Electric reaction technology for fuels processing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for producing hydrogen is disclosed wherein a hydrocarbon gas is fed into an electric reaction technology system to decompose the hydrocarbon gas to hydrogen gas and carbon solids. The electric reaction technology system comprises one or more heating zones, wherein each heating zone comprises one or more heating stations and each heating station comprises one or more heating screens followed by a final near-equilibrium attainment zone without additional heat input. After passing the hydrogen gas through the electric reaction technology system the hydrogen gas and any remaining carbon solids and hydrocarbon gas are cooled. The hydrogen gas and any remaining carbon solids and hydrocarbon gas flow through a scrubber, filter, drier or other phase separation system to remove substantially all of the carbon, leaving hydrogen product. The electric reaction technology system can also be used to pyrolyze hydrocarbons.

1 . A hydrogen production system comprising:
 an electric reaction technology system having electric resistance heaters having one or more heating zones, wherein each heating zone comprises two or more selectably-spaced heating stations in series and each heating station comprises one or more heating screens through which process gases can flow, followed by a final near-equilibrium attainment zone without additional heat input;   a selectable heat input into the heating stations;   an inlet into a first of the one or more heating zones configured for input of a gas from which hydrogen gas will be formed;   a finishing station for cooling and removal of carbon solids; and   an outlet configured for output of the hydrogen gas.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a heat exchanger disposed after the heating zones configured to utilize heat from the electric reaction technology system to heat the incoming gas.   
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a carbon solid removal component after each heating zone configured to remove some or all of the carbon solids. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a pre-heater disposed after the inlet and before the first heating zone. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a recycling mechanism configured to recycle at least a portion of the heated hydrogen gas and any remaining carbon solids and hydrocarbon gas exiting the heat exchanger into the hydrocarbon gas flow. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  further comprising a recycle compressor disposed within the system such that recycled hydrogen passes through it prior to mixing with the input gas. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a wind-generated electricity source. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein one or more heating stations is configured to deliver a different heating duty to the system. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  comprising four heating zones. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1  comprising four heating stations for at least one heating zone. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the electric reaction technology system is disposed in a substantially vertical position with respect to the level ground. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the spacing between heating stations increases in the gas flow direction. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the heat duty delivered by each heating station is substantially equal. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the heat delivered by each heating station is substantially constant within each zone. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the heat duty delivered by each subsequent zone decreases. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the heating station spacing varies continuously after the first zone to maintain substantially isothermal conditions by controlling reaction rates and volumes. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 1  configured so the temperature can be varied between heating zones. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 1  comprising a second inlet configured to introduce a second gas into the first gas stream prior to entering the first heating zone. 
   
   
       19 . A pyrolysis method comprising:
 feeding a hydrocarbon gas into an electric reaction technology system having electric resistance heaters to pyrolyze the hydrocarbon gas to produce cracked gas products, the electric reaction technology system comprising one or more heating zones, wherein each heating zone comprises two or more heating stations in series and each heating station comprises one or more heating screens through which process gases flow;   selecting heat input into heating stations and spacing between heating stations to optimize hydrocarbon gas conversion to cracked gas products;   quenching the cracked gas products; and   separating the cracked gas products.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein ethylene is separated from the cracked products. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein acetylene is separated from the cracked products. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein propylene is separated from the cracked gas products. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein, after separation of the cracked gas products, hydrogen is recycled into the process. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the hydrocarbon feed gas comprises one or more hydrocarbons that can be vaporized. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the hydrocarbon feed gas is selected from the group consisting of ethane, propane, butane, naphthas, gas oils and C 2 , C 3 , C 4 , and C 5  hydrocarbons. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 19  wherein steam is added to the feedstock before it enters the electric reaction technology system. 
   
   
       27 . A pyrolysis system producing cracked gas products comprising:
 an electric reaction technology system having electric resistance heaters having one or more heating zones, wherein each heating zone comprises two or more selectably-spaced heating stations in series and each heating station comprises one or more heating screens through which process gases can flow;   a selectable heat input into the heating stations;   an inlet into a first of the one or more heating zones configured for input of a gas from which cracked gas products will be formed;   a finishing station for cooling and removal of carbon solids; and   an outlet configured for output of the cracked gas products.   
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27  further comprising:
 a heat exchanger disposed after the heating zones configured to utilize heat from the electric reaction technology system to heat the incoming gas.   
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 27  further comprising a pre-heater disposed after the inlet and before the first heating zone. 
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 27  further comprising a recycling mechanism configured to recycle at least a portion of the heated cracked gas products exiting the heat exchanger into the hydrocarbon gas flow. 
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 29  further comprising a recycle compressor disposed within the system such that at least some of the recycled cracked gas products pass through it prior to mixing with the input gas. 
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 27  further comprising a wind-generated electricity source. 
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 27  wherein one or more heating stations is configured to deliver a different heating duty to the system. 
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 27  comprising four heating zones. 
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 27  comprising four heating stations for at least one heating zone. 
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the electric reaction technology system is disposed in a substantially vertical position with respect to the level ground. 
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the spacing between heating stations increases in the gas flow direction. 
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the heat duty delivered by each heating station is substantially equal. 
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the heat delivered by each heating station is substantially constant within each zone. 
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the heat duty delivered by each subsequent zone decreases. 
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the heating station spacing varies continuously after the first zone to maintain substantially isothermal conditions by controlling reaction rates and volumes. 
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 27  configured so the temperature can be varied between heating zones. 
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 27  comprising a second inlet configured to introduce a second gas into the first gas stream prior to entering the first heating zone.