Christopher W Perkins

US Patent:

8378151, Feb 19, 2013

Filed:

Jun 8, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/796121

Inventors:

Christopher Perkins - Boulder CO, US
Zoran Jovanovic - Louisville CO, US
Courtland Hilton - Broomfield CO, US
Wayne Simmons - Dublin OH, US
Andrew Minden - Boulder CO, US

Assignee:

Sundrop Fuels, Inc. - Longmont CO

International Classification:

C07C 29/00
C07C 31/04
C07C 1/04

US Classification:

568840, 518702, 20415715

Abstract:

A method, apparatus, and system for an integrated solar-driven chemical plant that manages variations in solar energy are disclosed. In some embodiments, a chemical reactant, including particles of biomass, are converted in a solar driven chemical reactor into synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen using concentrated solar energy to drive the conversion of the chemical reactant. The synthesis gas is supplied for a catalytic conversion of the synthesis gas in a methanol synthesis plant to methanol. Cycling occurs between an operational state and an idle state for a number of methanol trains in the methanol synthesis plant depending upon an amount of synthesis gas generated in the solar driven chemical reactor. A control system for the chemical reactor sends control signals to and receives feedback from a control system for the methanol synthesis plant.

US Patent:

20100242352, Sep 30, 2010

Filed:

Jun 8, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/795989

Inventors:

Christopher Perkins - Boulder CO, US
Courtland Hilton - Broomfield CO, US
Steven Strand - Midland MI, US
Donna Kelley - Louisville CO, US
Wayne Simmons - Dublin OH, US
Andrew Minden - Boulder CO, US
Joseph Hilton - Provo UT, US
Zoran Jovanovic - Louisville CO, US

Assignee:

SUNDROP FUELS, INC. - Louisville CO

International Classification:

C10L 1/02
B01J 19/12

US Classification:

44639, 4221863, 422108

Abstract:

A method, apparatus, and system for a solar-driven chemical reactor are disclosed, including a solar thermal receiver aligned to absorb concentrated solar energy. Some embodiments include a solar driven chemical reactor that has multiple reactor tubes. Some embodiments include one of 1) one or more apertures open to an atmosphere of the Earth or 2) one or more windows, to pass the concentrated solar energy into the solar thermal receiver. This energy impinges on the multiple reactor tubes and cavity walls of the receiver and transfer energy by solar radiation absorption and heat radiation, convection, and conduction. In this way, the energy causes reacting particles to drive the endothermic chemical reaction flowing in the reactor tubes. The design of the multiple reactor tubes and solar thermal receiver can be adapted per a solar flux profile to take advantage of variations in the concentrations of solar flux in the profile.

US Patent:

20100242353, Sep 30, 2010

Filed:

Jun 8, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/796222

Inventors:

Zoran Jovanovic - Louisville CO, US
Bryan Schramm - Broomfield CO, US
Christopher Perkins - Boulder CO, US
Courtland Hilton - Broomfield CO, US
Wayne Simmons - Dublin OH, US

Assignee:

SUNDROP FUELS, INC. - Louisville CO

International Classification:

C10L 1/02
F27B 15/00
F27B 15/08

US Classification:

44639, 422143, 422111

Abstract:

A method, apparatus, and system for a solar-driven bio-refinery that may include a entrained-flow biomass feed system that is feedstock flexible via particle size control of the biomass. Some embodiments include a chemical reactor that receives concentrated solar thermal energy from an array of heliostats. The entrained-flow biomass feed system can use an entrainment carrier gas and supplies a variety of biomass sources fed as particles into the solar-driven chemical reactor. Biomass sources in a raw state or partially torrified state may be used, as long as parameters such as particle size of the biomass are controlled. Additionally, concentrated solar thermal energy can drive gasification of the particles. An on-site fuel synthesis reactor may receive the hydrogen and carbon monoxide products from the gasification reaction use the hydrogen and carbon monoxide products in a hydrocarbon fuel synthesis process to create a liquid hydrocarbon fuel.

US Patent:

20100242354, Sep 30, 2010

Filed:

Jun 8, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/796471

Inventors:

Christopher Perkins - Boulder CO, US
Zoran Jovanovic - Louisville CO, US
Courtland Hilton - Broomfield CO, US
Brittany Lancaster - Boulder CO, US
Andrew Minden - Boulder CO, US
Richard Ridley - Loveland CO, US
Donna Kelley - Louisville CO, US

Assignee:

SUNDROP FUELS, INC. - Louisville CO

International Classification:

C10L 1/00
G05D 7/00
C07C 1/02

US Classification:

44639, 422105, 422110, 252373

Abstract:

A method, apparatus, and system for a solar-driven chemical plant that manages variations in solar energy are disclosed. Some embodiments include a solar thermal receiver to absorb concentrated solar energy, a solar driven chemical reactor contained within the solar thermal receiver, and an entrained gas biomass feed system that uses an entrainment carrier gas and supplies a variety of biomass sources fed as particles into the solar driven chemical reactor. Inner walls of the solar thermal receiver and the chemical reactor can be made from materials selected to transfer energy. Some embodiments include a control system that may be configured to balance the gasification reaction of biomass particles with the available concentrated solar energy and additional variable parameters including, but not limited to, a fixed range of particle sizes, temperature of the chemical reactor, and residence time of the particles in a reaction zone in the chemical reactor.

