United States Patent: 5989457
Why a group of collaborating scientists working, variously, in Ireland and The Netherlands would assign the US rights to an invention for the recycling of Carbon Dioxide to a company in Germany, we've no idea.
But, that's what they did.
There should be little new herein for readers who have followed our posts thus far. We will, though, append some comment following excerpts from:
"United States Patent 5,989,457 - Process for the Production of Synthesis Gas
Date: November, 1999
Inventors: Kulathu-Iyer Seshan, NL, and Julian Ross, IE, et. al.
Assignee: Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft, et al., Germany
Abstract: A catalyst for the production of synthesis gas (CO and H2) by reaction of CO2 and CH4 and/or other light hydrocarbons, having a support material with at least 80 wt. % ZrO2 or oxides selected from the group of Y, La, Al, Ca, Ce and Si, as well as of a coating with metals of Group VIII which is applied physically by adsorption.
Claims: A process for making CO/H2 -synthesis gas comprising contacting a gas containing one of CO2, CH4, hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof with a catalyst at temperatures of between about 400 and about 900C, and a pressure of between about 1 and about 30 bar, wherein said catalyst comprises (a) an oxidic support material and (b) a coating comprising between about 0.1 and about 7.0 weight percent of at least one of the metals of the group consisting of Pt, Ni, Pd and Co.
Description: The combustion of fossil fuels in the form of coal, petroleum or natural gas or of secondary fuels produced therefrom which is effected predominantly in the industrialized countries is leading to an increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. ... To achieve (reduction in CO2) some countries have thought, for instance, of introducing an energy tax, the amount of which is based on the amount of CO2 liberated upon the consumption of energy. Another possible manner of reducing the liberation of CO2 is to reuse this gas for instance, for the production of other products.
(So, the choices are "tax", i.e., Cap & Trade and Sequestration; or, "reuse". What's your choice? - JtM)
Claims: A process for making CO/H2 -synthesis gas comprising contacting a gas containing one of CO2, CH4, hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof with a catalyst (under specified conditions).
Synthesis gas (CO+H2) is used in a number of chemical processes. ... A synthesis gas produced in this manner is particularly suitable for the synthesis of methanol, which in its turn can be further converted into other petrochemical products."
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The "other petrochemical products" into which Methanol - made, as herein, from CO2 - can be converted, include, as we have many times documented, Gasoline, and, Plastics, in which the CO2 would be permanently sequestered.
Moreover, and yet again: we can make the needed Methane, so handy in this recycling of Carbon Dioxide, using the 1912 Nobel-winning Sabatier process, from Carbon Dioxide; or, via the hydro-, or steam-, gasification of Coal.
We note, as well, that this seems yet another variation of the "tri-reforming" process explained best for us so far by Penn State University.
In sum, we can react Carbon Dioxide efficiently with Methane, which can itself be made from Carbon Dioxide, to synthesize Methanol; which can in turn be catalyzed, via ExxonMobil's MTG(r) process, for instance, to synthesize Gasoline.
