U.S. patent application number 11/827814 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-15 for fuel production from atmospheric co2 and h20 by artificial photosynthesis and method of operation thereof.
Invention is credited to Edgar D. Young.
Application Number | 20090013593 11/827814 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40251956 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090013593 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Young; Edgar D. |
January 15, 2009 |
Fuel production from atmospheric CO2 and H20 by artificial
photosynthesis and method of operation thereof
Abstract
The present invention relates generally to reduction of
atmospheric carbon dioxide and to fuel production, and more
specifically, to carbonaceous fuel production by means of
utilization of atmospheric carbon dioxide and water by "artificial
photosynthesis", as defined herein and methods of operation
thereof.
Inventors: |
Young; Edgar D.; (Cashiers,
NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MYERS & KAPLAN;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW, L.L.C.
CUMBERLAND CENTER II, 3100 CUMBERLAND BLVD , SUITE 1400
ATLANTA
GA
30339
US
|
Family ID: |
40251956 |
Appl. No.: |
11/827814 |
Filed: |
July 12, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
44/628 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M 12/06 20130101;
C10L 8/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
44/628 |
International
Class: |
C10L 8/00 20060101
C10L008/00 |
Claims
1. A method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and for
producing carbonaceous fuel, said method comprising the steps of:
within a first sub-process, producing carbonaceous fuel from air
through the utilization of rapid oxidation of a metal; within a
second sub-process, recovering the elemental metal from the metal
oxide.
2. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and for
producing carbonaceous fuel of claim 1, and wherein the metal
comprises magnesium.
3. The method for recovering elemental metal from metal oxide
according to claim 1, wherein said process of recovering elemental
metal from metal oxide further comprises potential utilization of
such metal in a metallic fuel cell.
4. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and for
producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 2, and wherein said
process of recovering magnesium further includes utilization of
water as a catalyst and oxygen as a byproduct.
5. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and method
for producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 1, and wherein
said process of recovering magnesium further includes utilization
of magnesium oxide produced as a byproduct from said first
sub-process.
6. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and for
producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 1, and wherein said
second sub-process is electrolytic.
7. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and for
producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 1, wherein said
second electrolytic sub-process further utilizes solar power.
8. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and for
producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 1, wherein said
second electrolytic sub-process further utilizes geothermal power
means.
9. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and for
producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 1, wherein said
second electrolytic sub-process further utilizes wind power.
10. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and for
producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 1, and wherein said
sub-process of isolating carbon dioxide from air further includes
the step of reducing temperature to form frozen carbon dioxide.
11. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and for
producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 1, and wherein said
production of carbonaceous fuel further includes utilization of a
catalyzed chemical reaction in which carbon monoxide and hydrogen
are converted into liquid hydrocarbon.
12. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and for
producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 11, and wherein said
catalyzed chemical reaction comprises the Fischer-Tropsch
process.
13. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and method
for producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 5, and wherein
said process of recovering magnesium further comprises the
conversion of MgO to MgCl.sub.2.
14. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and method
for producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 13, and wherein
said process of recovering magnesium utilizing the conversion of
magnesium oxide to magnesium further comprises the use of
electrolytic means and wherein the polarity thereof is reversed to
provide elemental magnesium metal at one electrode and chlorine at
the other electrode.
15. The method for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and for
producing carbonaceous fuel according to claim 1 and within said
second sub-process thereof for recovering the elemental metal from
the metal oxide, further comprising the use of a magnesium/nickel
chromium battery.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates generally to fuel production,
and more specifically, to carbonaceous fuel production by means of
utilization of atmospheric carbon dioxide and water by "artificial
photosynthesis", as defined herein, and methods of operation
thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The current state of affairs regarding Carbon Dioxide and
its close relationship to global warming has reached an all time
high. Many responsible sources contend that the condition of the
earth's atmosphere is such that, in order to avoid the predicted
dire consequences of global warming affects, removal of a portion
of the existing, and increased, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
(in a preferred amount approximating one billion tons annually for
about a decade) is needed.
