a gaseous state of another type. Air, water in a gaseous state, gaseous fuel and pollutants are introduced into the reaction chamber or converted into substances in a gaseous state in the reaction chamber. Fuel and pollutants are oxidized by air when they are in the reaction chamber.

As explained, contaminants, toxic materials and / or other substances mixed with water can be decomposed, oxidized and / or otherwise modified in the reaction chamber. Contaminants, which may include toxic materials, include substances that may be harmful to the environment and / or living organisms. The oxidation reaction of fuel, air and pollutants causes the formation of a gaseous oxidation product, which is removed from the reaction chamber together with water. The thermal energy of water and the oxidation product is converted into mechanical energy.

In the exemplary oxidation reaction system shown in FIGS. 7C and 7D, liquid water is supplied to the reaction chamber, and / or liquid water is converted to gaseous water outside the reaction chamber. In embodiments where water in a liquid state is supplied to the reaction chamber, water in a liquid state is converted to water in a gaseous state in the reaction chamber. In some embodiments, liquid water is converted to gaseous water only in the reaction chamber, and in some embodiments, liquid water is converted to gaseous water only outside the reaction chamber. In some embodiments, some of the liquid water is converted to gaseous water outside the reaction chamber, and some of the liquid water is converted to gaseous water inside the reaction chamber. In embodiments where water in a liquid state is converted to water in a gaseous state outside the reaction chamber, water in a gaseous state is sent to the reaction chamber to further heat water in a gaseous state.

Fig. 7D illustrates processes similar to those shown in Fig. 7C. However, in the processes of FIG. 7D, the source of contaminated liquid is not necessarily the scrubber provided in the gasifier. Fig. 7D illustrates that the oxidation process in the reaction chamber can be used to treat contaminated water that is supplied to the system, and to make previously contaminated water substantially harmless. In some embodiments, contaminated water is supplied to the system for the sole purpose of treating it, and the reaction chamber is configured to oxidize the contaminants in the water and produce the resulting oxidation products and water in a gaseous state to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy.

Although FIGS. 7A-7D show a liquid and the resulting gas in the form of water in a liquid state and water in a gaseous state, the liquid may be a liquid other than water, or water in a liquid state may contain liquids other than water .

The injection of water or steam into the gaseous products of combustion in gas turbines can increase the output power of the turbines. However, to compensate for the decrease in temperature resulting from such injection, it was necessary to increase the amount of fuel burned, which provides higher temperatures and leads to increased formation of harmful gaseous nitrogen oxides (NO _x ). In some embodiments, implementation, as mentioned above, the gradual oxidation system described herein can provide fuel oxidation without increasing NO _x formation and while increasing system yield by supplying water to the system.

As explained in connection with the embodiments described herein, the fuel of the systems is oxidized when the air-fuel mixture passes along the flow channel in the reaction chamber. The fuel is preferably oxidized by a flameless gradual oxidation process that decomposes substantially all of the fuel. The fuel is preferably oxidized at a temperature low enough to reduce or prevent the formation and / or release of harmful compounds, such as nitrogen oxides, and at a temperature high enough to oxidize the fuel and other contaminants that are introduced into the chamber.

The air-fuel mixture passes through the reaction chamber and absorbs heat from the inside of the reaction chamber, which may include a filler, possibly contained in the chamber. As a result, the temperature of the air-fuel mixture gradually rises as the mixture passes through the reaction chamber. When the temperature of the air-fuel mixture reaches the temperature of spontaneous combustion of the fuel or exceeds the temperature of spontaneous combustion of the fuel, the fuel undergoes an exothermic oxidation reaction. Thus, the oxidation reaction can be initiated regardless of the material, which is an oxidation catalyst, or an ignition source. In some cases, catalytic material may be provided in the reaction chamber to effectively reduce the ignition temperature of the fuel, but the advantages of the systems described herein include the operation of the reaction chamber to provide gradual oxidation of the air-fuel mixture without a catalyst.

