Carbon-neutral eco-refinery utilizing internal thermal energy

Abstract

Apparatus, means and methods of converting existing refineries and hydrocarbon processing facilities to ecologically friendly refineries ('eco-refinery') are disclosed that employ heat and stored thermal energy for their internal processes to enable the overall operation of the facilities under improved environmental and carbon-neutral conditions. Also disclosed are the use of liquid organic hydrocarbon carriers (LOHC) to generate heat, hydrogen, and electricity under carbon-neutral conditions to power partially or wholly converted refineries and eco-refineries to enable the efficient use of clean energy sources and prevent the release of carbon dioxide to the environment. Also disclosed is a novel ecosystem for replacing traditional hydrocarbon fuels with LOHC materials for use internally within carbon-neutral refineries and also tailorable as alternative recyclable fuels to power mobile transportation systems and stationary facilities to enable their operation under overall carbon-neutral conditions with respect to the environment. Also disclosed is the use of eco-refineries to function as large-scale thermal energy storage systems and as liquid chemical batteries employing LOHC materials to store energy in the form of available heat and labile hydrogen when importing excess electrical energy from the grid and using stored thermal energy to generate and export needed electrical energy to the grid when deficit.