Engineering topics

Baxter, Larry

Publications and source records attributed to Baxter, Larry.

47 records · Page 3

DOE OSTI2019

Hydrocyclone for cryogenic gas-vapor separation

A hydrocyclone for separating a vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. The hydrocyclone comprises one or more nozzles. A cryogenic liquid is injected to a tangential feed inlet at a velocity that induces a tangential flow and a cyclone vortex in the hydrocyclone. The carrier gas is injected into the cryogenic liquid, causing the vapor to dissolve, condense, desublimate, or a combination thereof, forming a vapor-depleted carrier gas and a vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid. The vapor-depleted carrier gas is drawn through a vortex finder and the vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid is drawn through an apex nozzle outlet. In this manner, the vapor is removed from the carrier gas.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2019

Method for separating solids suspended or entrained in a liquid

A method of separating solids from a slurry or suspension is disclosed. The method includes: providing a slurry or suspension containing solids and liquid to an input port of a first side of a filter, the filter providing a filtering size between 2 microns and 70 microns; providing a liquid discharge port on a second side of the filter which receives the liquid that passes through the filter; and separating the solids from the liquid by pressing the solids into a pressure regulating solids discharge port on the first side of the filter, thereby compacting solids on the first side of the filter, forcing at least some of the liquid of the slurry or suspension through the first side of the filter to the second side of the filter causing pressure regulated solids to be discharged through a pressure regulating solids discharge port into a pressurized chamber.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2019

Method and apparatus for continuous removal of water vapors from gases

A method for continuously removing water vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. This method includes, first, causing direct contact of the carrier gas with a liquid mixture in a separation chamber, the carrier gas condensing at a lower temperature than the water vapor. A combination of chemical effects cause the water vapor to condense, complex, or both condense and complex with the liquid mixture. The liquid mixture is chosen from the group consisting of: first, a combination of components that can be maintained in a liquid phase at a temperature below the water vapor's condensation point, whereby the water vapor condenses into the liquid mixture; second, a combination of components where at least one component forms a chemical complex with the water vapor and thereby extracts at least a portion of the water vapor from the carrier gas; and third, a combination of components that can both be maintained in a liquid phase at a temperature below the water vapor's condensation point, and wherein at least one component forms a chemical complex with the water vapor and thereby extracts at least a portion of the water vapor from the carrier gas. The liquid mixture is then reconstituted after passing through the separation chamber by a chemical separation process chosen to remove an equivalent amount of the water vapor from the liquid mixture as was removed from the carrier gas. The reconstituted liquid mixture is restored to temperature and pressure through heat exchange, compression, and expansion, as necessary, in preparation for recycling back to the separation chamber. The liquid mixture is then returned to the separation chamber. In this manner, the carrier gas leaving the exchanger has between 1% and 100% of the water vapor removed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2019

Method for removal of a foulant from a carrier gas in a single vessel using cryogenic liquids

A method for removal of a foulant from a carrier gas is disclosed. A solids conveyance device that spans a vessel is provided, comprising an enclosed section and a filtering section. A cryogenic liquid and the carrier gas are provided to the enclosed section. The foulant condenses, dissolves, or desublimates into the cryogenic liquid, forming a cryogenic slurry and a foulant-depleted carrier gas entrained in the cryogenic slurry. The solids conveyance device advances the cryogenic slurry into the filtering section. The foulant-depleted carrier gas leaves the vessel through an upper portion of the permeable exterior wall and a warmed cryogenic liquid is removed from the cryogenic slurry through a lower portion of the permeable exterior wall, resulting in a solid foulant that is passed out of the solids outlet. In this manner, the foulant is removed from the carrier gas.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2019

Method for negating deposits using turbulence

A method for preventing fouling of an operating heat exchanger is disclosed. A carrier liquid is provided to the heat exchanger. The carrier liquid contains a potential fouling agent. The potential fouling agent is entrained in the carrier liquid, dissolved in the carrier liquid, or a combination thereof. The potential fouling agent fouls the heat exchanger by condensation, crystallization, solidification, desublimation, reaction, deposition, or combinations thereof. A gas-injection device is provided on the inlet of the heat exchanger. A non-reactive gas is injected into the carrier liquid through the gas-injection device. The non-reactive gas will not foul the heat exchanger surface and will not condense into the carrier liquid. The non-reactive gas creates a disturbance by increasing flow velocity and creating a shear discontinuity, thereby breaking up crystallization and nucleation sites on the surface of the heat exchanger. In this manner, fouling of the operating heat exchanger is prevented.

Baxter, Larry↗

DOE OSTI2019

Method and apparatus for continuous removal of carbon dioxide vapors from gases

A method for continuously removing carbon dioxide vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. This method includes, first, causing direct contact of the carrier gas with a liquid mixture in a separation chamber, the carrier gas condensing at a lower temperature than the carbon dioxide vapor. A combination of chemical effects cause the carbon dioxide to condense, complex, or both condense and complex with the liquid mixture. The liquid mixture is chosen from the group consisting of: first, a combination of components that can be maintained in a liquid phase at a temperature below the carbon dioxide vapor's condensation point, whereby the carbon dioxide condenses into the liquid mixture; second, a combination of components where at least one component forms a chemical complex with the carbon dioxide vapor and thereby extracts at least a portion of the carbon dioxide vapor from the carrier gas; and third, a combination of components that can both be maintained in a liquid phase at a temperature below the carbon dioxide's condensation point, and wherein at least one component forms a chemical complex with the carbon dioxide vapor and thereby extracts at least a portion of the carbon dioxide vapor from the carrier gas. The liquid mixture is then reconstituted after passing through the separation chamber by a chemical separation process chosen to remove an equivalent amount of the carbon dioxide vapor from the liquid mixture as was removed from the carrier gas. The reconstituted liquid mixture is restored to temperature and pressure through heat exchange, compression, and expansion, as necessary, in preparation for recycling back to the separation chamber. The liquid mixture is then returned to the separation chamber. In this manner, the carrier gas leaving the exchanger has between 1% and 100% of the carbon dioxide vapor removed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2019

