Patent US20090317882
We have, in multiple submissions, documented the "Tri-reforming" technology espoused by Chunsan Song, and others, at Penn State University, wherein Carbon Dioxide is reacted, recycled, with Methane to synthesize higher hydrocarbons suitable for refining into liquid fuels.
We have also documented that, not only can the Methane needed for reforming CO2 be manufactured via the steam-, or hydro-, gasification of Coal, it can also, as in the Sabatier process, be itself synthesized from Carbon Dioxide.
We, in fact, reported on US Patents held by corporate proxies of our US Department of Defense for related Carbon Dioxide recycling technology.
And, we had documented some research wherein "methanogens", microorganisms that produce Methane by metabolizing Carbon Dioxide were being studied and developed for use in "bioreactors" to conduct that reaction on an industrial basis.
We had begun to discover that Penn State was, itself, studying different ways in which Methane can be made from Carbon Dioxide, as in our report of March 10, headlined "Penn State CO2 to CH4", detailing their development of "electromethanogenesis", wherein the metabolism of microbes that convert CO2 into CH4 can be stimulated and supported by the application of electrical current, when we learned that they have, very recently, applied themselves for a United States Patent on such technology to convert Carbon Dioxide into Methane.
From the enclosed link and attached file, we submit:
"United States Patent Application 20090317882
Publication Number US 2009/0317882 A1:
Electromethanogenic Reactor and Processes for Methane Production
Date: December 24, 2009
Inventors: Shaoan Cheng and Bruce Logan, State College, PA
Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
Abstract:
Increasing competition for fossil fuels, and the need to avoid release of carbon dioxide from combustion of those fuels requires development of new and sustainable approaches for energy production and carbon capture. Biological processes for producing methane gas and capturing carbon from carbon dioxide are provided according to the embodiments of the present invention which include providing an electromethanogenic reactor having an anode, a cathode and a plurality of methanogenic organisms disposed on the cathode.
Electrons and carbon dioxide are provided to the plurality of methanogenic organisms disposed on the cathode. The methanogenic microorganisms reduce the carbon dioxide to produce methane gas, even in the absence of hydrogen and/or organic carbon sources."
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Well, you don't suppose we might find a few extra electrons and some spare Carbon Dioxide hanging around a Coal-fired power plant, do you?
Not only does this Penn State technology enable conversion of CO2 into CH4, it does so without the need for added elemental Hydrogen, which, we believe, is one drawback of the US Defense Department's CO2 recycling technology, wherein it's proposed to electrolyze seawater to obtain the Hydrogen needed to hydrolyze or hydrogenate CO2.
In any case, Carbon Dioxide can be recycled into Methane. Once we have that Methane, it can, as we have documented, be directly converted into liquid fuels; or, it can be used to enhance the productivity of indirect Coal liquefaction processes to make liquid fuels; or, it can be "tri-reformed" with even more Carbon Dioxide to make liquid fuels.
