Integrated air separation - gas turbine power generation process

Claim 2

A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the waste nitrogen product (16) is fed to an intermediate stage of the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116).

Claim 3

A process as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the waste nitrogen product (16) is injected as a controllable inert gas coolant, diluent or mass flow enhancing component (420,422,424) into at least one piece of equipment selected from the combustor (134), the transition piece (TP) and the gas turbine (138).

Claim 4

A process as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the waste nitrogen product (16) is compressed (416).

Claim 5

A process as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the heat of compression resulting from further compressing the waste nitrogen product (16) is used to heat water to saturate the compressed, gas turbine feed air.

Claim 6

A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a portion of heat inherent to the withdrawn portion of the compressed, gas turbine feed air (210,310,410) from the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116) being fed to the cryogenic air separation unit (14) is utilized to warm (212,311) the portion (22) of the oxygen product (18) fed to the gasifier or partial oxidation unit.

Claim 7

A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least part (210) of the portion (210,310) of the compressed, gas turbine feed air is withdrawn from an intermediate or intercooling section of the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116) at 0.35 to 1 MPa (50 to 150 psia).

Claim 8

A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cryogenic air separation unit (14) operates at elevated pressure.

Claim 9

A process as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the withdrawn portion (210) of the compressed, gas turbine feed air from the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116) is further compressed in an air separation unit air compressor (412) prior to being fed to the air separation unit (14) for distillation and the heat of compression resulting from the further compression is used to heat water (430) to saturate (126) the compressed, gas turbine feed air (120).

Claim 10

A process as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the waste nitrogen product (16) is reduced in pressure in an expander (416) to generate work.

Claim 11

A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least part (310) of the portion (210,310) of the compressed, gas turbine feed air is withdrawn from a high pressure section of the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116) at a pressure greater than 0.7 MPa (100 psia).

Claim 12

A process as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the portion (310) of the compressed, gas turbine feed air withdrawn at greater than 0.7 MPa (100 psia) from the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116) is expanded in an expander (314) to generate work prior to being fed to the air separation unit (14) for distillation.

Claim 13

An integrated gasification humid air turbine comprising a cryogenic air separation unit (14) for distilling compressed air into an oxygen product (18) and a waste nitrogen product (16) ; a compressor (20) for compressing at least a portion (18) of the oxygen product; a gasifier or partial oxidation unit for reacting the compressed oxygen portion (20) with a carbonaceous fuel to produce a synthesis gas (150) comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen; a gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116) for compressing feed air (110); a saturator (126) for saturating the compressed feed air (124); a combustor (134) for combusting the synthesis gas (150) with the saturated, compressed, gas turbine feed air (128) to produce a combustion gas: a gas turbine (138) for expanding the combustion gas to generate work; a transition piece (TP) for conveying the combustion gas between the combustor (134) and the gas turbine (138); means for utilizing at least a portion of the generated work to drive the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116); and means (160) for utilizing at least another portion of the generated work to generate power, characterized in that: (a) means (210,310,410) are provided for withdrawing a portion of the compressed, gas turbine feed air from the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116) to supply at least a portion of the compressed air (10) to the cryogenic air separation unit (14); and (b) means (224,226) are provided to utilize at least a portion of the heat of compression of the oxygen product (18) to heat water for the saturator (126).

Claim 14

A turbine as claimed in Claim 13, including means (16) for feeding at least a portion of the waste nitrogen product from the cryogenic air separation unit (14) to an intermediate stage of the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116).

Claim 15

A turbine as claimed in Claim 13 or Claim 14, including means (420,422,424) for injecting at least a portion of the waste nitrogen product (16) as a controllable inert gas coolant, diluent or mass flow enhancing component into at least one piece of equipment selected from the combustor (134), the transition piece (TP) and the gas turbine (138).

Claim 16

A turbine as claimed in Claim 14 or Claim 15, including a compressor (416) for compressing the waste nitrogen product (16).

Claim 17

A turbine as claimed in Claim 16, including means for utilizing the heat of compression resulting from said compression of the waste nitrogen product (16) to heat water for the saturator (126).

Claim 18

A turbine as claimed in any one of Claims 13 to 17, including means (212,311) for utilizing at least a portion of heat inherent to the withdrawn portion of the compressed, gas turbine feed air (210,310,410) from the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116) being fed to the cryogenic air separation unit (14) to warm the portion (22) of the oxygen product (18) fed to the gasifier or partial oxidation unit.

Claim 19

A turbine as claimed in any one of Claims 13 to 18, wherein at least part (210) of the portion (210,310) of the compressed, gas turbine feed air is withdrawn from an intermediate or intercooling section of the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116).

Claim 20

A turbine as claimed in any one of Claims 13 to 19, including an air separation unit air compressor (412) to further compress the withdrawn portion (210) of the compressed, gas turbine feed air from the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116) prior to being fed to the air separation unit (14) for distillation and means (430) for utilizing the heat of compression resulting from the further compression to heat water for the saturator (126).

Claim 21

A turbine as claimed in any one of Claims 13 to 20, including an expander (416) for expanding at least a portion of the waste nitrogen product (16) to generate work.

Claim 22

A turbine as claimed in any one of Claims 13 to 21, wherein at least part (310) of the portion (210,310) of the compressed, gas turbine feed air is withdrawn from a high pressure section of the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116).

Claim 23

A turbine as claimed in Claim 22, including an expander (314) to expand the portion (310) of the compressed, gas turbine feed air withdrawn from the high pressure section of the gas turbine feed air compressor (112,116) to generate work prior to being fed to the air separation unit (14) for distillation.