We have earlier, in multiple reports, documented for you the commercial operation of a Coal conversion and hydrogenation facility in Kingsport, TN, by the Eastman Chemicals division of Eastman Kodak; wherein they are converting Coal into hydrocarbons, including and especially the quite-valuable Methanol, through the initial production of synthesis gas.
Herein, via the enclosed accurately-, but less than completely-, labeled United States Patent, we see that Eastman knows how to do exactly the same thing with Carbon Dioxide.
To be precise, Eastman explains, in their full Disclosure, how to create a hydrocarbon synthesis gas, which can be then be catalytically condensed, one supposes, into Methanol, out of Carbon Dioxide, by reacting that gas with, as in a way similar to, but somewhat different from, Penn State University's "tri-reforming" technology, Methane.
Comment follows excerpts from the incompletely titled:
"United States Patent 5,068, 057 - Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Carbon Monoxide
Date: November, 1991
Inventor: Bruce Gustafson and James Walden, Kingsport, TN
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company, NY
Abstract: Method for the conversion of carbon dioxide to a carbon monoxide-rich synthesis gas mixture is disclosed. The invention method comprises contacting carbon dioxide with at least one hydrocarbon in the presence of a catalyst consisting essentially of a metal selected from platinum or palladium supported on an alumina or silica-alumina support which is stable under the reaction conditions.
Claims: Process for the continuous preparation of a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide ... which comprises continuously contacting a substantially anhydrous feed mixture consisting essentially of carbon dioxide and at least one hydrocarbon with a fixed bed of a supported catalyst ... . ... wherein said hydrocarbon is selected from methane, ethane, propane, butane, or mixtures of any two or more thereof.
Description: This invention relates to the conversion of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide. In one aspect, this invention relates to the reforming of hydrocarbon/carbon dioxide mixtures to produce synthesis gas.
The catalytic steam reforming of mixtures of methane and carbon dioxide to produce mixtures of hydrogen and carbon monoxide has been practiced for many years on a commercial scale. One of the disadvantages associated with the production of synthesis gas by the steam reforming of methane and is that the product gas mixtures are limited by the reaction stoichiometry to hydrogen/carbon monoxide ratios of 3:1 or higher. The addition of carbon dioxide to a steam reformer can result in lower hydrogen/carbon monoxide ratios, but requires the removal of steam from the product gas stream. It would be desirable, for a variety of applications such as hydroformylations, carbonylations, and the like, to be able to directly produce carbon monoxide-rich synthesis gas mixtures.
In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that the continuous reforming of hydrocarbons with carbon dioxide can be carried out under substantially anhydrous conditions to produce a carbon monoxide-rich product stream. The reforming reaction of the invention proceeds smoothly with no apparent loss in catalyst activity, in spite of the substantial absence of water in the reaction mixture. The reforming reaction also provides a product stream which is rich in carbon monoxide, especially when compared to product streams obtained from conventional methane steam reforming processes.
A particular advantage of the present invention is the ability to carry out reforming of hydrocarbons using an essentially anhydrous feed of carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon. The process of the present invention has the further benefits of reduced energy requirements (recycle of steam used in steam reforming processes), improved catalyst support integrity (because exposure to steam is minimized) and reduced separation requirements (removal of steam from CO/H2 product stream). Yet another advantage of the process is that the catalysts which may be used are commercially available from catalyst vendors and do not require any special components or techniques of manufacture."
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We note that this appears, actually, to be a "bi-reforming" process, wherein Carbon Dioxide is reacted only with Methane, as we've earlier documented from other sources as being feasible, to synthesize higher hydrocarbons.
That, as contrasted to the technology actually espoused by Penn State University, noted above, which is better described as "tri-reforming", since, as our limitations allow us to understand it, Steam is included in their reaction mix to add additional Hydrogen.
In any case, using pretty-darned generic catalysts, we can react Carbon Dioxide with Methane, which can itself be synthesized from Carbon Dioxide, via the 1912 Nobel-winning Sabatier process, or from Coal, via century-old hydrogasification technologies, to produce a synthesis gas which can then be used in "hydroformylations" and "carbonylations".
Now, in total honesty, we have no idea what a "hydroformylation" or a "carbonylation", down in Tennessee, might, in fact, be.
But, either one sounds a whole lot better, and a whole lot more sensible and productive, to us, than a "geosequestration", down in West Texas.