We earlier documented Israel's and Switzerland's cooperative development of Carbon Dioxide recycling technology. We submit herein further report of their research into the "Tri-reforming" process, similar to that explained by Penn State University scientists, wherein not only can the CO2 in flue gas be reclaimed and recycled, but other valuable products can be generated concurrently.
Comment follows the brief excerpt:
"Title: Fuel saving, carbon dioxide emission avoidance, and syngas production by tri-reforming of flue gases from coal and gas-fired power stations, and by the carbothermic reduction of iron oxide
Authors: Halmann, M.; Steinfeld, A.
Affiliations:
Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research; Israel
ETH-Zurich, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering; Zurich, Switzerland
Solar Technology Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institute; Villigen, Switzerland
Abstract: Flue gases from coal, gas, or oil-fired power stations, as well as from several heavy industries, such as the production of iron, lime and cement, are major anthropogenic sources of global CO2 emissions. The newly proposed process for syngas production based on the tri-reforming of such flue gases with natural gas could be an important route for CO2 emission avoidance. In addition, by combining the carbothermic reduction of iron oxide with the partial oxidation of the carbon source, an overall thermoneutral process can be designed for the co-production of iron and syngas rich in CO. Water-gas shift (WGS) of CO to H2 enables the production of useful syngas. The reaction process heat, or the conditions for thermoneutrality, are derived by thermochemical equilibrium calculations. The thermodynamic constraints are determined for the production of syngas suitable for methanol, hydrogen, or ammonia synthesis. The environmental and economic consequences are assessed for large-scale commercial production of these chemical commodities. Preliminary evaluations with natural gas, coke, or coal as carbon source indicate that such combined processes should be economically competitive, as well as promising significant fuel saving and CO2 emission avoidance. The production of ammonia in the above processes seems particularly attractive, as it consumes the nitrogen in the flue gases."
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Please note: Israel and Switzerland are not just "avoiding" CO2 emissions. They are using CO2 emissions, as per the "tri-reforming" process, elsewhere explained by Penn State University, both to make "syngas", for liquid fuel production, and to refine iron ore - in a process, which we have earlier documented, that is exothermic and generates heat from the chemical reactions involved. That heat can be harnessed and used to drive the entire system, thus making this recycling of Carbon Dioxide, into valuable hydrocarbons, and this refining of iron ore, into steel, "an overall thermoneutral process".
So, without using much external energy input, we can make liquid fuels from Carbon Dioxide and steel from iron ore.
Note: The tri-reforming process, as specified herein, as with Penn State's descriptions, uses natural gas to convert Carbon Dioxide into hydrocarbons. As we have amply documented, such "natural" gas can be generated through coal coking or gasification processes; or, through Sabatier and similar technologies, synthesized from Carbon Dioxide itself.
And, as a bonus, we get fertilizer in the bargain, as in: "The production of ammonia in the above processes seems particularly attractive, as it consumes the nitrogen in the flue gases."
What more, seriously, do we want our coal, and the co-products of it's use, to do for us?