Praxair Technology, Inc.

Bart Antonie Van Hassel

Ravi Prasad

Minish Mahendra Shah

Gervase Maxwell Christie

Christian Friedrich Gottzmann

Raymond Francis Drnevich

Hisashi Kobayashi

Aqil Jamal

Jonathan Andrew Lane

M Mushtaq Ahmed

Lawrence E Bool, Iii

Eric Hunter Shreiber

Jack C Chen

Anil Vasudeo Virkar

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan Chakravarthy

Nitin Ramesh Keskar

Victor Emmanuel Bergsten

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan

Jamie R Wilson

John Derrick Sirman

Edward Paul Eardley

Raymond Francis Dmevich

Leonard H Switzer

Nagendra Nagabhushana

A composite oxygen transport membrane having a dense layer, a porous support layer and an intermediate porous layer located between the dense layer and the porous support layer. Both the dense layer and the intermediate porous layer are formed from an ionic conductive material to conduct oxygen ions and an electrically conductive material to conduct electrons. The porous support layer has a high permeability, high porosity, and a high average pore diameter and the intermediate porous layer has a lower permeability and lower pore diameter than the porous support layer. Catalyst particles selected to promote oxidation of a combustible substance are located in the intermediate porous layer and in the porous support adjacent to the intermediate porous layer. The catalyst particles can be formed by wicking a solution of catalyst precursors through the porous support toward the intermediate porous layer.

Catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane

An apparatus for generating electrical power in which a synthesis gas stream generated in a gasifier is partially oxidized, expanded and thereafter, is combusted in an oxygen transport membrane system of a boiler. The combustion generates heat to raise steam to in turn generate electricity by a generator coupled to a steam turbine. The resultant flue gas can be purified to produce a carbon dioxide product.

Electrical power generation apparatus

A method of generating electrical power in which a synthesis gas stream generated in a gasifier is combusted in an oxygen transport membrane system of a boiler. The combustion generates heat to raise steam to in turn generate electricity by a generator coupled to a steam turbine. The resultant flue gas can be purified to produce a carbon dioxide product.

Electrical power generation method

A composite oxygen ion transport membrane having a dense layer, a porous support layer, an optional intermediate porous layer located between the porous support layer and the dense layer and an optional surface exchange layer, overlying the dense layer. The dense layer has electronic and ionic phases. The ionic phase is composed of scandia doped, yttrium or cerium stabilized zirconia. The electronic phase is composed of a metallic oxide containing lanthanum, strontium, chromium, manganese and vanadium and optionally cerium. The porous support layer is composed of zirconia partially stabilized with yttrium, scandium, aluminum or cerium or mixtures thereof. The intermediate porous layer, if used, contains the same ionic and electronic phases as the dense layer. The surface exchange layer is formed of an electronic phase of a metallic oxide of lanthanum and strontium that also contains either manganese or iron and an ionic phase of scandia doped zirconia stabilized with yttrium or cerium.

Composite oxygen ion transport membrane

A method of heating process streams fed to a boiler incorporating an oxygen transport membrane device that includes an oxygen-containing stream and a boiler feed water stream. The membrane device separates oxygen to support combustion of a fuel and generate heat to raise the steam. Heat is recovered and process streams are heated by separately heating portions of the oxygen-containing stream and the boiler feed water stream with a retentate stream produced from the oxygen separation and a flue gas stream generated from the combustion. The flow rate of the portion of the oxygen-containing stream heated by the retentate stream is greater than that heated by the flue gas stream to help minimize heat transfer area and thus, fabrication costs. Also, water is condensed from the flue gas stream during the heat exchange involved in the heat recovery to increase thermodynamic efficiency.

Method of heating boiler process feed streams

A method of heating a fluid utilizing a process heater having one or more first combustion zones and one or more second combustion zones. The combustion of a fuel is divided between the first and second combustion zones. The oxygen is provided for combustion within the first combustion zone by one or more oxygen transport membranes that contribute between about 50 and 99 percent of the stoichiometric amount of oxygen required for complete combustion of the fuel passing through the process heater. A supplemental or secondary oxidant is introduced into second combustion zone to complete combustion of the fuel and thereby produce a flue gas stream containing between about 1 and 3 percent oxygen to ensure complete combustion of the fuel. In this manner, the surface area of the oxygen transport membranes may be reduced below the surface area that otherwise would be required if 100 percent of the oxygen were contributed by the oxygen transport membranes.