Method for using a hydrocyclone for cryogenic gas vapor separation

A method for separating a vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. A hydrocyclone is provided with one or more nozzles on the wall of the hydrocyclone. A cryogenic liquid is provided to the tangential feed inlet at a velocity that induces a tangential flow and a cyclone vortex in the hydrocyclone. The carrier gas is injected into the hydrocyclone through the one or more nozzles. The vapor dissolves, condenses, desublimates, or a combination thereof, forming a vapor-depleted carrier gas and a vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid. The vapor-depleted gas is drawn through the vortex finder while the vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid is drawn through the apex nozzle outlet. In this manner, the vapor is removed from the carrier gas.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2019

Method for using an air-sparged hydrocyclone for cryogenic gas vapor separation

A method for separating a vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. An air-sparged hydrocyclone is provided with a porous sparger covered by an outer gas plenum. A cryogenic liquid is provided to the tangential feed inlet at a velocity that induces a tangential flow and a cyclone vortex in the cyclone. The carrier gas is injected into the air-sparged hydrocyclone through the porous sparger. The vapor dissolves, condenses, desublimates, or a combination thereof, forming a vapor-depleted carrier gas and a vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid. The vapor-depleted gas is drawn through a vortex finder while the vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid is drawn through an apex nozzle outlet. In this manner, the vapor is removed from the carrier gas.

Baxter, Larry↗

DOE OSTI2018

Evaluation of Cryogenic Systems for Post Combustion CO2 Capture

Cryogenic capture of carbon dioxide from flue gas streams is one potential pathway to reduce the CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial sources. In this paper, a minimum energy analysis of idealized cryogenic carbon capture processes is performed. Parametric studies on this idealized process are quantified to study the effect of minimum capture temperature and simulated heat exchange approach temperatures. The theoretical and practical difficulties in approaching this ideal process are described and discussed. Finally, the Sustainable Energy Solutions External Cooling Loop Cryogenic Carbon Capture™ process is evaluated and compared to the idealized carbon-capture process.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2018

Diaphragms with encapsulated springs

A device is disclosed comprising a diaphragm mechanism. A diaphragm mechanism comprises an enclosure defined by opposing flexible walls joined along a perimeter of the enclosure and one or more coiled springs contained entirely between the opposed flexible walls. A central, helical axis of the one or more coiled springs is disposed substantially parallel to the opposed flexible walls and arrayed in concentric spirals around a central hole or arrayed in parallel bands.

Baxter, Larry↗

DOE OSTI2018

DEFE0023863 Final Report, Technology for GHG Emission Reduction and Cost-Competitive Mil-Spec Jet Fuel Production using CTL

Ceramatec Inc, in collaboration with IntraMicron (IM), the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) and Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC (SES), have completed a three-year research project integrating their respective proprietary technologies in key areas to demonstrate production of a jet fuel from coal and biomass sources. The project goals and objectives were to demonstrate technology capable of producing a “commercially-viable quantity” of jet fuel and make significant progress toward compliance with Section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007 §526) lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions requirements. The Ceramatec led team completed the demonstration of nominal 2 bbl/day Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis pilot plant design, capable of producing a nominal 1 bbl/day in the Jet-A/JP-8 fraction. This production rate would have a capacity of 1,000 gallons of jet fuel per month and provide the design basis of a 100 bbl/day module producing over 2,000 gallons of jet fuel per day. Co-gasification of coal-biomass blends enables a reduction of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from equivalent conventional petroleum derived fuel basis. Due to limits of biomass availability within an economic transportation range, implementation of a significant biomass feed fraction will require smaller plants than current world scale CTL and GTL FT plants. Hence a down-scaleable design is essential. The pilot plant design leverages Intramicron’s MicroFiber Entrapped Catalyst (MFEC) support which increases the catalyst bed thermal conductivity two orders of magnitude, allowing thermal management of the FT reaction exotherm in much larger reactor tubes. In this project, single tube reactors having 4.5 inch outer diameter and multi-tube reactors having 4 inch outer diameters were operated, with productivities as high as 1.5 gallons per day per linear foot of reactor tube. A significant reduction in tube count results from the use of large diameter reactor tubes, with an associated reduction in reactor cost. The pilot plant was designed with provisions for product collection capable of operating with conventional wax producing FT catalysts but was operated with a Chevron hybrid wax-free FT catalyst. Process simplification enabled by elimination of the wax hydrocracking process unit provides economic advantages in scaling to biomass capable plant sizes. Intramicron also provided a sulfur capture system based on their Oxidative Sulfur Removal (OSR) catalyst process. The integrated sulfur removal and FT systems were operated with syngas produced by the Transport Reactor Development Unit (TRDU) gasifier at the University of North Dakota EERC. SES performed modeling of their cryogenic carbon capture process on the energy, cost and CO2 emissions impact of the Coal-biomass synthetic fuel process.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