When the fuel is oxidized, the exothermic reaction provides heat transfer to the reaction chamber and possibly to the filler, and thermal energy is transferred to another zone of the flow channel in the reaction chamber. Thermal energy transmitted through the reaction chamber can be transferred to the incoming fuel in order to facilitate the initiation of oxidation of the incoming fuel. The reaction chamber can be designed in such a way that in a certain range of operating conditions (for example, at a maximum flow rate and fuel concentration), sufficient residence time and fuel temperature are provided to enable oxidation of some or all of the fuel in the air-fuel mixture essentially to complete oxidation. In some cases, the temperature of the air-fuel mixture in the reaction chamber may be adjusted to maintain the maximum temperature of the air-fuel mixture substantially at or below the desired temperature at the turbine inlet.

As described above, several embodiments provide the addition of steam or water to the system for one or more of many reasons (for example, to reduce the likelihood of burning, to control temperature, to increase efficiency / efficiency and / or output, etc.). The differences between these systems and combustion systems in relation to the introduction of steam or water are significant. For example, the injection of steam or water upstream of the combustion chamber of a gas turbine can affect the completeness of combustion and can lead to the release of unburned hydrocarbons. The introduction of steam behind the combustion chamber of the gas turbine upstream will have a cooling effect on the gases and, therefore, will require additional fuel in the combustion chamber, which will increase the maximum flame temperature and increase the formation of harmful emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO _x ). Introducing water downstream of the combustion chamber will require burning more fuel, which will further aggravate the situation due to the formation of even more harmful nitrogen oxides (NO _x ).

Embodiments of the gradual oxidation systems described herein avoid such problems because they create the ability to have sufficient time to provide a way out of potential contingencies associated with process disruptions described above. These embodiments also have several other advantages. The reaction chamber is significantly larger than the combustion chamber. It can be filled with ceramic filler. Any dissolved solids that are present in the water will be adsorbed on the filler, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for water purification before use. In a number of applications, for example, associated with landfills and reactor plants for hydrolysis at wastewater treatment plants, a large amount of contaminated water accumulates on site. Otherwise, this water would have to be moved to equipment for cleaning such contaminated water. By introducing water into the system and even into the reaction chamber, not only is the decomposition of pollutants ensured, but any energy potential in such pollutants is “extracted” by oxidizing the pollutants.

8 illustrates embodiments of a process diagram for a gas turbine system 500 with steam injection. Air is sucked into the system from the air source 110, and fuel gas is introduced through the fuel source 136. Air and fuel are mixed together at atmospheric pressure, and the mixture is compressed in a compressor 114. The compressed mixture is heated in a heat exchanger 122, from where it is supplied through a pipe 128 to the gradual oxidation reaction chamber 101.

A temperature sufficient to oxidize the fuel in the mixture is maintained in the reaction chamber 101, while the heat of oxidation provides an increase in the temperature of the resulting gases. The temperature in the reaction chamber 101 is kept high enough to oxidize all of the fuel in the mixture, but below the temperature that would cause the formation of harmful gaseous nitrogen oxides (NO _x ).

Gas leaving the reaction chamber 101 is discharged through an exhaust pipe 132 and a pipe 130 to a turbine 115 in which the exhaust gas expands, providing useful power for driving the compressor 114 and for other applications, such as generating electricity through a generator. The density of a gas is inversely proportional to its temperature. When the ambient temperature rises, the density of the incoming air and the mixture of fuel and air decreases, and therefore, the mass of gas passing through the compressor also decreases. This smaller mass flow leads to a decrease in the output power provided by the gas turbine, resulting in a decrease in the energy converted to electricity.

In some areas, the most expensive electricity is electricity during peaks in summer days, because it is then that the demand is greatest and it is then that the generation of electricity by traditional power plants decreases. The gas turbine systems described in this document can provide an increase in the output power of a gas turbine power plant, as a result of which power generation will occur exactly when the demand for it is greatest. One way this can be achieved is by introducing water or steam into the system.

Water may come from a water source 150 or from a fluid reservoir 104 having a fluid source 131. Water is supplied via line 106 to a pump or pressure generating device 108, at which its pressure rises. After that, water is supplied to the evaporation chamber 118, and the resulting steam is supplied via line 120 to line 128, from which it is then introduced into reaction chamber 101. Heat for evaporating water is taken from the gas leaving the turbine that passes through line 126, through the heat exchanger 122, through line 124 to the evaporation chamber 118. The mixture of steam, air and fuel supplied to the reaction chamber 101 through line 128 has a larger mass flow than a mixture comprising only air and fuel. With a larger mass flow, there is now an increased mass flow passing through the reaction chamber 101 and through the turbine 115, which leads to increased power generation.

