Herein, from the distant land of Kazakhstan, via Korea, we have further confirmation that Carbon Dioxide can be reacted with Methane in order to synthesize liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
Kazakhstan does have significant deposits of that "clean energy alternative", natural gas, which, as we have elsewhere documented, can, as it comes out of the ground, already consist, in large part, of Carbon Dioxide.
Such fact probably motivated these Kazakhstan scientists to improve the technology wherein Carbon Dioxide can be reacted with Methane to synthesize higher hydrocarbons.
Just keep in mind: The Methane, needed herein to recycle Carbon Dioxide, can itself be made, via the 1912 Nobel Prize-winning Sabatier process, from Carbon Dioxide; and/or, via steam gasification, from Coal.
Further comments, and an additional link, follow excerpts from the above link to, and attached file of:
"CO2 Reforming of Methane
Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society; 2005
S. Itkulova, et. al.; D.V. Sokolsky Institute of Organic Chemistry
Republic of Kazakhstan
The catalytic process of dry reforming of methane ... is one of the promising ways for the utilization of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.
Equations: CH4 + CO2 = 2H2 + 2CO; and, CO + H2 = Oxygenates
(The liquid fuel and, as in ExxonMobil's "MTG"(r) process, gasoline raw material, Methanol, is, by the way, an "oxygenate". So is Ethanol. We presume them to be included in the product mix.)
Since natural gas can contain up to 30% of carbon dioxide, it can be used as an independent source for the production of synthesis gas on the condition that some amount of any oxidizing agent (carbon dioxide ...) will be added.
At the second step, synthesis gas may be converted to the high-value products (high hydrocarbons or oxygenates) by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis."
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Let's be clear: Natural gas, essentially Methane, the "CH4", above, can be already contaminated with 30% of Carbon Dioxide; but, even more Carbon Dioxide has to be added, to that Methane Natural Gas in order to manufacture a synthesis gas suitable for catalytic conversion into liquid hydrocarbons, via the venerable "Fischer-Tropsch synthesis"; a process which was developed, in first place, to convert similar synthesis gas derived from Coal into liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
What if we made, as NASA intends to do on the planet Mars, by using the century-old Sabatier process, as we've documented, essentially pure Methane out of Carbon Dioxide?
How much more Carbon Dioxide would we then have to add to that CO2-based Methane, in order to create a "synthesis gas", which could then be converted into "high-value products (high hydrocarbons or oxygenates) by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis."?
For further confirmation of this CO2 recycling technology, we include another reference, written in part by the lead author of the report cited above; as follows:
Fifth International Conference on Carbon Dioxide Utilization, Germany, 1999.
S. Itkulova, et. al.; D.V. Sokolsky Institute of Organic Chemistry
Republic of Kazakhstan
Abstract: Cobalt-containing catalysts promoted by noble metals and supported on alumina have been investigated in the reaction of interaction between carbon dioxide and methane at various experimental temperatures and pressures. It was shown that catalysts have a high activity in this reaction. At moderate conditions ... the conversion of both carbon dioxide and methane is 30-40% depending on the nature of the second metal. The main reaction products are carbon (mon) oxide, hydrogen, water and oxygenates. The yield of the latter reaches 30%. The maximum conversion of both methane (100%) and carbon dioxide (94%) is reached at lower pressure ... . In these conditions the synthesis gas is the main reaction product. One of the advantages of the synthesized catalysts is their resistance to coke formation."
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As we understand it: Almost all, "94%", of the Carbon Dioxide, and all, "100%", of the Methane, which can itself be made from Carbon Dioxide, are consumed in a process that generates both hydrocarbon "synthesis gas" and alcohols, i.e., "oxygenates".
Moreover, Methane and Carbon Dioxide can be so reacted by catalysts that exhibit "resistance to coke formation", which was a problem noted, and overcome in a different fashion, by Swiss and Israeli developers of such technology, i.e., Halmann, et. al., whose Carbon Dioxide recycling achievements we have earlier reported.
