Method for accumulating and producing energy associated with oxy-combustion without greenhouse gas emissions

Abstract

A method is for producing, from electricity and available carbon dioxide, liquid carbon monoxide and liquid oxygen, to be subjected to oxy-combustion with production of carbon dioxide as a driving fluid.

1 . A method for producing and accumulating energy, producing carbon monoxide and oxygen, and using carbon dioxide, comprising an accumulation step A) and an energy generation step B), wherein said accumulation step A) is a step in which a flow of carbon monoxide and a flow of oxygen. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step A) comprises the sub-steps of:
 A1) electrolyzing an appropriately-heated carbon dioxide flow and obtaining an initial carbon monoxide flow and an initial oxygen flow,   A2) obtaining an at least partially liquefied carbon monoxide flow from the initial carbon monoxide flow,   A3) obtaining an at least partially liquefied oxygen flow from the initial oxygen flow.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said step A2) comprises the further sub-steps of:
 A2a) obtaining a carbon monoxide flow to be purified,   A2b) obtaining a mainly carbon monoxide and vapor flow, a recycled carbon monoxide flow, and a recirculation gas flow,   A2c) obtaining a dehydrated carbon monoxide flow,   A2d) obtaining an at least partially liquefied carbon monoxide flow.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said step A2a) comprises the further sub-steps of:
 A2a1) obtaining a first initial carbon monoxide flow portion and a second initial carbon monoxide flow portion,   A2a2) cooling said first initial carbon monoxide flow portion in a third heat exchanger EX 3   a , thus obtaining a first cooled initial carbon monoxide flow portion,   A2a3) cooling said second initial carbon monoxide flow portion in another third heat exchanger EX 3   b , thus obtaining a second cooled initial carbon monoxide flow portion,   A2a4) joining said first cooled initial carbon monoxide flow portion and said second cooled initial carbon monoxide flow portion, thus obtaining a joined cooled carbon monoxide flow,   A2a5) subjecting said joined cooled carbon monoxide flow to compression in a first compressor, thus obtaining a compressed carbon monoxide flow, and to cooling in a first exchanger cE 1 , thus obtaining said carbon monoxide flow to be purified, wherein the heat exchanges of steps A2a2) and A2a3) are conducted by heat exchange with a flow circulating and operating in a Rankine cycle.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said sub-step A2b) comprises the still further sub-steps of:
 A2b1) subjecting the carbon monoxide flow to be purified to a first purification in a first purification column CL 1  and obtaining a partially purified carbon monoxide flow, a physical solvent-released carbon monoxide flow, and a recycled carbon monoxide flow,   A2b2) subjecting the partially purified carbon monoxide flow to a second purification in a second purification column CL 2 , thus obtaining a mainly carbon monoxide and vapor flow, a flow to be regenerated m 2 , and a recirculation gas flow.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  the preceding claim 5 , wherein said sub-step A2b1) comprises the following steps:
 p1) washing with a physical solvent,   p2) separation from the physical solvent, thus obtaining a regenerated physical solvent flow s 9  and a physical solvent-separated flow,   p3) compression and cooling, thus obtaining a physical solvent-separated compressed flow and cooled,   p4) dehydration in a first Dehydration Unit, thus obtaining the recycled carbon monoxide flow, wherein said recycled carbon monoxide flow is joined to the appropriately-heated carbon monoxide flow originating the further appropriately-heated carbon monoxide flow to be sent to step A1).   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said step A2b2) comprises the following steps:
 p1′) expanding said flow to be regenerated m 2  in an expander of the reaction product flow to be regenerated, thus obtaining an expanded flow to be regenerated,   p2′) heating said expanded reaction product flow to be regenerated in a heat exchanger of the reaction product flow to be regenerated mEX 1 , thus obtaining an expanded and heated reaction product flow to be regenerated, which is sent to a regeneration column,   p3′) obtaining, from said regeneration column, a basic aqueous flow m 5  from the bottom and a carbon dioxide and water flow h 1  from the head, and obtaining from the carbon dioxide and water flow a gaseous flow forming the recirculation gas flow, and also obtaining from said regeneration column a flow for a reboiler of the third column, which is heated, providing a heated flow exiting from the reboiler m 9 , which in turn is sent back to the regeneration column.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said recirculation gas flow is joined to the physical solvent-released carbon monoxide flow. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said step A2d) comprises the still further sub-steps of:
 A2d1) subjecting said dehydrated carbon monoxide flow to a first cooling step, thus obtaining a partially cooled dehydrated carbon monoxide flow,   A2d2) subjecting said partially cooled dehydrated carbon monoxide flow to a second cooling step, thus obtaining a cooled dehydrated carbon monoxide flow,   A2d3) subjecting said cooled dehydrated carbon monoxide flow to a third cooling step, thus obtaining a further cooled dehydrated carbon monoxide flow,   A2d4) expanding said further cooled dehydrated carbon monoxide flow by expansion in a first expander, thus obtaining an at least partially liquefied carbon monoxide flow, which are storable in a liquid carbon monoxide tank, wherein said cooling steps are conducted by heat exchange with a refrigerant circulating in a refrigerant circuit.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said step A3) comprises the further sub-steps of:
