Method for utilizing gas reserves with low methaneconcentrations and high inert gas concentrations for fueling gas turbines

• Main Authors: VICTORY, DONALD, J, MITTRICKER, FRANK, F
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.06.2006
• Subjects: ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE ORUNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; BLASTING; CHEMISTRY; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; COMBUSTION ENGINES; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; FIRELIGHTERS; FUELS; FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; LIGHTING; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES; LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; LUBRICANTS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METALLURGY; MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT; NATURAL GAS; PEAT; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; WEAPONS

The invention is directed to a method of fueling gas turbines from natural gas reserves with relatively low methane concentrations. The invention uses such reserves to generate electric power. The invention permits the use of these reserves at significantly lower cost than by producing pipeline natural gas to fuel gas turbines to generate electric power. These reserves currently generally are used only after the removal of impurities to produce pipeline natural gas quality turbine fuel. The latter current technology is capital intensive, and at current natural gas prices, economically unattractive. The process of the invention can remove the impurities from the gas from the natural gas reserve necessary for protection of the environment and leaves inert gasses in the fuel in an amount which will increase the output of a gas turbine for the generation of power by about 5 to about 20%.