What should be of exceptional interest in this United States Patent, as linked above, the rights to which all of us US citizens, in theory, whether or not anyone wants us to know it, own, is, that, in addition to synthesizing the valuable liquid fuel, and, as in ExxonMobil's "MTG"(r) technology, Gasoline raw material, Methanol, from Methane gas, we can, as a co-product, also generate useful quantities of elemental Hydrogen.
First, we are compelled to remind you, as explained, for just two instances, in our posts:
More Pennsylvania CO2 to Methanol | Research & Development | News; wherein is detailed:
"United States Patent 4,910,227 - Production of Methanol in a Liquid Phase Reactor; 1990; Air Products and Chemicals; Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for improving reactor volumetric productivity in the production of methanol wherein a synthesis feed gas stream containing hydrogen and carbon oxides is contacted with a catalyst slurry"; and:
USDOE Low-Sulfur Liquid Fuel from High-Sulfur, High-Ash Coal | Research & Development | News; wherein is detailed:
"US Patent 4,534,847 - Producing Low-Sulfur Boiler Fuel by Hydrotreatment of Deashed SRC; 1985; International Coal Refining Company; Abstract: In this invention, a process is disclosed characterized by heating a slurry of coal (as specified, to produce) gases and liquid/solid products therefrom (and, wherein) the ... ash-free SRC product ... with at least a portion of the process derived solvent is passed ... to a hydrotreating zone ... and in the presence of hydrogen is hydroprocessed to produce a desulfurized and denitrogenized low-sulfur, low-ash boiler fuel and a process derived recycle solvent ... ."; that:
Hydrogen, in elemental, molecular form can be utilized in some established processes, for the conversion of Coal and the recycling of Carbon Dioxide, which result in the production of liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
Thus, Hydrogen is a valuable commodity in terms of Carbon conversion and Carbon recycling; and, we learn herein, via the initial link in this dispatch, that our own US Department of Energy knows how to make such valuable Hydrogen - - as a by-product of producing, through the use of freely-available Solar energy, the nearly-precious Methanol from Methane.
Which fact has further implications we emphasize, following excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"United States Patent 5,720,858 - The Photocatalytic Conversion of Methane
Date: February, 1998
Inventor: Richard Noceti, et. al., Pittsburgh, PA
Assignee: The United States of America
The United States Government has rights to this invention pursuant to employee/employer relationship of the inventors to the U.S. Department of Energy at the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center.
Abstract: A method for converting methane to methanol is provided comprising subjecting the methane to visible light in the presence of a catalyst and an electron transfer agent. Another embodiment of the invention provides for a method for reacting methane and water to produce methanol and hydrogen comprising preparing a fluid containing methane, an electron transfer agent and a photolysis catalyst, and subjecting said fluid to visible light for an effective period of time."
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We will end our brief excerpts right there.
In essence, according to our own USDOE, we can, with an appropriate and specified catalyst, expose a blend of Methane and Water to Sunlight, and thereby generate both Methanol and elemental Hydrogen.
First of all, since we need Methane for this process, we can manufacture it, via the processes disclosed in:
Penn State Solar CO2 + H2O = Methane | Research & Development | News; and,
Exxon Converts 99% of Coal to Methane | Research & Development | News;
efficiently from either Carbon Dioxide or Coal.
And, we can then, through the process herein of United States Patent 5,720,858, convert that Methane into both the liquid fuel and Gasoline raw material, Methanol, and by-product, elemental Hydrogen - - which Hydrogen could then be used to hydrogenate and convert even more Carbon Dioxide and Coal, as in the processes of: "USP 4,910,227 - Production of Methanol", and "USP 4,534,847 - Producing Low Sulfur Boiler Fuel", as referred to above, into even more liquid hydrocarbon fuels.