 A3a) obtaining a first initial oxygen flow portion and a second initial oxygen flow portion,   A3b) cooling said first initial oxygen flow portion in a third heat exchanger EX 3   a , thus obtaining a first cooled initial oxygen flow portion,   A3c) cooling said second initial oxygen flow portion in another third heat exchanger EX 3   b , thus obtaining a second cooled initial oxygen flow portion,   A3d) joining said first cooled initial oxygen flow portion and said second cooled initial oxygen flow portion, thus obtaining a joined cooled oxygen flow,   A3e) subjecting said joined cooled oxygen flow to compression in an oxygen compressor oC 1 , thus obtaining a compressed oxygen flow and to cooling in an oxygen exchanger oE 1 , thus obtaining said compressed and cooled oxygen flow,   A3f) subjecting said compressed and cooled oxygen flow to cooling, thus obtaining an at least partially liquefied oxygen flow, which are storable in a liquid oxygen tank, wherein the heat exchanges of steps A3b) and A3c) are conducted by heat exchange with a flow circulating and operating in a Rankine cycle and wherein the heat exchanges of step A3f) are conducted by heat exchange with a refrigerant fluid circulating in a refrigerant fluid cycle.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said refrigerant fluid is hydrogen, helium, or nitrogen. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step A) is conducted by using excess electric current available in the network. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said generation step B) comprises the sub-steps of:
 B1) obtaining a combustion gas flow from a gaseous oxygen flow sent to the combustor and from a gaseous carbon monoxide flow sent to the combustor,   B2) expanding said combustion gas flow in a combustion gas expander eEK 1  with power generation, thus obtaining an expanded combustion gas,   B3) cooling said combustion gas flow to obtain an expanded and cooled combustion gas flow,   B4) dehydrating said expanded and cooled combustion gas flow and obtaining a dehydrated combustion gas flow,   B5) separating a first dehydrated combustion gas flow portion and obtaining a dehydrated and further cooled combustion gas first flow portion, which is sent to a liquid carbon dioxide tank,   B6) cooling the remaining portion of said dehydrated combustion gas flow e 5 , thus obtaining a dehydrated and cooled combustion gas flow, which is in liquid form,   B7) pumping said condensed combustion gas flow in a combustion gas pump, thus obtaining a condensed and pumped combustion gas flow,   B8) heating said condensed and pumped combustion gas flow, thus obtaining a pumped and heated combustion gas, which is sent to the combustor for step B1).   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein in said step B6) a dehydrated and cooled combustion gas flow portion is separated, which is sent to the liquid carbon dioxide tank. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein step B4) comprises the further sub-steps of:
 B4a) separating a first water portion in a combustion gas separator, thus obtaining a partially dehydrated combustion gas flow,   B4b) dehydrating the partially dehydrated combustion gas flow in a combustion gas dehydration unit, thus obtaining the dehydrated combustion gas flow, wherein said cooling step B5) is conducted by heat exchange inside the first oxygen and carbon monoxide heat exchanger and wherein said steps B3) and B8) are conducted by heat exchange inside the second oxygen and carbon monoxide heat exchanger.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said step B6) is conducted in a refrigerant fluid heat exchanger. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein in step B2) the combustion gas flow is expanded in one or two expansion stages, thus obtaining a first expanded combustion gas flow portion and also a fully expanded combustion gas flow, which is subjected to the further steps of:
 B9) cooling, thus obtaining a second cooled expanded combustion gas flow,   B10) cooling, thus obtaining a second further-cooled expanded combustion gas flow,   B11) separating a second water portion, thus obtaining a second dehydrated combustion gas flow,   B12) compressing said second dehydrated combustion gas flow in a combustion gas compressor, thus obtaining a second compressed combustion gas flow,   B13) heating the second compressed combustion gas flow, thus obtaining a second compressed and heated combustion gas flow,   B14) further heating the second compressed and heated combustion gas flow, thus obtaining a second compressed and further heated combustion gas flow, wherein said steps B9) and B13) are conducted in a third heat exchanger for heat exchange between the fully expanded combustion gas flow and the second compressed combustion gas flow in countercurrent, and wherein said step B10) is conducted in a fourth heat exchanger for heat exchange with the expanded and cooled combustion gas flow.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein a portion is separated from the condensed and pumped combustion gas flow obtained from step B7), which is subjected to the further steps of:
 B15) heating, thus obtaining a second condensed and pumped heated combustion gas flow,   B16) further heating, thus obtaining a second further-heated condensed and pumped combustion gas flow, wherein said step B15) is conducted in the fourth heat exchanger for the heat exchange with the cooled expanded combustion gas flow, and wherein said step B16) is conducted in the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the three flows represented by:
 the pumped and heated combustion gas flow,   the second further-heated condensed and pumped combustion gas flow, and   the compressed and further-heated combustion gas flow,   are joined in a single flow which is returned to the combustor for step B1).   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a refrigerated fluid is produced. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said step A2b2) comprises the following steps:
 p1′) expanding said flow to be regenerated in an expander of the reaction product flow to be regenerated, thus obtaining an expanded flow to be regenerated, with the production of power,   p2′) heating said expanded reaction product flow to be regenerated in a heat exchanger of the reaction product flow to be regenerated, thus obtaining an expanded and heated reaction product flow to be regenerated, which is sent to a regeneration column,   p3′) obtaining, from said regeneration column, a basic aqueous flow from the bottom and a carbon dioxide and water flow from the head, and obtaining from the carbon dioxide and water flow a gaseous flow forming the recirculation gas flow, and also obtaining from said regeneration column a flow for a reboiler of the third column, which is heated, providing a heated flow exiting from the reboiler, which in turn is sent back to the regeneration column.