Among our recent dispatches, to the West Virginia Coal Association and others, was one concerning the report by USDOD contractors United Technologies, "Development of an Improved Sabatier Reactor", made all the way back in 1979, wherein was revealed the fact, that, in an exothermic process, "carbon dioxide and hydrogen" can be reacted "in the presence of a catalyst ... to form water, methane, and heat".
We present herein, via a number of links, excerpts, and attached documents, more evidence that Methane, once so produced from Carbon Dioxide, or, as we have documented, and as we will further document, from Coal, via processes of Steam gasification, can be directly converted into liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
First, from the above link, and attached file, we submit very brief excerpts of:
"United States Patent 4,670,619 - Methane Conversion Process
Date: June, 1987
Inventor: Howard Withers, et. al., PA
Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company, CA
Abstract: An improved method for converting methane to higher hydrocarbon products ... ."
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We keep our excerpts deliberately brief; but, the full disclosure contains numerous references to antecedent technology that invites full exploration by those interested in these potentials. Moreover, a primary facilitator of the reaction named by the ARCO scientists, "chalcedony", despite the exotic-sounding name, is a fairly common group of silicate-based, microcrystalline quartz-type minerals, and the specification of "chalcedony" is so unspecific that, unless another interpretation can be applied, we expect use of the term is meant not only to protect the rights to the process; but, also to hide, as a trade secret, exactly what variety of chalcedony would be most useful and beneficial.
As a genuine bonus, though, Hydrogen Sulfide and Sulfur Dioxide gasses are specified within the full document as valuable co-reactants in the ARCO process.
We suppose that we would be able to find some of those in the environs of US Coal Country.
Following award of that US Patent to ARCO by some years, Mobil Oil Corporation was subsequently awarded a US Patent of it's own for very similar technology, as the following link and excerpts attest:
"United States Patent 5,023,392 - Upgrading Methane to Higher Hydrocarbons
Date: June, 1991
Inventor: Scott Han, et. al., NJ and PA
Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation, VA
Abstract: There is provided a process for the direct partial oxidation of methane ... whereby ... higher hydrocarbons are produced."
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The "higher hydrocarbons" are elsewhere in the Patent specified to include "C5+ liquid hydrocarbons".
However, we must confess that other data presented by Mobil are confusing in the extreme, and seem to indicate that what would appear to be an excessive amount of Carbon Oxides are co-produced.
Of course, that might not be so bad, since, as we now know, as in our opening reminder of the United Technologies CO2-to-Methane achievement, in emulation of the 1912 Sabatier process, those Carbon Oxides can then be converted into more Methane.
"Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center; December, 2008; A room-temperature electrocatalytic process that effects the overall chemical reaction CO2 + 2H2O → CH4 + 2O2 has been investigated as a means of removing carbon dioxide from air. The process may also have potential utility in terrestrial applications in which either or both of the methane and oxygen produced might be utilized."
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Think we could whip up some "terrestrial applications" for that technology in US Coal Country - where we have some spare CO2; and, in the rivers flowing by our power plants, plenty of H2O; and, during off-peak demand hours, some spare juice to power such an "electrocatalytic process"?
We remind you, though, that Methane might find better service, as opposed to it's direct conversion into liquid hydrocarbons, in being "bi-reformed" or "tri-reformed", with even more Carbon Dioxide to synthesize, what would likely be greater volumes of, liquid hydrocarbon fuels; as espoused most often by Penn State University, but as we documented most recently in our dispatch concerning: "Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane on Nickel Catalysts; 1989; Texas A&M University".