US Patent:

20100243961, Sep 30, 2010

Filed:

Jun 8, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/796319

Inventors:

Courtland Hilton - Broomfield CO, US
Zoran Jovanovic - Louisville CO, US
Bryan Schramm - Broomfield CO, US
Christopher Perkins - Boulder CO, US
Wayne Simmons - Dublin OH, US

Assignee:

SUNDROP FUELS, INC. - Louisville CO

International Classification:

C01B 3/02
B01J 8/04
G05D 7/00
B01J 8/00

US Classification:

252373, 422197, 422110, 422187

Abstract:

A method, apparatus, and system for a solar-driven chemical plant are disclosed. An embodiment may include a solar thermal receiver aligned to absorb concentrated solar energy from one or more solar energy concentrating fields. A solar driven chemical reactor may include multiple reactor tubes located inside the solar thermal receiver. The multiple reactor tubes can be used to gasify particles of biomass in the presence of a carrier gas. The gasification reaction may produce reaction products that include hydrogen and carbon monoxide gas having an exit temperature from the tubes exceeding 1000 degrees C. An embodiment can include a quench zone immediately downstream of an exit of the chemical reactor. The quench zone may immediately quench via rapid cooling of at least the hydrogen and carbon monoxide reaction products within 0.1-10 seconds of exiting the chemical reactor to a temperature of 800 degrees C. or less.

US Patent:

20100247387, Sep 30, 2010

Filed:

Jun 8, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/795910

Inventors:

Christopher Perkins - Boulder CO, US
Zoran Jovanovic - Louisville CO, US
Steven Strand - Midland MI, US
Donna Kelley - Louisville CO, US
Andrew Minden - Boulder CO, US
Richard Ridley - Loveland CO, US

Assignee:

SUNDROP FUELS, INC. - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G05D 7/00
B01J 8/04

US Classification:

422110, 422197

Abstract:

A method, apparatus, and system for solar-driven chemical plant may include a solar thermal receiver to absorb concentrated solar energy from an array of heliostats. Additionally, some embodiments may include a solar driven chemical reactor that has multiple reactor tubes. The concentrated solar energy drives the endothermic gasification reaction of the particles of biomass flowing through the reactor tubes. Some embodiments may also include an on-site fuel synthesis reactor that is geographically located on the same site as the chemical reactor and integrated to receive the hydrogen and carbon monoxide products from the gasification reaction.

US Patent:

20100303692, Dec 2, 2010

Filed:

Jun 8, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/795947

Inventors:

Christopher Perkins - Boulder CO, US
Zoran Jovanovic - Louisville CO, US
Steven Strand - Midland MI, US
Courtland Hilton - Broomfield CO, US
Donna Kelley - Louisville CO, US

Assignee:

SUNDROP FUELS, INC. - Louisville CO

International Classification:

B01J 19/00
F24J 2/02

US Classification:

422639, 422659, 126681

Abstract:

A method, apparatus, and system for a solar-driven chemical plant are disclosed. Some embodiments may include a solar thermal receiver to absorb concentrated solar energy from an array of heliostats and a solar-driven chemical reactor. This chemical reactor may have multiple reactor tubes, in which particles of biomass may be gasified in the presence of a carrier gas in a gasification reaction to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide products. High heat transfer rates of the walls and tubes may allow the particles of biomass to achieve a high enough temperature necessary for substantial tar destruction and complete gasification of greater than 90 percent of the biomass particles into reaction products including hydrogen and carbon monoxide gas in a very short residence time between a range of 0.01 and 5 seconds.

US Patent:

20120241677, Sep 27, 2012

Filed:

Mar 26, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/429749

Inventors:

Christopher Perkins - Boulder CO, US
Zoran Jovanovic - Louisville CO, US
Timothy E. Laska - Loveland OH, US

Assignee:

SUNDROP FUELS, INC. - Longmont CO

International Classification:

G05D 23/00
C01B 3/34

US Classification:

252373, 422109

Abstract:

Heat-transfer-aid particles entrained with 1) biomass particles, 2) reactant gas, or 3) both are fed into the radiant heat chemical reactor. The inner wall of a cavity and the tubes of the chemical reactor act as radiation distributors by either absorbing radiation and re-radiating it to the heat-transfer-aid particles or reflecting the incident radiation to the heat-transfer-aid particles. The radiation is absorbed by the heat-transfer-aid particles, and the heat is then transferred by conduction to the reacting gas at temperatures between 900 C. and 1600 C. The heat-transfer-aid particles mix with the reactant gas in the radiant heat chemical reactor to sustain the reaction temperature and heat transfer rate to stay within a pyrolysis regime. The heat-transfer-aid particles produce a sufficient heat surface-area to mass ratio of these particles when dispersed with the reactant gas to stay within the pyrolysis regime during the chemical reaction.