WO2006138302A2

WO2006138302A2 - Method and apparatus for producing hydrocarbon fuels from water

Info

Publication number: WO2006138302A2
Application number: PCT/US2006/022973
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Kramer
Original assignee: Synthetic Fuels Corp.
Priority date: 2005-06-13
Filing date: 2006-06-13
Publication date: 2006-12-28
Also published as: WO2006138302A3

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for the conversion of water and carbon into liquid hydrocarbon products, and more particularly converting said elements by subjecting them to underwater plasma to produce synthesis gas and then converting the synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING HYDROCARBON FUELS FROM

WATER

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a process for the conversion of water and carbon into liquid hydrocarbon products, and more particularly converting the water and carbon by subjecting said elements to underwater plasma to produce synthesis gas and then converting the synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons.

[0002] As a result of spiked demand from what was previously considered third world countries such as India and China, the demand for petroleum products has increased while petroleum reserves and oil production have reached a critical point. It is predicted that all the oil recovery projects scheduled to come on stream during the next six-year period will be unable to maintain the pace of the world's growing needs.

[0003] Currently, the United States is consuming one million barrels of petroleum-based fuels per day. This figure is projected to more than double by the year 2010, and it will progress to seven million barrels per day by the year 2025.

[0004] It is known in the art to address these petroleum shortfalls by synthesizing hydrocarbon fuels. Since the 1920's, it has been known that an underwater arc between carbon electrodes provides a combustible hydrocarbon gas. Furthermore, the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of hydrocarbons from combustible gases has been known and used as a commercial process since the 1950's. It is known in the art to produce hydrocarbon liquid with standard temperature and pressure. Gases and waxes are also produced.

[0005] It is currently known to use a hydrocarbon feed stock to make a synthesis gas (containing carbon monoxide and water) suitable for Fischer-Tropsch catalytic processing to form the liquid hydrocarbons. However, the current hydrocarbon feed stock is coal. Coal, in its mined state, is unsuitable for uses as a motor fuel and therefore must be converted into synthesis gas. This is done by oxidation under controlled conditions in the presence of water. This produces a synthesis gas, which is then used to produce liquid hydrocarbons under standard temperature and pressure. It is this liquid hydrocarbon, which may be used as a motor fuel.

[0006] In this manner, the solid coal with its undesirable physical characteristics is converted into gasoline, kerosene and diesel fuel or other hydrocarbons having the more desirable characteristics for engine fuels. However, the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process can normally only be carried out with feed stocks that are carefully optimized for the process. As a result, because of use of coal, a major portion of a typical synthesis plant is dedicated to the necessary storing of coal and the conversion of the coal hydrocarbon feed stock to the synthesis gas upon which the Fischer-Tropsch catalytic process is performed. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and system for creating synthetic fuel which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by reducing the complexity, cost and space required for producing a feed stock for the synthetic fuel production process.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] An anode and a carbon cathode are placed in spaced relation into water. A low voltage high current power signal is applied to the cathode to create an arc between the cathode and anode separating the water into highly ionized atoms of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon which form as a combustible gas. The combustible gas is input into a Fischer-Tropsch reactor to produce crude oil. The crude oil is processed to produce a diesel fraction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention in which like elements are similarly identified and in which:

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a water filtration system in accordance with the invention;

[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of a gas synthesis system in accordance with the invention; and [0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of a gas liquification reactor in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Because of the abundance of seawater, an object of the invention is to utilize seawater as the fuel stock for the gas generation process. However, seawater includes many impurities. Therefore, reference is made to Fig. 1 in which a system, generally indicated as 10 for purifying seawater is provided. System 10 includes an input 12, a filtration system 14 and a water output 16 downstream of the filtration system. Seawater is input at input 12, the seawater's minerals and pollutants are then filtered from the water by filtration system 14. In a preferred embodiment, reverse osmosis filtration is utilized to remove minerals such as salt from the water.

[0013] It should be noted that this is an optional step and that non- seawater may be used, such as lake water or water which has been treated previously by other parties. In this way, the system may be located either near a body of seawater, fresh water, or at a location remote from water (reservoir, well water, municipal water system or the like). In a preferred embodiment, input 12 is directly coupled to a body of water such as a lake, river or ocean. In this way, no additional space is required for storage of the feed stock.

[0014] Reference is now made to Fig. 2 in which a first step of the invention is performed in order to create synthesis gas from water. A system 20 includes a water input 22, a synthesis gas reactor 24 and a synthesis gas output 26. Synthesis gas reactor 24 includes an anode and a carbon cathode, which are submerged in the water input at water input 22. The anode and the cathode produce an underwater arc. The high current brings the tip of the carbon electrode in the cathode to incandescence. As a result, the carbon crystal of the carbon cathode disintegrates and releases highly ionized carbon atoms to the arc.

