ELECTROLYSIS OF CARBON DIOXIDE IN AQUEOUS MEDIA TO CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN FOR PRODUCTION OF METHANOL - Patent application
We have previously cited the University of Southern California's Nobel-certified genius, George Olah, and, among his co-workers, G.K. Prakash, relative to their work in developing technologies for the practical recycling of Carbon Dioxide.
We have called your attention to some of the many US patents, pertaining to Carbon conversion technologies, already issued to Olah, et. al.; and, we herein reveal that they have applied for yet another United States Patent for yet another technology to make the recovery and the recycling of Carbon Dioxide, as it emerges in the flue gases of industrial facilities, or even as it is found in the atmosphere itself, a practical reality.
As we have explained previously, in other of our posts, patent applications do not reveal all the details of full patent disclosures. For instance, although unspecified, the University of Southern California is, most probably, the intended assignee of this pending United States Patent.
However, enough information is presented for us to be able to understand and explain some of what the invention entails, and for all of us resident in US Coal Country, all of us confident in Coal's potential to lead us into a new era of energy security and liquid fuel self-sufficiency, to take heart.
Following, we present excerpts from the above link, explaining how Hydrogen, electrolyzed from solutions of Water and Methanol, can be combined with Carbon Dioxide, to synthesize even more Methanol.
"Electrolysis of Carbon Dioxide in Aqueous Media ... for Production of Methanol
Inventors: George Olah and G.K. Surya Prakash
Abstract: An environmentally beneficial method of producing methanol from varied sources of carbon dioxide including flue gases of fossil fuel burning power plants, industrial exhaust gases or the atmosphere itself. Converting carbon dioxide by an electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide in a divided electrochemical cell that includes an anode in one cell compartment and a metal cathode electrode in another cell compartment that also contains an aqueous solution comprising methanol and an electrolyte of one or more alkyl ammonium halides, alkali carbonates or combinations thereof to produce therein a reaction mixture containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen which can be subsequently used to produce methanol while also producing oxygen in the cell at the anode.
Claims: A method of producing methanol by reductive conversion of any available source of carbon dioxide, which comprises electrochemically reducing the carbon dioxide in a divided electrochemical cell comprising an anode in one cell compartment and a metal cathode electrode in another cell compartment that also contains an aqueous solution or aqueous methanolic solution of an electrolyte of one or more alkyl ammonium halides, alkali carbonates or combinations thereof to produce therein a reaction mixture containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen which can be subsequently used to produce methanol while also producing oxygen in the cell at the anode.
The method of claim 1, which further comprises obtaining the carbon dioxide from an exhaust stream from a fossil fuel burning power or industrial plants... (and) which further comprises obtaining the carbon dioxide source from the atmosphere... .
The method of claim 1 which further comprises reacting carbon monoxide and hydrogen from the reaction mixture to produce methanol ... .
The method of claim 1, wherein electrical energy for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide is provided from a conventional energy source based on nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal or solar power.
Synthesis gas for methanol production can (otherwise) be obtained by reforming or partial oxidation of any carbonaceous material, such as coal, coke, natural gas, petroleum, heavy oil, and asphalt.
In addition to use as fuels, methanol and methanol-derived chemicals have other significant applications in the chemical industry.
Summary: The invention relates to various embodiments of an environmentally beneficial method for producing methanol by reductive conversion of an available source of carbon dioxide including flue gases of fossil fuel burning power plants, industrial exhaust gases or the atmosphere itself. The method includes electrochemically reducing the carbon dioxide in a divided electrochemical cell that includes an anode in one cell compartment and a metal cathode electrode in another cell compartment that also contains an aqueous solution or aqueous methanolic solution and an electrolyte of one or more alkyl ammonium halides, alkali carbonates or combinations thereof to produce therein a reaction mixture containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen which can be subsequently used to produce methanol while also producing oxygen in the cell at the anode.
The disclosed new efficient production of methanol from industrial or natural carbon dioxide sources, or even from the air itself ... necessitates significant energy, which can be, however, provided by any energy source including offpeak electric power of fossil fuel (e.g., coal) burning power plants ... or any alternative energy sources (solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, etc.). The reduction of CO2 to methanol allows storage and transportation of energy in a convenient liquid product (i.e., methanol) more convenient, economical and safe than volatile hydrogen gas. Methanol and/or dimethyl ether are efficient fuels in internal combustion engines or in direct oxidation methanol fuel cells (DMFC as well as raw materials for olefins, synthetic hydrocarbons and varied products). The present invention greatly extends the scope of the utilization of carbon dioxide for the production of methanol and/or dimethyl ether from natural or industrial sources, even from the air itself."
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So, we have here a technology for the efficient collection, "even from the air itself", of Carbon Dioxide; and, the subsequent, efficient, conversion of that Carbon Dioxide into the valuable liquid fuel, and Gasoline and Plastics raw material, Methanol. And, the energy needed to make it happen can come from "any energy source including offpeak electric power of fossil fuel (e.g., coal) burning power plants".