In some embodiments, the water or steam injected into the system comprises from about 50 volume percent to about 80 volume percent of the fuel mixture containing fuel and air. In some embodiments, the water or steam injected into the system comprises from about 40% to about 85% of the fuel mixture, and in further embodiments, the water or steam contains from about 20% to about 90% of the fuel mixture.

Other reactions may contribute to an increased yield. The steam entering the pipe 128 has a lower temperature than the mixture of fuel and air, and therefore, the temperature of the gases entering the reaction chamber 101 will be lower than without the introduction of steam. Therefore, it is preferable to increase or otherwise adjust the ratio of fuel to air in the gas entering the compressor 114, depending on the amount of steam to be introduced into the pipe 128.

In some embodiments, the fuel-to-air ratio is dependent on the amount of steam introduced into the pipe 128. For example, during operation, the system may operate in a first state without introducing steam into the pipe 128. In this first state, the system may operate with a first fuel-to-air ratio. In the second state, steam can be introduced into conduit 128, and the desired ratio of fuel to air can be determined and implemented depending on the amount of steam introduced into conduit 128 to support gradual oxidation processes in the reaction chamber 101. The oxidation process can be maintained without increasing maximum temperature inside the reaction chamber while still ensuring complete oxidation of the fuel inside the reaction chamber.

The increased mass flow and fuel flow will increase the energy supplied to the turbine 115, and therefore increase the output power of the turbine system. The energy consumed by compressor 114 remains substantially the same as before, and the increased output of the turbine is used by the generator to increase its power generation.

FIG. 9 shows embodiments of a modified flow pattern that achieves substantially the same result as the embodiments shown in FIG. In the gas turbine system 600 of FIG. 9, steam supplied via line 120 is supplied directly to reaction chamber 101 via line 155. Steam is introduced from line 155 into reaction chamber 101 through an inlet member 160, which may be, for example, a nozzle. Despite the fact that the entry point is further downstream than before (that is, it is in the reaction chamber 101 instead of being in the pipe 128), the results are essentially the same. Additional fuel flow can be provided by increasing the fuel-to-air ratio, as a result of which additional heat is generated inside the reaction chamber 101 and, therefore, the temperature rises to the same threshold value as before, which ensures the presence of additional energy converted into electricity.

The gas leaving the reaction chamber 101 is displaced through the exhaust pipe 132 and the pipe 130 to the turbine 115, in which the exhaust gas expands, giving off energy to drive the compressor 114. After the expansion of the exhaust gas in the turbine 115, it is supplied to the heat exchanger 122 to heat the mixture fuel and air coming from compressor 114. Then, the exhaust gas is supplied to the evaporation chamber 118 through a pipe 124 for heating and / or evaporating water from the pressure generating device 108. After passing through the evaporation chamber 118, the exhaust gas can be discharged from the exhaust system 112.

10 illustrates further embodiments of a gas turbine system 700 in which water is introduced directly into the reaction chamber 101. With this illustrated flow pattern, water evaporates within the reaction chamber 101. This requires an even higher fuel to air ratio than before to obtain energy needed to heat the water and turn it into steam by evaporation in the reaction chamber 101.

Water is supplied from a fluid source 131 to a pressure generating device 108 through a pipe 106. After that, water is supplied from a pressure generating device 108 directly to the reaction chamber 101 through a pipe 120. Water is introduced into the reaction chamber from a pipe 120 through an inlet member 165, which may be , for example, a nozzle. The gas leaving the reaction chamber 101 is displaced through the exhaust pipe 132 and the pipe 130 to the turbine 115, in which the exhaust gas expands, giving off energy to drive the compressor 114. After the expansion of the exhaust gas in the turbine 115, it is supplied to the heat exchanger 122 to heat the mixture fuel and air coming from compressor 114. Then, the exhaust gas can be discharged from the exhaust system 112.

