System and method for managing a volatile organic compound emission stream

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10267241-B2
Application number	US-201715724664-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2017
Priority date	Apr 1, 2014
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

A Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) mitigation system employs a combination of technologies coupling VOC laden exhaust with a reciprocating engine and generator system (Combined Heat & Power (CHP) System) with heat recovery to destroy the VOC emissions and generate electric power and useful thermal energy.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for mitigating volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions generated as a by-product of a production process while producing energy therefrom, the system comprising:
an exhaust system for expelling an exhaust stream as part of a production process;
a detector located in a path of the expelled exhaust stream for determining a concentration of VOC in the expelled exhaust stream and passing the expelled exhaust stream directly to a combustion engine when a determined concentration of VOC's therein is above a predetermined threshold level; and
a combustion engine for receiving the expelled exhaust stream containing VOC's and reducing the expelled exhaust stream containing VOC's to usable mechanical energy and heat energy components.

2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one generator coupled to the combustion engine for receiving the useable mechanical energy components from the combustion engine and producing electric power therefrom.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a VOC concentrator, located in a path of the expelled exhaust stream after the detector and prior to the combustion engine, for producing a concentrated VOC expelled exhaust stream when the detector determines that the concentration of the VOC's therein is below a predetermined threshold level.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the VOC concentrator produces a VOC concentration signal which is passed, along with the expelled exhaust stream, to the VOC concentrator.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the detector is selected from the group consisting of a Flame Ionization Detector (FID) and a Photo Ionization Detectors (PID).

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the system further comprises a controllable fuel source for providing fuel to the combustion engine.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controllable fuel source receives the VOC concentration signal and adjusts an amount of fuel provided to the combustion engine responsive to the VOC concentration signal.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the combustion engine provides useable heat energy components to one or more additional components of the system for use thereby.

9. A combined heat and power (CHP) system for mitigating volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions generated as a by-product of a production process while producing useable energy therefrom, the system comprising:
a first detector located in a path of an exhaust stream expelled during the production process for determining a first concentration of VOC in the expelled exhaust stream and generating a first VOC concentration signal indicative thereof;
a VOC concentrator, located in a path of the expelled exhaust stream after the first detector; and
a combustion engine for receiving the expelled exhaust stream from the VOC concentrator and reducing the expelled exhaust stream to usable mechanical energy and heat energy components;
wherein the VOC concentrator is switchable between a pass-thru state and a concentration state responsive to a value of the received first VOC concentration signal.

10. The system according to claim 9 , further comprising at least one generator coupled to the combustion engine for receiving the useable mechanical energy components from the combustion engine and producing electric power therefrom.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the detector is selected from the group consisting of a Flame Ionization Detector (FID) and a Photo Ionization Detectors (PID).

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the system further comprises a controllable fuel source for providing fuel to the combustion engine.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controllable fuel source receives the first VOC concentration signal and adjusts an amount, type or flow rate of fuel provided to the combustion engine responsive to the first VOC concentration signal.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the combustion engine provides useable heat energy components to one or more additional components of the system for use thereby.

15. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a second detector for receiving the expelled exhaust stream from the VOC concentrator for determining a second concentration of VOC in the expelled exhaust stream and generating a second VOC concentration signal indicative thereof; and
a controllable fuel source for providing fuel to the combustion engine, wherein the controllable fuel source receives the first and second VOC concentration signals and adjusts an amount, type or flow rate of fuel provided to the combustion engine responsive thereto.

16. A process for mitigating volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions generated as a by-product of a production process while producing energy therefrom, the process comprising:
receiving an exhaust stream generated during the production process at a VOC concentration detector and generating a VOC concentration signal indicative of a concentration of VOCs detected therein;
receiving the VOC concentration signal at a controllable fuel source;
receiving at a combustion engine, the exhaust stream and fuel from the fuel source, wherein at least one of fuel amount, type and flow rate is adjusted by the controllable fuel source responsive to the VOC concentration signal prior to providing fuel to the combustion engine; and
producing, by the combustion engine, mechanical energy and heat energy.

17. The process of claim 16 , further comprising:
receiving by at least one generator coupled to the combustion engine the mechanical energy therefrom and producing electric power; and
receiving by a thermal load receiver coupled to the combustion engine the heat energy therefrom and utilizing as part of the production process.

18. The process according to claim 16 , further comprising:
receiving the exhaust stream and the VOC concentration signal at a VOC concentrator;
switching the VOC concentrator between a first pass-thru state, whereby the exhaust stream is not subject to additional concentration before passing the exhaust stream to the combustion engine, and a second concentration state, whereby the exhaust stream is subject to additional concentration before passing the exhaust stream to the combustion engine, responsive to a value of the VOC concentration signal received thereby.

Assignees

• Leidos Inc

Inventors

• Steen William Ronald
• Coon Scott Francis

Classifications

• B01D2257/708

  Volatile organic compounds V.O.C.'s · CPC title

• F02D29/06

  peculiar to engines driving electric generators · CPC title

• F02D41/0025

  Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures · CPC title

• F02D19/0634

  Determining a density, viscosity, composition or concentration (F02D19/087 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02B63/04

  for electric generators · CPC title