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EP-4735787-A1 - METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR THE STORAGE AND SUPPLY OF OXYGEN

EP4735787A1EP 4735787 A1EP4735787 A1EP 4735787A1EP-4735787-A1

Abstract

A method of storing oxygen is described, the method comprising: transporting oxygen from a source of oxygen (1, 2, 3) to an oxygen storage tank (110), wherein the oxygen storage tank (110) is a cryogenic storage tank and the oxygen storage tank (110) is located below sea level, wherein the oxygen is in the liquid, or compressible liquid or supercritical phase; and controlling a pressure within the oxygen storage tank. Controlling of the pressure within the oxygen storage tank (110) comprises opening a pressure relief valve (112) operatively associated with the oxygen storage tank. Also described in an oxygen storage and supply system (200) and method comprising an oxygen supply arrangement (4a, 4b, 4c) and an oxygen storage tank (6), wherein the oxygen supply arrangement (4a, 4b, 4c) is configured to be operatively associated with a source of oxygen and is arranged to provide transportation of oxygen from the source of oxygen to the oxygen storage tank (6); wherein the oxygen storage tank (6) is a cryogenic storage tank and is configured to be located below sea level, and wherein the oxygen storage tank (6) comprises a pressure relief valve (112). Aspects of the disclosure also relate to systems and methods for the generation of electricity.

Inventors

  • STINESSEN, KJELL OLAV
  • PEDERSEN, Kjartan

Assignees

  • Aker Solutions AS

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240529

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A method of storing oxygen, the method comprising: transporting oxygen from a source of oxygen to an oxygen storage tank, wherein the oxygen storage tank is a cryogenic storage tank and the oxygen storage tank is located below sea level ; wherein the oxygen is in the liquid, or compressible liquid or supercritical phase; and controlling a pressure within the oxygen storage tank; wherein the controlling of the pressure within the oxygen storage tank comprises opening a pressure relief valve operatively associated with the oxygen storage tank.
  2. 2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen storage tank is located below sea level at a water depth of 1 m to 3000m, or of 5m to 100m, or of 500m to 1000m, or of 1000m to 3000m, or depths greater than 3000m.
  3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising transporting the oxygen storage tank to below sea level.
  4. 4. The method of any preceding claim, comprising opening the pressure relief valve at a pressure within the oxygen storage tank which is equal to or greater than ambient pressure plus an overpressure, wherein the overpressure is between 1 to 115 bar.
  5. 5. The method of any preceding claim, comprising controlling the flow rate of oxygen from the source of oxygen to the oxygen storage tank.
  6. 6. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising a source of oxygen produced as an industrial biproduct or from an industrial process.
  7. 7. The method of any preceding claim, comprising transporting the oxygen from the source of oxygen via an oxygen supply pipeline.
  8. 8. The method of any preceding claim, comprising transporting the oxygen from the source of oxygen to an intermediate mode of transport and further transporting the oxygen from the intermediate mode of transport to the oxygen storage tank.
  9. 9. The method of any preceding claim, comprising transporting the oxygen from the source of oxygen to a plurality of oxygen storage tanks, wherein each of the plurality of oxygen storage tanks are located below sea level.
  10. 10. An oxygen storage and supply system comprising: an oxygen supply arrangement and an oxygen storage tank, wherein the oxygen supply arrangement is configured to be operatively associated with a source of oxygen and is arranged to provide transportation of oxygen from the source of oxygen to the oxygen storage tank; wherein the oxygen storage tank is a cryogenic storage tank and is configured to be located below sea level, and wherein the oxygen storage tank comprises a pressure relief valve.
  11. 11 . The system of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of oxygen storage tanks.
  12. 12. The system of claim 10 or 11 , wherein the oxygen storage tank or tanks are located below sea level at a water depth of 1 m to 3000m, or of 5m to 100m, or of 500m to 1000m, or of 1000m to 3000m, or depths greater than 3000m.
  13. 13. The system of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the oxygen storage tank or tanks are fixed at or to the seabed.
  14. 14. The system of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the oxygen storage tank or tanks are floating submerged oxygen storage tank or tanks.
  15. 15. The system of any of claims 10 to 14, further comprising a subsea installation for receiving oxygen, wherein the subsea installation comprises the oxygen storage tank.
  16. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the sub-sea installation comprises at least one of the following: a condenser configured to condense the oxygen received from the source of oxygen, a vaporizer configured to vaporize oxygen transported from the oxygen storage tank, at least one pump arranged for the transportation of oxygen, control system apparatus.
  17. 17. The system of any of claims 10 to 16, wherein the oxygen supply arrangement comprises an oxygen supply pipeline operatively connected to the source of oxygen and the oxygen storage tank or tanks.
  18. 18. The system of any one of claims 10 to 17, wherein the oxygen supply arrangement comprises a vehicle, or ship.
  19. 19. The system of any one of claims 10 to 18 further comprising a source of oxygen, wherein the source of oxygen is oxygen produced as an industrial biproduct or from an industrial process.
  20. 20. The system of any one of claims 10 to 19 further comprising an oxygen export arrangement, wherein the oxygen export arrangement is arranged to transport oxygen from the oxygen storage tank or tanks to a consumer supply point.

