Integrated Air Separation and Oxygen Fired Power Generation System

Abstract

An integrated air separation and oxygen fired power generation system includes an air separation unit and a gas turbine including an air compressor to provide compressed air for the air separation unit. The system further includes a gas turbine expander and at least one additional turbine to drive the air compressor, as well as at least one combustion unit to provide drive gas for expander and additional turbine(s). A portion of oxygen produced by the air separation unit is delivered to the combustor(s) to facilitate production of drive gas for use by the expander and additional turbine(s). Turbine inlet temperatures are controlled by recycling water or steam to the combustor(s).

1 . An integrated air separation and power generation system comprising: 
 a gas turbine unit including an air compressor a gas turbine expander coupled to the air compressor and a combustion unit located upstream from the expander to feed drive gas to the expander;    an air separation unit to receive compressed air from the air compressor and produce at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen, a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit being fed to the combustion unit; and    a second turbine coupled to the air compressor and located downstream from the expander to receive drive gas discharged from the expander;    wherein each of the expander and the second turbine drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the expander and the second turbine.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the third turbine;    wherein the combustion unit is located downstream from the third turbine to receive drive gas discharged from the third turbine.    
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 A second combustion unit disposed directly upstream from the third turbine to feed drive gas to the third turbine;    a heat exchanger located downstream from the air compressor and upstream from the air separation unit to receive and cool compressed air from the air compressor prior to delivery of the compressed air to the air separation unit;    wherein a cooling stream including water is input to the heat exchanger to cool the compressed air, and a discharge stream including at least one of water and steam is fed from the heat exchanger to the second combustion unit.    
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a third turbine disposed in-line with a power generation facility to receive drive gas from the power generation facility and generate power for the facility, the third turbine including at least one extraction port to feed a portion of the drive gas input to the third turbine to the combustion unit at a pressure that is substantially similar to the operating pressure of the combustion unit.    
   
   
       5 . An integrated air separation and power generation system comprising: 
 an air separation unit to receive compressed air and produce at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen;    an air compressor located upstream from the air separation unit to feed compressed air to the air separation unit;    a plurality of turbines coupled to the air compressor to drive the air compressor when drive gas flows through the turbines; and    at least one combustion unit to feed drive gas to at least one turbine;    wherein a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separation unit is fed to the at least one combustion unit.    
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a heat exchanger disposed in-line between the air compressor and air separation unit to receive and cool the compressed air from the air compressor prior to the compressed air being fed to the air separation unit, the heat exchanger further utilizing a cooling stream of water to cool the compressed air;    wherein the cooling stream discharged from the heat exchanger is fed to the at least one combustion unit to control the temperature of drive gas fed to at least one of the turbines.    
   
   
       7 . A method of providing power to an air separation unit via an integrated power generation system including a first turbine, a second turbine, an air compressor, and a combustion unit, wherein the first and second turbines are coupled to the air compressor, the method comprising: 
 reacting oxygen with a hydrocarbon fuel in the combustion unit to produce a drive gas for the first turbine;    driving the air compressor by feeding the drive gas from the combustion unit directly through the first turbine and subsequently through the second turbine;    generating a compressed air stream by the air compressor as a result of the air compressor being driven by the first and second turbines;    feeding the compressed air stream from the air compressor to the air separation unit;    processing the compressed air stream in the air separator unit to yield at least two product streams including a stream of primarily oxygen; and    feeding a portion of the oxygen stream produced by the air separator unit to the combustion unit.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the system further includes a third turbine coupled to the air compressor to further drive the air compressor when drive gas is fed through the third turbine, and the method further comprises: 
 feeding drive gas discharged from the third turbine to the combustion unit.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second turbine is further coupled to an electrical generator, and the method further comprises: 
 driving the electrical generator with the second turbine to produce electrical energy when drive gas flows through the second turbine.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the system is combined with a power generation facility including a third turbine, and the method further comprises: 
 feeding a drive gas from the facility through the third turbine to generate power for the facility; and    extracting a portion of the drive gas within the third turbine from at least one extraction port and at a selected pressure that is substantially similar to the operating pressure of the combustion unit; and    feeding the drive gas extracted from the third turbine to the combustion unit to form a portion of the drive gas to be fed to the first turbine.