[0003] The methods of the present invention meet these drastic
requirements and also further provide a substantial environmental
benefit in which the inventive processes hereof would require no
additional energy from present earth-based fuel sources.
Furthermore, the present processes produce useful and essential
fuels which can be further beneficially utilized. These substantial
advantages promise to usher in an energy and environmental
management era of efficient and accurate climate control
engineering. These results could be accomplished using known but
presently unused control theories, together with and in combination
with reasonable open-loop models for short term and extended
climatic change. Moreover, and despite the long-felt need in the
art for the salutary benefits provided by the several embodiments
of the present invention as disclosed and claimed herein, those
skilled in the art have not formulated, or discovered, or utilized
these most propitious solutions.
[0004] Furthermore, the product fuels produced by means of the
methods of the present invention can be stored compactly and
efficiently at the site of their production, and thus resulting in
but minimal environmental impact, and with no necessity to
transport hazardous materials. As a matter of yet further
efficiency, the required energy for use in the methods of the
present invention could be harvested from solar collecting or by
wind powered or geothermal means within the vicinity of local
processing plants.
[0005] The economics of preferred embodiments of the inventive
processes hereof are such that the cost of supplying energy for
customer use, including electric auto transportation plus climate
control storage, could additionally allow for commonly realized
profit margins, while maintaining costs at the levels traditionally
charged to a customer. Furthermore, when climate levels have become
stabilized according to the methods of the invention hereof, profit
margins would rise substantially and/or customer costs could be
substantially reduced.
[0006] A chemical process known to those skilled in the art for
isolating carbon by utilizing CO.sub.2 comprises the oxidation
through burning of shredded magnesium inside a split block of
frozen CO.sub.2. The Carbon thus produced appears in sizeable
chunks mixed together with chunks of magnesium oxide ash, and
whereupon, the CO.sub.2 and MgO can be facilitatively separated by
means of shaking, combined with crushing and shifting. By these
means this separation process accordingly utilizes differences in
the density of the CO.sub.2 and MgO components of the mixture.
[0007] One further method for performing combustion of magnesium in
CO.sub.2 gas has been performed by the University of North
Carolina, and wherein a ribbon of magnesium is burned in a chamber
of suitable and selected size, thereby producing flecks of carbon
and oxide as collected upon the chamber walls, and wherein particle
size and product separation are shown to comprise functions of the
magnesium preparation, combustion chamber size and the temperature
profile maintained within.
[0008] However, and as the combustion of magnesium is extremely
exothermic, it is therefore clear that substantial advantages
appear when excess heat from such a reaction chamber is harnessed
by means of a heat engine cycle, resulting in the supplying of
electric power to augment an input electric grid. Wherefore, these
considerations may impose constraints upon the combustion chamber
design under the corresponding embodiment hereof, as well as upon
the separation process.
[0009] Yet further, the process for producing solid carbon can be
reduced to a secondary sub-process for isolating CO.sub.2 from the
air, followed by a secondary combustion process utilizing the
crucial fact that CO.sub.2 supports combustion of Magnesium metal.
Finally, a process has been provided for separating carbon produced
from the magnesium oxide ash, and processes for isolating CO.sub.2
include freezing CO.sub.2 ice or the use of selective solvents.
These various aspects of the prior art methods necessitate
different combustion chamber design requirements and physical
separation requirements.
[0010] In one yet further prior art method, magnesium is then
recovered from the magnesium oxide ash using electrolysis, as
oxygen is expelled therefrom. As set forth hereinbelow, at the end
of the essentially cyclic processes of the present invention, all
byproducts of the process may be returned to their initial
status.
[0011] Common procedures for converting MgO to Mg, converting first
to MgCl.sub.2 by use of hydrochloric acid (releasing water) and
thereafter decompose the magnesium chloride by electrolysis in a
molten salt electrolyte. Chlorine (given off at the anode) is
combined with Hydrogen (from electrolysis of water) to recover
Hydrochloric Acid.
[0012] In summary, various aspects of the problem of atmospheric
CO.sub.2 management have been addressed in previous inventions.
However, none have provided the free selection of carbonaceous
fuels to be produced efficiently and in a substantial capacity.