Description

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR THE STORAGE AND SUPPLY OF OXYGEN FIELD The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for the storage and supply of oxygen, particularly liquid oxygen BACKGROUND The atmosphere of the Earth is composed of about 21% of oxygen, O2. The remainder comprises nitrogen, N2, (ab. 78%), Argon, Ar (ab. 1%) and a small fraction of CO2 (~ 0.04%). Within daily life, oxygen has many uses such as within medical applications as well as industrial applications. For example, oxygen is required for the industrial production of steel, and ethylene glycol. Oxygen can also be used in combustion processes, for example the oxyfuel process described in WO 2015/173184 A1 which outlines the use of oxygen for the combustion reaction together with production of oxygen by an air separation unit. The supply of oxygen for daily and industrial purposes is generally obtained from cryogenic air separation units (ASU). There are alternative production methods including the electrolysis of water. Currently, electrolysis is more energy intensive than the air separation process, making it less economically appealing for the purpose of oxygen production. Hydrogen and ammonia are now being introduced as energy carriers to eliminate the carbon dioxide emission from transport, such as land-based engines, air traffic and shipping. The production of hydrogen for storage of energy is also a method for energy storage for wind turbine farms. Generally, the production of hydrogen by electrolysis will result in a large production of oxygen as a biproduct. Ammonia can be used to safely transport hydrogen for subsequent use. The production of ammonia requires nitrogen in addition to hydrogen and the industrial production of nitrogen for this process typically uses an ASU where oxygen is a waste or a biproduct. With the development of these alternative energy sources and energy carrier chains, it is expected that the production of oxygen as a biproduct will increase. There is therefore a need for the development of oxygen storage and supply options which can allow this oxygen to be effectively utilized in other applications. SUMMARY According to a first aspect there is described a method of storing oxygen, wherein the method comprises: transporting oxygen from a source of oxygen to an oxygen storage tank, wherein the oxygen storage tank is a cryogenic storage tank and the oxygen storage tank is located below sea level ; storing the oxygen in the liquid, compressible liquid or supercritical phase; and controlling a pressure within the oxygen storage tank; wherein the controlling of the pressure within the oxygen storage tank comprises opening a pressure relief valve operatively associated with the oxygen storage tank. The ambient pressure below sea level will be higher than atmospheric pressure. Therefore, a method of storing oxygen below sea level according to the present disclosure can advantageously allow for a lower pressure oxygen storage tank to be used and for the pressure at which the release valve will be opened to be higher, thereby minimizing losses of liquid oxygen via boil off, when the oxygen is stored in the liquid or compressible liquid phase. According to the method of storing oxygen, the oxygen storage tank may be located below sea level at a water depth of 5m to 3000m, or of 5m to 100m, or of 500m to 1000m, or of 1000m to 3000m, or depths greater than 3000m. Below sea level may be any depth below the water surface of the sea, ocean or body of water (for example, but not limited to, a lake, loch or reservoir) where the oxygen storage tank is to be positioned. The method may comprise transporting the oxygen storage tank to below sea level. The method may comprise submerging the oxygen tank below sea level. The method may comprise landing and/or fixing the oxygen storage tank to the seabed. The method may comprise fixing the oxygen storage tank at the sea bed. The method may comprise providing an oxygen storage tank on a jacket, wherein the oxygen storage tank may be submerged and the jacket may be fixed to the sea bed. The method may comprise providing a floating submerged oxygen storage tank. The method may comprise anchoring a floating oxygen storage tank to the sea bed. The oxygen storage tank may be a permanent, or long term fixture. For example, the oxygen storage tank may be configured to be installed below sea level for at least 5 years, or 10 years or longer. The method may comprise storing the oxygen as a liquid. The method may comprise storing the oxygen as a compressible liquid. The method may comprise storing the oxygen as a supercritical fluid. The method may comprise storing the oxygen temporarily. As used herein, temporarily may be taken to define storing the oxygen for a time period of from about an hour to up to 1 day, or up to 3 days, or up to 5 days or up to 10 days. The method may comprise storing the oxygen for up to one month. The method may comprise opening the pressure relief valve a