Production of synthetic hydrocarbons from air, water and low cost electrical power
For very nearly thirty years, since 1981, our United States Government has known that we can make Gasoline from Carbon Dioxide, Water and Electricity.
Some extended discussion follows brief excerpts from the above link to, and attached file of:
"United States Patent 4,282,187 - Hydrocarbons from Air, Water and ... Electrical Power
Date: August, 1981
Inventors: Marshall Corbett and Salvatore Salina, NY
Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation, NY
Abstract: A process for manufacturing synthetic hydrocarbons such as gasoline and/or kerosene from the synthesis of Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen. The Carbon Dioxide is obtained from the atmosphere while the Hydrogen is obtained during the electrolysis of Water.
An intermediate fuel, namely methyl alcohol may be stored for use or upgraded to higher value hydrocarbons by a catalytic conversion.
Background: The present invention relates to the production of synthetic hydrocarbons and more particularly to a process for hydrocarbon synthesis from CO2 and H2 derived from environmental matter, which produces methanol which may be upgraded to gasoline grade fuel.
The CO2 is available in an almost unlimited quantity from the atmosphere or natural water bodies ... which may also provide a source of H2 after electrolysis."
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Typically, we think, CO2, H2O and electricity can all be commonly found, in some abundance, in the vicinity of the Coal-fired power plants that seem to have popped up along the banks of the Ohio River and it's tributaries, which serve as the circulation system of US Coal Country.
Truth to tell, though, we don't really have any idea what the trade-offs might be in terms of energy; that is, how much energy is required to split a Water molecule versus how much energy we actually recover when a Carbon Dioxide molecule is formed in the combustion of Coal. If you just burned the Coal to split the Water, there might even be a net loss of energy, relative to what could subsequently be gained in the utilization of the Liquid Fuels ultimately synthesized.
The technology disclosed herein is no-doubt related to the other Carbon Dioxide conversion patents we've documented, by United Technologies and Hamilton Standard, recording CO2-to-fuel technologies developed for the US Department of Defense. The full scenarios they've put together seem to rely on nuclear reactors to supply the energy for extracting Hydrogen from Water.
So, it might be more economically sound, and much more environmentally attractive, if we were to generate the needed electricity, for the entire CO2 conversion process, from hydropower dams - or wind, or solar. And, since Grumman's technology does specify extracting CO2 from the atmosphere, a CO2 conversion plant could be located wherever there was a source of water and a generous supply of environmental energy, such as solar, wind, hydro or tidal, that was available to harness to the task.
And, although we haven't researched the topic, there are likely to be catalytic agents which could serve to lower the power required to split Water into Hydrogen and Oxygen. It would just take a little digging to find them.
However, as you will see, or have seen, in other of our reports, West Virginia scientists in the employ of the old Union Carbide Corporation seem to have resolved that issue; and, they obtain, in their technology for Coal hydrogenation, any needed Hydrogen through the reaction of Water with hot Coal char. And, it might be possible to conduct that chemical transaction so that reactive, and useful, Carbon Monoxide, as opposed to just more Carbon Dioxide, is generated along with the Hydrogen.
All that is, of course, unless we really would rather, through Cap and Trade and enforced Geologic Sequestration, hold a figurative gun to the King's head, and compel him to ship, all at his expense, all of our CO2 to the West Texas oil fields, so that the cowboys down there can stash it all in their depleted natural petroleum reservoirs - until they're darned good and ready to pump it back out, make gasoline with it, and sell it back to us at our local filling stations.
