California Recycles CO2 to Methanol | Research & Development | News
We have several times reported on the Carbon conversion genius of the University of Southern California's Nobel Laureate, George Olah. One of our dispatches, as now posted on the West Virginia Coal Association's web site, is linked above. It reveals details of: "Chemical Recycling of Carbon Dioxide; Journal of the American Chemical Society; January, 2009; George Olah, et. al.; University of Southern California; Abstract: (Chemical) recycling of carbon dioxide from natural and industrial sources ... to methanol and dimethyl ether and their varied products can be achieved ... . ... Carbon dioxide thus can be chemically transformed from a detrimental green house gas ... into a valuable, renewable and inexhaustible carbon source ... allowing environmentally neutral use of carbon fuels ... ."
We have also recently reported how, in Iceland, they are now constructing a factory, to be named the "George Olah Plant", which will convert Carbon Dioxide, emitted in hugely generous quantities by one of their many volcanic vents, into liquid hydrocarbon fuels they intend to export to Europe.
As it happens, the Icelandic entrepreneurs might not only be naming the plant after Olah, they might also be paying him royalties.
Although we documented in an earlier report that Icelandic inventors had applied for a World Patent on Carbon Dioxide recycling technology, a process that converts CO2 into liquid fuels, it appears that George Olah, and a few co-workers at the University of Southern California, might have the US Patent rights for the technology they'll be using locked up.
Olah and some of his USC friends have applied for more than ten United States Patents on technologies that reclaim Carbon Dioxide, whether emitted by natural or industrial sources, and convert it into liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
Some examples:
"United States Patent Application: 0100261125 : Rendering Coal as an Environmentally Carbon Dioxide Neutral Fuel; October, 2010; George Olah; et. al.; Abstract: The invention provides a method for rendering coal as an environmentally essentially carbon dioxide-neutral fuel. Carbon dioxide produced from coal combustion is captured, purified, combined with coalbed methane or any other natural methane or natural gas source, or with hydrogen, and reacted under reaction conditions sufficient to form methanol and/or dimethyl ether, which can be used as fuel or feedstock for derived synthetic hydrocarbons and products.
(Olah seems, above, to forget that another Nobel Laureate, Paul Sabatier, has taught us the needed Methane can itself be synthesized from Carbon Dioxide. - JtM)
United States Patent Application: 0100193370 : Electrolysis of Carbon Dioxide in Aqueous Media to Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen for Production of Methanol; August, 2010; George Olah, et. al.; 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 compartment and a metal cathode electrode in a compartment that also contains an aqueous solution comprising methanol and an electrolyte. An anion-conducting membrane can be provided between the anode and cathode to produce at the cathode 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 oxygen produced at the anode can be recycled for efficient combustion of fossil fuels in power plants to exclusively produce CO.sub.2 exhausts for capture and recycling as the source of CO2 for the cell.
United States Patent Application: 0100022671 : Producing Methanol and It's Products from Geothermal Sources; January 28, 2010; George Olah, et. al.; Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing methanol and its products exclusively from a geothermal source as the sole source material also using the needed energy from the geothermal energy source. The method includes separating or isolating carbon dioxide accompanying hot water or steam of the source, generating hydrogen from the water and subsequently preparing methanol from the carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The methanol can be further converted into dimethyl ether or other products.
United States Patent Application: 0090293348 : Efficient and Selective Chemical Recycling of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol, Dimethyl Ether and Derived Products; December, 2009; George Olah, et. al.; Abstract: An efficient and environmentally beneficial method of recycling and producing methanol from varied sources of carbon dioxide including flue gases of fossil fuel burning powerplants, industrial exhaust gases or the atmosphere itself. Converting carbon dioxide by chemical or electrochemical reduction seconardy treatment to produce essentially methanol, dimethyl ether and derived products.