Accordingly, the beneficial aspects of the present invention
include the provision of processes for producing carbonaceous fuel
from a first sub-process of isolating CO.sub.2 from the atmosphere
and a second sub-process for recovering magnesium.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention relates generally to reduction of
atmospheric carbon dioxide and to fuel production, and more
specifically, to carbonaceous fuel production by means of
utilization of atmospheric CO.sub.2 and H.sub.20 by "artificial
photosynthesis", as defined herein and methods of operation
thereof.
[0014] The inventive methods of the present invention may
preferably comprise in the main process sub-processes for (a)
producing carbon, and (b) for recovering magnesium. The production
of carbon of step (a) may be sub-divided further into tertiary
processes for isolating CO.sub.2, for producing carbon, and for
separating from byproducts or ash. Yet additionally, the processes
hereof may utilize the Fischer-Tropsch process as an option for
producing a variety of hydrocarbon fuels.
[0015] The present invention may be better understood by those
skilled in the art, but not unnecessarily limited, with regard to
and by reference to the following detailed description of the
drawing, the detailed description of preferred embodiments, the
appended clams and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Accordingly, the present invention may be better understood
by those skilled in the art through consideration of, and reference
to, the following Figures, viewed in conjunction with the Detailed
Description of the Preferred Embodiment referring thereto, in which
like reference numbers throughout the various Figures designate
like structure and in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a breakdown of the main process into
sub-processes for producing carbon and for recovering
magnesium;
[0018] FIG. 2 shows the breakdown of carbon production as a process
into secondary processes for isolating carbon dioxide, producing
carbon, and separating from byproducts or ash; and
[0019] FIG. 3 shows an extension of the main process (1) utilizing
the Fischer-Tropsch process as an option for producing a variety of
hydrocarbon fuels.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] In describing preferred embodiments of the present invention
illustrated in the Figures, specific terminology may be employed
for the sake of clarity. The present invention, however, is not
intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected, and
it is to be understood that each specific element or step hereof
includes all technological equivalents that operate in a similar
manner to accomplish a similar purpose.
[0021] In one form of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention as chosen for purposes of illustration, FIG. 1 shows a
breakdown of the main process into sub-processes for producing
carbon and for recovering magnesium, and further providing
schematic details of Process 1.1, and in which the input therefrom
comprises the use of CO.sub.2 and magnesium or other similar metal,
and the output therefrom constitutes metallic oxide and plant
related fuel in the form of carbon. The means used therein
preferably comprise electricity, in the form of solar energy, wind
poser of geothermal means.
[0022] Process 1.2 of the inventive methods hereof as illustrated
schematically in FIG. 1 utilizes in preferred embodiments thereof
as input H.sub.2O and spent fuel cell fuel in the preferred form of
magnesium oxide, and produces as output oxygen and fuel cell fuel
in the preferred form of elemental magnesium, and again using
therein energy means preferably comprising electricity, solar
energy, wind power, or geothermal means.
[0023] Illustrated schematically in FIG. 2 is a more detailed
breakdown of process 1.1 of FIG. 1, supra, and is directed to
carbon production as a process into secondary processes for
isolating CO.sub.2, producing carbon, and separating from
byproducts or ash, and constitutes the sub-steps of:
[0024] 1. Separating CO.sub.2 from air, and with air as an input,
and carbon dioxide as an output;
[0025] 2. Combustion of magnesium in carbon dioxide, and utilizing
magnesium from the recovery process of Process 1.2, supra; and
[0026] 3. Separating the desire product from the ash and with
carbon and magnesium oxide as outputs.
[0027] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an extension of the main
process to the basic formation of hydrocarbon fuels, and having an
input of water and atmospheric carbon dioxide together with the
fuel cell fuel, in the preferred form of magnesium oxide, and
having as output non-hydrogen fuel for the fuel cell in the
preferred form of magnesium and plant related fuel in the form of
carbon, and also the energy used therein preferably comprises
electricity, in the form of solar energy, wind power or geothermal
means. In sub-step 2 of FIG. 3, the fuel conversion is accomplished
by means of the Fischer-Tropsch Process, and wherein the input is
water and Plant related fuel, in the form of carbon, and the energy
used therein preferably comprises electricity, in the form of solar
energy, wind power or geothermal means.
