Combustion turbine and elevated pressure air separation system with argon recovery

• Main Authors: SMITH, ARTHUR RAMSDEN, WOODWARD, DONALD WINSTON, FELDMAN, STEVEN LAWRENCE, AGRAWAL, RAKESH, SORENSEN, JAMES CHRISTIAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 17.09.1997
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: BLASTING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; HEATING; LIGHTING; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES; LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT; REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ENGINES; WEAPONS

An integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power generation system is operated with a cryogenic air separation system which produces oxygen (283;325) used in a gasification system to produce fuel gas (267) for the IGCC combustion turbine (269,271,277) and pressurized nitrogen (265;323;539) which is introduced into the turbine combustor (269) for control of nitrogen oxides and increased combustion turbine output. The air separation system produces argon (255;CLAR;LAR) as an additional product, and the air separation system preferably operates in the feed pressure range of 100 to 160 psia (0.7 to 1.1 MPa). The compressed air feed (207) for the air separation system and the compressed combustion air (273) for the IGCC system are provided independently in separate compression steps (201,271).