Apparatus and Process for Oxycombustion with CO2 Capture

Abstract

An oxycombustion apparatus comprising an air separation unit ( 2 ) in which oxygen ( 10 ) is produced optionally by cryogenic distillation, an oxycombustion boiler ( 1 ), means for sending the oxygen and a fuel ( 14 ) to the oxycombustion boiler, means ( 19 ) for recovering carbon dioxide-containing flue gases from the oxycombustion boiler, and means ( 7 ) for purifying the flue gases in order to extract carbon dioxide therefrom, the air separation unit being provided for producing oxygen to be sent to the boiler having a purity not exceeding 95 mol %.

1 . Oxycombustion apparatus comprising an air separation unit ( 2 ), an oxycombustion boiler ( 1 ), means for sending the oxygen and a fuel ( 14 ) to the oxycombustion boiler, means for recovering carbon dioxide-containing flue gases ( 19 ) from the oxycombustion boiler, and means ( 7 ) for purifying the flue gases in order to extract carbon dioxide therefrom, characterized in that the air separation unit is provided for producing oxygen to be sent to the boiler having a purity not exceeding 95 mol %. 
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which the oxygen produced by the air separation unit is by cryogenic distillation. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which the air separation unit ( 2 ) is provided for producing oxygen to be sent to the boiler ( 1 ) having a purity not exceeding 90 mol %. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 3 , in which the air separation unit ( 2 ) is provided for producing oxygen to be sent to the boiler ( 1 ) having a purity not exceeding 85 mol %. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4 , in which the air separation unit ( 2 ) is provided for producing oxygen to be sent to the boiler ( 1 ) having a purity not exceeding 80 mol %. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising a double or triple air separation column, means for sending the air to the column operating at the highest pressure, the column operating at the lowest pressure containing two condensers, i.e. a chamber condenser and an intermediate condenser. 
     
     
         7 . Oxycombustion process in which oxygen and a fuel ( 14 ) are sent to an oxycombustion boiler ( 1 ), flue gases ( 19 ) containing carbon dioxide are recovered from the oxycombustion boiler, and the flue gases are purified to extract carbon dioxide therefrom, wherein an air separation unit is provided for producing oxygen to be sent to the boiler having a purity not exceeding 95 mol %. 
     
     
         8 . Process according to  claim 7 , in which the oxygen is produced by cryogenic distillation in an air separation unit. 
     
     
         9 . Process according to  claim 7 , in which the air separation unit ( 2 ) produces oxygen to be sent to the boiler ( 1 ) having a purity not exceeding 90 mol %. 
     
     
         10 . Process according to  claim 9 , in which the air separation unit ( 2 ) produces oxygen to be sent to the boiler ( 1 ) having a purity not exceeding 85 mol %. 
     
     
         11 . Process according to  claim 10 , in which the air separation unit ( 2 ) produces oxygen to be sent to the boiler ( 1 ) having a purity not exceeding 80 mol %.