Exxonmobil Technology and Engineering Company

Fuelcell Energy, Inc.

Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Everett J O'Neal

Patrick Loring Hanks

Matthew Scott Ide

Anastasios I Skoulidas

Joseph E Gatt

Mark A Deimund

Sarah E Feicht

Louis R Brown

Vinit Choudhary

Anjaneya Sarma Kovvali

Hossein Ghezel-Ayagh

Carla S Pereira

Changmin Chun

Lu Han

William R Gunther

Timothy M Healy

Rodrigo F Blanco Gutierrez

Carl A Willman

Wesley Sattler

Zhiyan Wang

Frank J Dobek, Jr

Keith R Hajkowski

Brian Michael Weiss

Ning Ma

Partha Nandi

Kevin B Daly

Jianxin Jason Wu

Joshua W Allen

Vera Grankina

Gregory R Johnson

Yesim Igci

Rachel G Munson

Joseph A Camisa

Samantha J Reuter

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for treating a fluid produced from a biorefinery to remove contaminants, such as metals and sulfur therefrom. Biomass is pyrolysed and activated to form activated carbon used to remove such contaminants. The fluid produced from the biorefinery may be one or more of a biofuel, a biogas, and wastewater.

Biomass pyrolysis systems and methods for metal removal from biofuel

A reforming element for a molten carbonate fuel cell stack and corresponding methods are provided that can reduce or minimize temperature differences within the fuel cell stack when operating the fuel cell stack with enhanced COutilization. The reforming element can include at least one surface with a reforming catalyst deposited on the surface. A difference between the minimum and maximum reforming catalyst density and/or activity on a first portion of the at least one surface can be 20% to 75%, with the highest catalyst densities and/or activities being in proximity to the side of the fuel cell stack corresponding to at least one of the anode inlet and the cathode inlet.

Reforming catalyst pattern for fuel cell operated with enhanced COutilization

A submersible device submersible within an algae slurry contained within a pond of an algae bioreactor, the submersible device including a drive motor operable to actuate one or more driven devices that move the submersible device within the pond, a circulation device operable to circulate the algae slurry through the submersible device and discharge the algae slurry back into the pond from a discharge port provided on the submersible device, and a computer system that controls operation of the drive motor and the circulation device.

Autonomous submersible device for algae growth and collection

The present disclosure relates to algae cultivation including the integration of liners for large-scale open algal biomass to facilitate algae facility commercial scale-up operations. Liners include those having a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion comprising a second thickness, wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are different. Liners also include those having a first portion having a first thickness, a second portion comprising a second thickness, and a third portion comprising a third thickness, wherein the first thickness, the second thickness, and the third thickness are different.

Systems and methods comprising open algae cultivation liners

A system includes an algae bioreactor that contains an algae slurry, a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the algae bioreactor to receive the algae slurry from the algae bioreactor and heat and increase a pressure of the algae slurry, and one or more valves and a flash vessel in fluid communication with a discharge of the heat exchanger to flash the algae slurry and create steam and algae biomass. A separator receives the algae biomass from the flash vessel and separates oils from the algae biomass to generate a biofuel.

Solar steam explosion of algae

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for algae cultivation including the integration of electrochemical carbonate production for enhancing algae growth. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods and systems for producing a sodium hydroxide from brine using an electrochemical cell, contacting the sodium hydroxide stream with a COgas sweep and producing a carbonate stream, and cultivating an algae slurry in a cultivation vessel comprising at least a portion of the carbonate stream.

Algae cultivation systems and methods related thereto

Catalyst systems are provided for reforming of hydrocarbons, along with methods for using such catalyst systems. The catalyst systems can be deposited or otherwise coated on a surface or structure, such as a monolith, to achieve improved activity and/or structural stability. The metal oxide support layer can correspond to a thermally stable metal oxide support layer, such as a metal oxide support layer that is thermally phase stable at temperatures of 800° C. to 1600° C. The catalyst systems can be beneficial for use in cyclical reaction environments, such as reverse flow reactors or other types of reactors that are operated using flows in opposing directions and different times within a reaction cycle.

Catalyst systems for reforming in cyclic flow reactors

Systems and methods are provided for performing COsorption and desorption using a sorbent structure with an integrated heat pump. The integrated heat pump can allow at least a portion of the heat generated during sorption to be recovered by forming steam from water. The steam raised during the sorption process can then be compressed and optionally heated to raise the temperature of the steam. The compressed and optionally heated steam can then be used as at least a portion of the steam for desorption of COin the same sorbent bed or a different sorbent bed. By recovering the heat of sorption to raise steam, substantial energy savings can be achieved relative to a conventional process.

Cyclical COcapture with integrated heat pump

A method includes containing an algae media within a contactor, introducing a stream of natural gas comprising up to 80 wt % carbon dioxide (CO) into the contactor, contacting the natural gas on the algae media and thereby allowing the algae media to consume COfrom the natural gas, and discharging a stream of natural gas comprising 2 wt % or less COfrom the contactor.

Upgrading and enrichment of gases through algae photobioreactors

Systems and methods are provided for using size-reversing materials in vessels where direct heating is used to at least partially provide heat for reforming reactions under cyclic reforming conditions. An example of a size-reversing material is the combination of NiO and AlO. It has been discovered that size-reversing materials can undergo a phase transition that can assist with re-dispersion of metal at elevated temperatures. This can assist with maintaining catalytic activity for reforming over longer time periods in the presence of cyclic reforming conditions.

Size-reversing materials for reforming in cyclic flow reactors

Systems and methods are provided for using a high heat capacity gas as at least a portion of the diluent during the regeneration step of a reverse flow reactor process. Instead of using nitrogen or air as the primary diluent gas, COand/or HO can be added as diluent gas for the regeneration step in the reaction cycle. Increasing the heat capacity of the diluent gas provides a reduction in the peak temperature within the reactor relative to the amount of fuel combusted during regeneration. This can allow for a reduction in the volume of diluent used during regeneration and/or an increase in the amount of fuel used. Reducing the volume of diluent can reduce the pressure drop during regeneration, which can provide a corresponding reduction in the amount of compression required for recycle of the diluent. Increasing the amount of fuel can allow for a corresponding increase in the amount of endothermic reaction performed during the reaction step.

Reverse flow reactor regeneration using high heat capacity fluids

Systems and methods are provided for improving the operation of groups of reverse flow reactors by operating reactors in a regeneration portion of the reaction cycle to have improved flue gas management. The flue gas from reactor(s) at a later portion of the regeneration step can be selectively used for recycle back to the reactors as a diluent/heat transport fluid. The flue gas from a reactor earlier in a regeneration step can be preferentially used as the gas vented from the system to maintain the desired volume of gas within the system. This results in preferential use of higher temperature flue gas for recycle and lower temperature flue gas for venting from the system. This improved use of flue gas within a reaction system including reverse flow reactors can allow for improved reaction performance while reducing or minimizing heat losses during the regeneration portion of the reaction cycle.

Reverse flow reactors with selective flue gas cascade

A system includes a photobioreactor that provides a channel configured to contain an algae slurry, a duct positioned adjacent the channel and configured to convey a gas, and a barrier separating the duct from the channel and providing one or more apertures to allow a portion of the gas to be injected into the algae slurry from the duct.

Bioreactor with integrated flue gas distribution

A system for growing algae includes a pivot arm pivotally coupled to a pivot connection positioned in a pond containing water and algae, and a mixing device coupled to the pivot arm and extending into the pond to mix the water and the algae as the pivot arm rotates.

Growing community of inventors

Asbury, NJ, United States of America

Everett J O'Neal