Fluid heating method

A method of separating oxygen from an oxygen containing stream in which compressed and heated oxygen is introduced into cathode side of an oxygen transport membrane reactor. Oxygen is permeated from the cathode side to the anode side. Motive fluid that is introduced into an ejector draws an oxygen permeate containing stream from the anode side at a subatmospheric pressure to form an oxygen containing product stream. The motive fluid, which can be steam raised by combustion used in heating the reactor, can be separated from the oxygen containing product stream to form an oxygen product stream. The use of an ejector lowers the partial pressure of the oxygen at the anode side of the membrane reactor and therefore the degree to which the oxygen containing stream need be compressed.

Oxygen separation method utilizing an oxygen transport membrane reactor

A method of producing hydrogen in which oxygen is separated from an oxygen containing stream to produce an oxygen permeate which is mixed with a hydrocarbon containing stream and steam. Steam, one or more hydrocarbons and permeated oxygen is reacted to produce a synthesis gas. Hydrogen is separated from the synthesis gas by a hydrogen transport membrane to produce a hydrogen permeate which after cooling is used to form a hydrogen product stream. The hydrogen-depleted crude synthesis gas is then combusted to heat the incoming oxygen containing feed.

Hydrogen production method

A method of separating oxygen using a ceramic membrane unit having one or more ceramic membranes, preferably formed of a mixed conducting ceramic, for instance, a perovskite, capable of conducting both oxygen ions and electrons. Oxygen is separated within the ceramic membrane unit under impetus of compressing an incoming oxygen containing feed. The compressor used in the compression is powered by the work of expansion produced by expanding a process stream composed of at least a portion of the retentate produced in the ceramic membrane unit. Prior to expansion, the process stream is cooled to allow the use of less expensive materials in expanders used in the expansion. As a result, expansion of the process stream alone is insufficient to meet the power requirements involved in the compression. Interstage expansion with reheating is used to make up for the power deficit.

Oxygen separation method using a ceramic membrane unit

An ion-transport membrane assembly including a tubular, ion-transport membrane that is fabricated from one or more ion-transport, ceramic materials capable of ionic transport at an operational temperature of greater than 400&deg; C. The membrane may be an oxygen transport membrane or a hydrogen transport membrane. A plurality of structural supporting members, fabricated from an open porous material and having an outer cylindrical surface, are inserted within the membrane, without being bonded to the membrane, to inhibit inward collapse of the membrane under application of a pressure applied to an exterior surface of the membrane. The structural supporting members are configured to permit relative movement between the outer surface of the structural supporting member and the interior surface of the tubular membrane during heating to or cooling from the operational temperature thereof.

Ion-transport membrane assembly incorporating internal support

A method of separating oxygen from an oxygen containing gas with a composite membrane capable of conducting oxygen ions and electrons. In accordance with the method, the composite membrane is subjected to an operational temperature and the oxygen containing gas at a cathode side thereof. The composite membrane has a dense layer, at least one active porous layer contiguous to the dense layer, and at least one porous support layer. The active porous layer has a thickness and a distribution of pore radii. The distribution of pore radii has a standard deviation from a theoretical radius that would produce a maximum operation flux through the thickness when the thickness is about equal to a product of a constant and the square root of the theoretical radius. The constant is a function of a material used to fabricate the active porous layer, the operational temperature and an oxygen partial pressure within the active porous layer, and a porosity and a tortuosity produced by the pore radii. The standard deviation of the log of the theoretical radius is equal to a product of 1.45 and a shape factor, the shape factor being greater than 0 and no greater than about 0.5.

Method of separating oxygen with the use of composite ceramic membranes

An ion transport reactor and process for using same having at least one ion transport membrane with a retentate side and a permeate side, for extracting oxygen from a feed gas stream as it flows along the retentate side. A reactant gas stream is flowed along the permeate side of the ion transport tubes to react with the oxygen transported therethrough. Heat is transferred to a fluid stream flowing through the ion transport reactor while the temperature of the membrane is maintained within its operating range.

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Getzville, NY, United States of America

Bart Antonie Van Hassel