In a system, efficiency can be improved by using the heat of the exhaust gases to generate steam, and the greater the utilization of the waste heat during vaporization, the more efficient the system can be. The impact on efficiency can be calculated as follows: If 100 kWh of thermal energy is “present” in the fuel, then approximately 30 kWh of thermal energy is converted into electricity. Without steam injection, the remaining 70 kWh of thermal energy leaves with the exhaust gases, resulting in an efficiency of, for example, approximately 30%. However, if steam injection is provided, then approximately 35 kWh of thermal energy, otherwise wasted uselessly, can be transferred to the water through the system to generate steam. This steam must now be mixed with other gases and additionally heated to raise the temperature of the gases to a predetermined threshold value. This heating requires the supply and oxidation of additional fuel. When, for example, 10 kWh of additional fuel is required to heat steam to the appropriate temperature and if an additional 3 kWh is generated, the efficiency remains the same as before: the efficiency will be approximately 30%. When generating more than an additional 3 kWh, the efficiency / efficiency is increased to values in excess of about 30%, and if less than 3 additional kWh is generated, then the efficiency / efficiency is reduced to values of less than about 30%.

Additional considerations include considerations regarding the electric power required to pump water to a predetermined pressure, and regarding system losses resulting from increased flow. While the efficiency of the described system can be improved compared to systems that do not include water or steam, one of the advantages of the embodiments described herein is that gradual oxidation systems that provide additional water or steam can to provide higher output power, especially when environmental conditions would otherwise lead to a decrease in output power.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, certain changes and modifications, including embodiments that do not have all the features and do not provide all the advantages described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, but encompasses other alternative or additional embodiments and / or applications and their obvious modifications and equivalents. In addition, although a number of varieties have been shown and described with varying details, other modifications that are within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on this disclosure.

It is also contemplated that various combinations or subcombinations of certain features / elements and aspects of embodiments may be implemented and may still be within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features / elements and aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be combined or substituted for each other to form changing embodiments of the present invention. Thus, it is contemplated that the scope of the present invention disclosed herein should not be limited to the specific disclosed embodiments described above.

Claims (62)