[0028] In greater detail, embodiments of the present invention may
be beneficially utilized to materially reduce the above-mentioned
disadvantages, deficiencies and detriments of prior art systems and
simultaneously to address the long-felt need for increased fuel
production--and more specifically, carbonaceous fuel production--by
means of atmospheric CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2O by "artificial
photosynthesis" and a method of operation thereof. Accordingly, the
preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed towards
methods for producing carbonaceous fuel from first sub-process of
isolating CO.sub.2 from air, a second sub-process for producing
carbon by burning magnesium and a third sub-process for recovering
magnesium.
[0029] Preferred embodiments of the present invention utilize
atmospheric carbon dioxide and water to produce a variety of
carbonaceous fuels. Advantageously, the only energy required for
the inventive processes hereof is electrical energy, which may be
obtained by solar energy means. This process may be thus defined
herein, and as used herein, as "artificial photosynthesis". The
"artificial photosynthesis" processes of the present invention can
be operated to produce substantially no byproducts. In alternative
preferred embodiments, the processes of artificial photosynthesis
can optionally be operated to provide additional metallic-type
fuels, which accordingly may be considered to be optimal for fuel
cell applications.
[0030] In somewhat greater detail, preferred embodiments of the
inventive processes hereof comprise a first sub-process for
producing carbonaceous fuel (carbon) from atmospheric CO.sub.2
and/or from a metallic fuel cell system utilizing magnesium, and a
second process for recovering magnesium from magnesium oxide
produced as a byproduct or ash from the first sub-process, with the
use of water as a catalyst and oxygen as a byproduct--as in natural
photosynthesis, but however utilizing man-directed means.
[0031] The second sub-process is essentially for the purpose of
recovering magnesium. However, in further preferred embodiments of
the methods of the present invention, metals other than magnesium
that will readily and rapidly oxidize may be utilized in these
aspects of the methods hereof. These metal recovery processes can
in certain preferred embodiments be electrolytic, which in essence
would require electrical energy. Among the most efficient
mechanisms for providing this electrical energy include solar
power.
[0032] Conceptually, if magnesium were considered to be "fuel" for
a fuel cell, magnesium oxide would thus be defined as a byproduct
or an "ash" within a spent fuel cell. Excess products such as such
ashes can accordingly be reprocessed in the second sub-process to
recover magnesium as "fuel" for the yet further use with in the
fuel cell.
[0033] Yet further, utilizing the carbon fuel from the second
sub-process produces a variety of hydrocarbon fuels. These are
produced by feeding carbon into a catalytic process to synthesize
hydrocarbons and their oxygen derivatives by the controlled
reaction of hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
[0034] Furthermore, in order to convert MgO to MgCl.sub.2, an
alternative embodiment hereof may utilize a magnesium/nickel
chromium battery (with the magnesium cathode replaced with
magnesium oxide). Thereafter, a reverse charge voltage would be
applied which would transport chloride ions to the cathode and
produce nascent chlorine. When the voltage is reversed, magnesium
is recovered at the cathode and the chlorine goes back to storage
at the anode. Thereupon, hydrogen from electrolysis of water may be
introduced at the electrode to react with the chlorine, and as a
result would thereafter react with magnesium oxide to produce
magnesium chloride and thereby recover water. A benefit of this
process would be the fact that transport of the chlorine gas would
not be necessary.
[0035] It is to be noted that the figures presented herein are
intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that they are,
therefore, neither desired to limit nor intended to limit the
present invention to any or all of the details of construction or
method as shown, except insofar as they may be deemed essential to
the claimed invention.
[0036] Having, thus, described exemplary embodiments of the present
invention, it should be noted by those skilled in the art, that the
within disclosures are exemplary only and that various other
alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the
scope and spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the present
invention is not limited to the specific embodiments as illustrated
herein, but is only limited by the following claims.
* * * * *