United States Patent Application: 0090285739 : Mitigating or Eliminating the Carbon Footprint of Human Activities; November, 2009; George Olah, et. al.; Abstract: A method for neutralizing or reducing the carbon footprint from carbon dioxide emissions due to human activities related to the combustion or use of carbon containing fuels. This method includes an initial step of capturing carbon dioxide and then chemically recycling it to form and provide a permanent inexhaustible supply of carbon containing fuels or products, which subsequently can be combusted or used without increasing the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere. Thus, the current lifestyles that rely extensively on conventional carbon containing fuels and products can continue indefinitely without harming the environment to preserve and even improve the earth's atmosphere for the benefit of future generations.
United States Patent Application: 0090030240 : Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Dimethyl Ether Using Bi-Reforming of Methane; January, 2009; George Olah, et. al.; Abstract: The invention provides for a method of forming dimethyl ether by bimolecular dehydration of methanol produced from a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide obtained by reforming of methane, water and carbon dioxide ... .
United States Patent Application: 0090014336 : Electrolysis of Carbon Dioxide in Aqueous Media ... for Production of Methanol; January, 2009; George Olah, et. al.; 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.
United States Patent Application: 0080220480 : Producing Methanol, Dimethyl Ether (and) Derived Synthetic Hydrocarbons ... from Carbon Dioxide and Water (Moisture) of the Air as Sole Source Material; September, 2008; George Olah, et. al.; Abstract: A method for producing methanol and dimethyl ether using the air as the sole source of materials is disclosed. The invention relates to a method for producing methanol by removing water from atmospheric air, obtaining hydrogen from the removed water, obtaining carbon dioxide from atmospheric air; and converting thecarbon dioxide under conditions sufficient to produce methanol. Thereafter, the methanol can be dehydrated to produce dimethyl ether or further processed to produce synthetic hydrocarbons, polymers, and products derived from them.
United States Patent Application: 0080319093 : Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol and/or Dimethyl Ether Using Bi-reforming of Methane; December, 2008; George Olah, et. al.; Abstract: The invention discloses a method of converting carbon dioxide to methanol and/or dimethyl ether using any methane source or natural gas consisting of a combination of steam and dry reforming, in a specific ratio to produce a 2:1 molar ratio of hydrogen and carbon monoxide with subsequent conversion of the CO and H2 mixture exclusively to methanol and/or dimethyl ether. This method is termed the BI-REFORMING.TM. process. Dehydrating formed methanol allows producing dimethyl ether (DME) using any suitable catalytic method, including use of solid acid catalysts. When recycling formed water into the bi-reforming step the conversion of carbon dioxide with methane produces exclusively dimethyl ether without any by-product formation and complete utilization of hydrogen.
United States Patent Application: 0060235091 : Efficient and Selective Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol, Dimethyl Ether and Derived Products; October, 2006; George Olah, et. al.; 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 electrochemical reduction produces formic acid acid and some formaldehyde and methanol mixtures. The formic acid can be used as source of carbon as well as hydrogen to produce methanol, dimethyl ether and other products.
United States Patent Application: 0070254969 : Efficient and Selective Chemical Recycling of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol, Dimethyl Ether and Derived Products; November 1, 2007; George Olah, et. al.; Abstract: An efficient and environmentally beneficial method of recycling and 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 chemical or electrochemical reduction secondary treatment to produce essentially methanol, dimethyl ether and derived products."
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First, Dimethyl Ether and Methanol are both, as we have documented, suitable and valuable liquid fuels in their own rights. And, both can be converted, via published and patented processes, all as we have previously documented for you, into Gasoline.
Moreover, Methanol, especially, can be used as the raw material in the synthesis of other valuable organic products; including a variety of plastics, wherein the Carbon Dioxide consumed in it's synthesis would be forever "sequestered".
And, as this Nobel Laureate tells us, we can obtain such precious Carbon Dioxide, from which we can manufacture such valuable products as Methanol and Dimethyl Ether, from the "flue gases of fossil fuel burning power plants, industrial exhaust gases or the atmosphere itself".
Why aren't we spending some time, and using some ink, discussing and exposing such technologies?