The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 27, 2009
Filed:
Dec. 27, 2006
Terizhandur S. Ramakrishnan, Bethel, CT (US);
Sandeep Verma, Village of Nagog Woods, MA (US);
Wenlin Zhang, Gloucestershire, GB;
Philippe Lacour-gayet, New York, NY (US);
Muthusamy Vembusubramanian, Acton, MA (US);
Terizhandur S. Ramakrishnan, Bethel, CT (US);
Sandeep Verma, Village of Nagog Woods, MA (US);
Wenlin Zhang, Gloucestershire, GB;
Philippe Lacour-Gayet, New York, NY (US);
Muthusamy Vembusubramanian, Acton, MA (US);
Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
A zero-emissions power plant receives natural gas from wells at elevated pressure and temperature. Gas is expanded through one or more turbo-expanders, preferably reformed, and sent to a fuel cell where electricity, heat, carbon-dioxide, and water are generated. The carbon-dioxide is compressed by at least one compressor and piped downhole for sequestration. The turbo-expanders have shafts which preferably share the shafts of the compressors. Thus, energy given up by the natural gas in the turbo-expanders is used to run compressors which compress carbon dioxide for downhole sequestration. In one embodiment, the natural gas is applied to heat exchangers in order to generate a stream of liquid natural gas. The remainder of the gas is expanded through the turbo-expanders and processed in the reformer prior to being sent to the fuel cell. A shifter may be used between the reformer and fuel cell. A solid oxide fuel cell is preferred.