1. The gradual oxidation system containing:
installation for gasification of solid fuel, which provides the extraction of gaseous fuel from solid fuel;
a gas scrubber that removes contaminants from the gaseous fuel through a cleaning fluid; and
a flameless combustion chamber that (i) receives cleaning liquid and pollutants from the scrubber, (ii) maintains an internal temperature sufficient to allow a gradual oxidation process, and (iii) provides a residence time such that substantially all contaminants from the scrubber are oxidized in the chamber flameless burning. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the flameless combustion chamber is configured to support a gradual oxidation process without a catalyst. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the gaseous fuel is cleaned with water through a gas scrubber. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the contaminants received from the scrubber are in the water. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the input device comprises a compressor for increasing the water pressure before introducing water into the flameless combustion chamber. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain internal temperature,
sufficient to oxidize the gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.01 seconds to about 10 seconds. 7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a turbine in fluid communication with the flameless combustion chamber, wherein the turbine is configured to receive heated and compressed gas from the flameless combustion chamber and expand the gas. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the flameless combustion chamber maintains a maximum temperature below a temperature that causes the formation of nitric oxide. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the flameless combustion chamber receives gaseous fuel from the scrubber and oxidizes the gaseous fuel during the gradual oxidation process. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the flameless combustion chamber receives and oxidizes substantially all of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber. 11. The system of claim 9, wherein the flameless combustion chamber receives and oxidizes the first part of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber, and the second part of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber is distributed from the system. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the flameless combustion chamber receives gaseous fuel from the scrubber through the first inlet and receives supplementary gaseous fuel from the second inlet. 13. A gradual oxidation system comprising:
a first inlet configured to supply contaminated fluid to the system;
a second inlet configured to supply fuel to the system;
a flameless combustion chamber that receives contaminated liquid and fuel and maintains an internal temperature sufficient to ensure a gradual oxidation process, while maintaining the maximum temperature in the combustion chamber below a temperature that causes the formation of nitric oxide, so that the fuel and pollutants in the liquid are oxidized; and
an outlet configured to discharge exhaust gas from the combustion chamber, wherein the exhaust gas contains a gaseous oxidation product formed by a gradual oxidation process in the combustion chamber. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the flameless combustion chamber is configured to support a gradual oxidation process without a catalyst. 15. The system of claim 13, wherein the scrubber receives contaminated liquid and purifies the gaseous fuel with water. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the contaminated liquid contains water from the scrubber. 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the fuel comprises gaseous fuel from the scrubber and the flameless combustion chamber oxidizes the gaseous fuel during the gradual oxidation process. 18. The system of claim 13, further comprising a compressor,
which provides increased pressure of the contaminated liquid before the liquid enters the flameless combustion chamber. 19. The system of claim 13, wherein the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize the gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.01 seconds to about 10 seconds. 20. The system of claim 13, further comprising a turbine in fluid communication with the flameless combustion chamber, wherein the turbine is configured to receive exhaust gas and expand the exhaust gas. 21. The system of claim 13, wherein the flameless combustion chamber maintains a maximum temperature below a temperature that causes the formation of nitric oxide. 22. The method of oxidation of solid fuels, including:
recovering gaseous fuels from solid fuels through a solid fuel gasification unit;
cleaning gaseous fuels with a cleaning liquid in a gas scrubber to remove contaminants from the gaseous fuel;
removal of cleaning fluid and contaminants from the scrubber to the flameless combustion chamber; and
oxidation of pollutants in the combustion chamber by (i) maintaining an internal temperature in the combustion chamber sufficient to provide a gradual oxidation process and (ii) providing a residence time in the combustion chamber such that substantially all of the pollutants from the scrubber are oxidized in the combustion chamber. 23. The method according to p. 22, in which the flameless combustion chamber supports the process of gradual oxidation without a catalyst. 24. The method according to p. 22, in which the gaseous fuel is purified with water through a gas scrubber. 25. The method according to p. 24, in which the pollutants received by the combustion chamber of the scrubber are in water. 26. The method according to p. 24, further comprising compressing water and pollutants through a compressor before oxidation in a flameless combustion chamber. 27. The method of claim 22, wherein the residence time is from about 0.01 seconds to about 10 seconds. 28. The method of claim 22, further comprising discharging the heated and compressed gas from the flameless combustion chamber to the turbine and expanding the gas in the turbine. 29. The method according to p. 22, further comprising removing gaseous fuel from the scrubber to the flameless combustion chamber and oxidizing the gaseous fuel during the gradual oxidation process. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein substantially all of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber is diverted to a flameless combustion chamber and oxidized by a flameless combustion chamber. 31. The method according to p. 29, in which the first part of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber is diverted to the flameless combustion chamber and oxidized by the flameless combustion chamber, and the second part of the gaseous fuel from the scrubber is distributed away from the combustion chamber. 32. The method according to p. 22, in which the gaseous fuel is discharged into the flameless combustion chamber by the first inlet, and the combustion chamber receives the complementary gaseous fuel from the second inlet. 33. The method according to p. 22, in which the combustion chamber maintains a maximum internal temperature below the temperature that causes the formation of nitric oxide. 34. A method of oxidizing pollutants in a liquid, comprising:
supply of contaminated liquid to the flameless combustion chamber by means of a first inlet;
fuel supply to the flameless combustion chamber by means of a second inlet; and
the oxidation of pollutants in the contaminated liquid together with the fuel in the flameless combustion chamber by (i) maintaining the internal temperature in the combustion chamber sufficient to ensure a gradual oxidation process, (ii) maintaining the maximum temperature in the combustion chamber below the temperature that causes the formation of nitric oxide, and (iii) providing a residence time in the combustion chamber such that substantially all contaminants from the scrubber are oxidized in the combustion chamber. 35. The method according to p. 34, in which the flameless combustion chamber supports the process of gradual oxidation without a catalyst. 36. The method according to p. 34, in which the contaminated liquid is discharged into the combustion chamber from the scrubber, which provides for the purification of gaseous fuel with water. 37. The method according to p. 36, in which the contaminated liquid contains water from the scrubber. 38. The method of claim 34, wherein the fuel comprises gaseous fuel from the scrubber, and the flameless combustion chamber oxidizes the gaseous fuel during the gradual oxidation process. 39. The method according to p. 34, further comprising compressing the contaminated liquid before supplying the liquid to the flameless combustion chamber. 40. The method of claim 34, wherein the residence time is from about 0.01 seconds to about 10 seconds. 41. The method of claim 34, further comprising discharging the heated and compressed gas from the flameless combustion chamber to the turbine and expanding the gas in the turbine. 42. A gradual oxidation system with a solid fuel gasification plant, comprising:
installation for gasification of solid fuel, which provides the extraction of gaseous fuel from solid fuel;
a gas scrubber that cleans the gaseous fuel;
a flameless combustion chamber, which is configured to receive purified gaseous fuel through the first inlet and to support the process of gradual oxidation of the gaseous fuel, wherein the flameless combustion chamber comprises a second inlet; and
an input device connected to the second inlet, configured to receive pollutants from the scrubber and input pollutants into the flameless combustion chamber;
wherein the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize pollutants. 43. The system of claim 42, wherein the flameless combustion chamber is configured to support a gradual oxidation process without a catalyst. 44. The system of claim 42, wherein the gaseous fuel is cleaned with water through a scrubber. 45. The system of claim 44, wherein the contaminants received from the scrubber are in the water. 46. The system of claim 45, wherein the input device comprises a compressor for increasing the water pressure before introducing water into the flameless combustion chamber. 47. The system of claim 42, wherein the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.1 second to about 1 second. 48. The system of claim 42, further comprising a turbine in fluid communication with the flameless combustion chamber, wherein the turbine is configured to receive heated and compressed gas from the flameless combustion chamber and expand the gas. 49. A method for oxidizing solid fuels, comprising:
recovering gaseous fuels from solid fuels through a solid fuel gasification unit;
purification of gaseous fuel by means of a gas scrubber to remove contaminants from the gaseous fuel;
the gradual oxidation of gaseous fuel through a flameless combustion chamber, which is configured to receive purified gaseous fuel through a first inlet and supporting the process of gradual oxidation of gaseous fuel;
the introduction of pollutants from the scrubber into the flameless combustion chamber; and
maintaining the internal temperature in the flameless combustion chamber, sufficient for the oxidation of pollutants. 50. The method according to p. 49, further comprising maintaining a process of gradual oxidation in a flameless combustion chamber without a catalyst. 51. The method according to p. 49, further comprising compressing the gaseous fuel before the gradual oxidation of the gaseous fuel through a flameless combustion chamber. 52. The method according to p. 49, further comprising compressing the water before introducing water into the flameless combustion chamber. 53. The method of claim 49, further comprising maintaining an internal temperature in the flameless combustion chamber sufficient to oxidize the gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.1 second to about 1 second. 54. The method according to p. 49, further comprising expanding the compressed and heated gas from the flameless combustion chamber by means of a turbine in fluid communication with the flameless combustion chamber. 55. A gradual oxidation system with a solid fuel gasification unit, comprising:
installation for gasification of solid fuel, which provides for the extraction and purification of gaseous fuel from solid fuel;
a flameless combustion chamber, which is configured to receive purified gaseous fuel through an inlet and supporting a process of gradual oxidation of gaseous fuel; and
an input device configured to receive pollutants from the installation for gasification and input of pollutants into the flameless combustion chamber;
wherein the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize pollutants. 56. The system of claim 55, wherein the flameless combustion chamber maintains an internal temperature without a catalyst. 57. The system of claim 55, wherein the gasification plant comprises a gas scrubber that cleans gaseous fuels. 58. The system of claim 57, wherein the gaseous fuel is cleaned with water through a gas scrubber. 59. The system of claim 58, wherein the contaminants received by the input device are in water. 60. The system of claim 58, wherein the input device comprises a compressor for increasing the water pressure before introducing water into the flameless combustion chamber. 61. The system of claim 55, wherein the flameless combustion chamber is configured to maintain an internal temperature sufficient to oxidize gaseous fuel in a time interval of from about 0.1 second to about 1 second. 62. The system of claim 55, further comprising a turbine in fluid communication with the flameless combustion chamber, wherein the turbine is configured to receive heated and compressed gas from the flameless combustion chamber and expand the gas.

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