Method and apparatus for capturing carbon dioxide during combustion of carbon containing fuel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9939153-B2
Application number	US-201414295018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2014
Priority date	Jun 3, 2013
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A boiler system having a series of boilers. Each boiler includes a shell having an upstream end, a downstream end, and a hollow interior. The boilers also have an oxidizer inlet entering the hollow interior adjacent the upstream end of the shell and a fuel nozzle positioned adjacent the upstream end of the shell for introducing fuel into the hollow interior of the shell. Each boiler includes a flue duct connected to the shell adjacent the downstream end for transporting flue gas from the hollow interior. Oxygen is delivered to the oxidizer inlet of the first boiler in the series. Flue gas from the immediately preceding boiler in the series is delivered through the oxidizer inlet of each boiler subsequent to the first boiler in the series.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A boiler system, comprising:
a series of boilers, each boiler in said series including:
a shell surrounding a vertical centerline, the shell defining an inner surface having an inner diameter and an inner length extending between an upper upstream end and a lower downstream end, said inner surface defining a hollow interior suitable for withstanding pressure greater than ambient, the hollow interior having a pre-combustion zone, a combustion zone downstream from the pre-combustion zone, and a post-combustion zone downstream from the combustion zone;
an oxidizer inlet entering the pre-combustion zone of the hollow interior adjacent the upper upstream end of the shell;
a flow distributor mounted in the hollow interior of the shell downstream from oxidizer inlet adapted to provide oxidizer flowing downstream from the distributor with an even radial flow distribution, with an even circumferential flow distribution, and with a ratio of circular momentum to axial momentum of less than 0.2;
a fuel nozzle positioned adjacent the upper upstream end of the shell for introducing fuel into the combustion zone of the hollow interior of the shell along the vertical centerline and downstream from the flow distributor; and
a flue duct connected to the shell adjacent the lower downstream end for transporting flue gas from the hollow interior;
wherein a first boiler in the series is adapted to receive oxygen through the oxidizer inlet of said first boiler; and
wherein the oxidizer inlet of each boiler in the series subsequent to said first boiler is adapted to receive flue gas from an immediately preceding boiler in the series.

2. A boiler system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each boiler further comprises a tube assembly mounted in the combustion zone and post-combustion zone of the hollow interior of the shell for transferring heat to fluid flowing through the tube assembly, the tube assembly having an upstream inner diameter surrounding the combustion zone and a downstream inner diameter surrounding the post-combustion zone, the downstream inner diameter being smaller than the upstream inner diameter.

3. A boiler system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein:
the tube assembly of each boiler in the series comprises a first group of tubes and a second group of tubes;
each tube of the first group of tubes includes an upstream portion and a downstream portion, each upstream portion of the first group having an inlet at a downstream end of the upstream portion and an outlet at an upstream end of the upstream portion, each downstream portion of the first group comprising a superheater unit having an inlet at an upstream end of the downstream portion and an outlet at a downstream end of the downstream portion; and
each tube of the second group of tubes includes an upstream portion and a downstream portion, each upstream portion of the second group comprising a superheater unit having an inlet at an upstream end of the upstream portion and an outlet at a downstream end of the upstream portion, each downstream portion of the second group comprising a repeater unit having an inlet at an upstream end of the downstream portion and an outlet at a downstream end of the downstream portion.

4. A boiler system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein:
each boiler of said series is operatively connected to a plurality of turbines;
a first turbine of said plurality of turbines is adapted to receive fluid from the outlet of the superheater units;
the inlet of the reheater unit of each boiler in the series is adapted to receive fluid from the first turbine;
a second turbine of said plurality of turbines is adapted to receive fluid from the reheater unit of each boiler in the series; and
the inlet of the upstream portion of the first group of tubes of each boiler in the series is adapted to receive fluid from the second turbine.

5. A boiler system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein:
each boiler of said series is operatively connected to a plurality of turbines;
a high pressure turbine of said plurality of turbines is adapted to receive fluid from the outlet of the superheater units;
the inlet of the repeater unit of each boiler in the series is adapted to receive fluid from the high pressure turbine;
a second turbine of said plurality of turbines is adapted to receive fluid from the reheater unit of each boiler in the series; and
the inlet of the upstream portion of the first group of tubes of each boiler in the series is adapted to receive fluid from the second turbine.

6. A boiler system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each boiler further comprises a tube liner lining the shell for transporting coolant inside the inner surface of the shell to cool the shell.

7. A boiler system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the fuel nozzle of each boiler in the series of boilers is adapted to receive fuel mixed with flue gas from a final boiler in the series.

8. A boiler system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising an air separator adapted to separate oxygen from air, said oxygen being delivered to the oxidizer inlet of the first boiler in the series.

9. A boiler system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a filter adapted to separate fly ash from flue gas emitted by a final boiler in the series.

10. A boiler system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a cooler adapted to cool flue gas emitted by a final boiler in the series.

11. A boiler system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a scrubber adapted to remove sulphur oxides from flue gas emitted by a final boiler in the series.

12. A boiler system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each boiler further comprises a tube assembly mounted in the combustion zone and post-combustion zone of the hollow interior of the shell for transferring heat to fluid flowing through the assembly, the assembly having an upstream inner diameter surrounding the combustion zone and a downstream inner diameter surrounding the post-combustion zone.

13. A boiler system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each boiler in the series of boilers is adapted to receive flue gas from a final boiler in the series.

14. A boiler system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a scrubber adapted to remove nitrogen oxides from flue gas emitted by a final boiler in the series.

15. A boiler system, comprising:
a series of boilers, each boiler in said series being adapted to create steam above atmospheric pressure and including:
a shell having an upstream end, a downstream end opposite said upstream end, and a hollow interior;
an oxidizer inlet entering the hollow interior adjacent the upstream end of the shell and being adapted for introducing oxygen into the hollow interior of the shell when the hollow interior is pressurized to above atmospheric pressure;
a fuel nozzle positioned adjacent the upstream end of the shell and being adapted for introducing fuel into the hollow interior of the shell when the hollow interior is pressurized to above atmospheric pressure; and
a flue duct connected to the shell adjacent the downstream end for transporting flue gas from the hollow interior;
wherein the oxidizer inlet of a first boiler in the series is adapted to receive oxygen;
wherein the oxidizer inlet of each boiler in the series subsequent to said first boiler is adapted to receive flue gas from an immediately preceding boiler in the series; and
wherein the fuel nozzle of each boiler in the series of boilers is adapted to receive fuel mixed with flue gas from a final boiler in the series.

16. A boiler system as set forth in claim 15 , wherein each boiler in t

Assignees

• Univ Washington

Inventors

• Axelbaum Richard L
• Kumfer Benjamin M
• Xia Fei
• Gopan Akshay
• Dhungel Bhupesh

Classifications

• F22B1/22

  using combustion under pressure substantially exceeding atmospheric pressure · CPC title

• F22B33/18

  Combinations of steam boilers with other apparatus · CPC title

• F22B31/04

  Heat supply by installation of two or more combustion apparatus, e.g. of separate combustion apparatus for the boiler and the superheater respectively · CPC title

• F22B33/12

  Self-contained steam boilers, i.e. comprising as a unit the steam boiler, the combustion apparatus, the fuel storage, accessory machines and equipment · CPC title

• F23J15/02

  of purifiers, e.g. for removing noxious material (traps for solid residues F23J3/04) · CPC title