[0015] Simultaneously, the arc separates the water into highly ionized atoms of hydrogen and oxygen. In the immediate vicinity of the arc, a high temperature plasma of about 7000⁰F is formed composed of highly ionized hydrogen, oxygen and carbon atoms. A number of chemical reactions occur within or near the plasma, including, but not limited to, the formation of water (H₂O₂₎ molecules, the burning of hydrogen and oxygen into (H₂O); the burning of carbon and oxygen into carbon monoxide (CO); the burning of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Because all of these reactions are highly exothermic, they result in a typical, very intense glow of the arc within the water, which is bigger than that same arc in air. The produced gases are cooled down by the water surrounding the discharge as they bubble to the surface where they are collected as is known in the art, and output at the synthesis gas output 26.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cathode and the anode are coupled to a DC powered unit, such as a welder, which operates at a low voltage between about 25-35 volts and a high current between about 300-3,000 amps. Within these ranges, the synthesis gas produced by the arc is formed substantially of 45% to 48% hydrogen molecules (H₂), 36% to 38% carbon monoxide (CO), 8% to 10% carbon dioxide (CO₂) and 1% to 2% oxygen (O), with the remaining gas consisting of small parts per million of more complex molecules made of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. The preferred embodiment of the invention may use commercially available synthesis gas production reactors such as that produced by Santilli Magnegas of Palm Harbor, Florida.

[0017] Reference is now made to Fig. 3 in which a catalytic reactor, generally indicated as 30, converts the synthesis gas to diesel fuel. Reactor 30 has a synthesis gas input 32, which provides an input to a reactor 34 having a diesel fuel output 36. Synthesis gas is then input through input 32 to reactor 34. The preferred reactor is a Fischer-Tropsch reactor, which converts synthesis gas into high quality crude oil. Fischer-Tropsch reactors are known in the art and in a preferred embodiment a commercially available reactor such as that manufactured by Centroleum Corporation of Tulsa, Oklahoma, or Rentech, Inc. of Denver, Colorado, may be used.

[0018] Reactor 34 further processes the crude oil, as known in the art, to specific boiling point fractions and in particular a diesel fuel fraction. In a preferred embodiment, the diesel fuel is produced because of its low sulphur and aromatic content, high cetane index and its cleaner burning and use in a compression ignition engine.

[0019] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the output of each system described above provides the input to the next described system. In other words, the water output from the filtration system, is the input to synthesis gas reactor 24. The synthesis gas output by synthesis gas 24 is the input to the Fischer-Tropsch reactor 34. In this way, a simplified refining factory is provided as compared to the complex machinery of the coal feed stock device. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the entire system is located adjacent the body of water so that the water input 12 is coupled to a water reservoir or water source adjacent the system, further saving on space and complexity of the system. The entire system may be powered by hydroelectric energy where adjacent a body of water, or by wind turbine energy, reducing the overall energy cost of producing the synthetic fuel as well as any pollutants previously associated with the coal feed stock processing method.

[0020] By utilizing underwater arc by carbon rods to create synthesis gas for the Fischer-Tropsch reactor, a major portion of the typical Fischer-Tropsch plant is reduced. There is no longer a need to dedicate a significant portion of the plant to the conversion of hydrocarbon feed stocks to the synthesis gas.

[0021] Typically, the apparatus for synthesis gas preparation amounts to about two thirds of the cost of a Fischer Tropsch plant. The present invention will therefore provide many benefits over previous art by reducing the cost of a Fischer- Tropsch plant by two thirds and, by using water, a clean and abundant resource for the production of hydrocarbon fuels.

[0022] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its . application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0023] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0024] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide new and improved production of hydrocarbon products from water. To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a system for producing a clean burning combustible gas from an electric arc followed by at least one gas to liquid means.

[0025] It is another object of the present invention to provide new and improved ecologically friendly, durable and efficient fuels from water, which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed on a commercial basis.

[0026] Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved system for producing clean burning hydrocarbon fuels to make up for the expected shortfalls in petroleum production.

[0027] These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method for producing synthetic diesel fuel comprising the steps of: providing an underwater arc in water to generate a synthesis gas, the synthesis gas including hydrogen, oxygen and carbon; performing Fischer-Tropsch reaction on said synthesis gas to produce crude oil; and separating the diesel fuel from said crude oil.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of utilizing seawater and purifying said seawater.

3. A system for producing diesel fuel comprising a water input, a synthesis gas reactor for creating a synthesis gas from water input at said water input, said synthesis gas including hydrogen, carbon and oxygen; a Fischer-Tropsch reactor coupled to said synthesis gas reactor for receiving said synthesis gas and creating crude oil.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a water purification system having a water input and filtering minerals and pollutants from said water output as purified water.

5. The system of claim 4, said input water being the purified water.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said input water is seawater.