http://www.waset.org/journals/waset/v69/v69-16.pdf
First, we remind you that we have already documented the fact, that: the beloved nation of Iran has been at work developing technologies which would enable it to convert Carbon Dioxide, reclaimed from whatever source, into direct replacements for the liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons now being extracted from it's Persian Gulf oil fields.
An example of our reportage would include:
More Iran CO2 + Methane = Hydrocarbon Syngas | Research & Development | News; "Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane via DC Corona Streamer Discharge; National Iranian Oil Company; and, Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran.
That Iranian technology seemed, to us, closely similar to the CO2-recycling process based on "dielectric barrier discharge" phenomena, being developed, as we've documented, and, as seen in just one example:
Swiss US CO2-to-Fuel Patent | Research & Development | News; which contains information concerning:
"United States Patent: 6375832 - Fuel Synthesis; 2002; Baldur Eliasson, et. al., Switzerland and China; Assignee: ABB Research, Zurich: Abstract: A method of transforming a normally gaseous composition containing ... carbon dioxide ... and ... methane (by) submitting the composition ... to a dielectric barrier discharge ... to convert the gaseous composition into the normally liquid fuel"; by nations as diverse as Switzerland, Israel and China.
However, in the report we enclose herein, we see that Iran is also at work developing other methods for recycling Carbon Dioxide into fuels, methods which seem to us more closely-related to other types of Carbon Dioxide recycling technologies we've also earlier reported, as seen, for just one example, in:
Chicago Recycles CO2 to Methanol | Research & Development | News; and, in which are seen the details of: "USP 4,609,441 - Electrochemical Reduction of Aqueous Carbon Dioxide to Methanol; 1986; Gas Research Institute, Chicago; Abstract: A method of producing methanol from carbon dioxide is set forth. A solution of carbon dioxide in an aqueous solvent having electrolyte dissolved therein is electrolyzed utilizing a molybdenum cathode"; and, wherein it is explained that solutions of Carbon Dioxide and Water can be "co-electrolyzed", and made to produce the Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide components of a hydrocarbon synthesis gas, which can then be catalytically combined into the nearly-precious Methanol.
As published just last year, we see that Iran has been following up on that quarter-century old Chicago technology. Comment follows excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"CO2 Abatement by Methanol Production from Flue-Gas
A. K. Sayah, et. al.; National Petrochemical Company, Iran
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology; 2010
Abstract: This study investigates CO2 mitigation by methanol synthesis from flue gas CO2 and H2 generation through water electrolysis.
Electrolytic hydrogen generation is viable provided that the required electrical power is supplied from renewable energy resources ... .
This approach contribute to zero-emission, moreover it produce oxygen which could be used as feedstock for chemical process. ... onboard hydrogen storage and consumption; in methanol plant; make the project economically more competitive.
A considerable reduction in CO2 emission from fossil fuels could be obtained in three ways: Improving the energy efficiency of equipments; using renewable energy sources; (and) converting CO2 to other useful materials, for instance methanol.
Methanol synthesis from flue gas involves in combination of CO2 and H2 over CuO-ZnO based catalysts ... .
(Copper Oxide and Zinc Oxide are relatively common and inexpensive materials.)
Hydrogen could be supplied through water electrolysis with renewable power supply or from biomass.
Having lower production cost, hydrogen from biomass may appear to be more feasible, but it (results) in some CO2 emission.
(The above, we think, refers to the use of Ethanol as a Hydrogen donor, and, as we've earlier documented, these Iranian scientists point out that such "green" biomass-based technologies have their own, conveniently unpublicized, Carbon Dioxide "problem".)
Like electricity, hydrogen is an ‘energy carrier’, which must be produced using energy from another source. It has an advantage over electricity, however, in that it can be stored more easily. Current interest in hydrogen stems from environmental and energy policy concerns including global climate change, local air quality, noise and security of energy supply ... .
It is also the lightest chemical element, and so has very low energy per unit volume. There are, however, some challenges for hydrogen utilization including: requirement of large installation because of low energy density, low controllability and endurance due to frequent fluctuations and demand for infrastructure modification. Indeed, conversion of hydrogen and CO2 to methanol is (regarded) as an alternative method to use hydrogen energy more efficiently. (The) conversion of gaseous hydrogen to liquid methanol results in a more convenient alternative energy carrier; it has the advantage of higher density for storage and transportation and can be handled by the existing infrastructure.
(And, proponents of the "Hydrogen Economy" must keep in mind that the "H", in Hydrogen, can also stand for "Hindenberg").
(The preferred CO2-absorbent to be used is) monoethanolamine, "MEA" (and) total energy demand for CO2 capturing can be supplied by heat recovery from exhaust gas.
(As we have earlier documented in separate reports: Coal-fired power plant exhaust does have residual heat energy which could be reclaimed and utilized in CO2-recycling processes. And, though not reflected in our excerpts, the Iranian authors of this report several times make reference to the use of their Methanol synthesis process as it could be applied to gases arising from Coal combustion.)
Water electrolysis is a process through which water is split into hydrogen and oxygen by application of electrical energy. Hydrogen, required for methanol synthesis, can be produced from splitting of water through various electrolytic processes (such as) polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM), high temperature decomposition, photo-electrolysis (photolysis), (and) photo-biological production (biophotolysis).
(And) alkaline electrolysis and PEM are (now) commercially available.
Conclusion: Carbon capturing and utilizing CO2 as feedstock for producing other chemicals like methanol
is a promising solution for ... CO2 ... in the environment."
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In the full text, the cost of Hydrogen production is discussed as a limiting factor. However, it is pointed out, as above, that use of environmental energy, as in, for just one example, our earlier report:
Solar-Powered Hydrogen Generation | Research & Development | News; concerning: "US Patent 7,726,127; Solar Power for Thermochemical Production of Hydrogen"; can result in the efficient and lower-cost production of that needed Hydrogen.
Further, in a technology which seems to be closely-similar that disclosed herein by Iran, our own USDOE, as in our report: USDOE CO2 to Methanol via Solar Power | Research & Development | News; concerning: "Solar photocatalytic conversion of CO2 to methanol"; posits that the entire process of CO2 collection, Hydrogen generation and liquid fuel synthesis can be powered by environmentally-derived energy.
And, the USDOE has even refined the basic chemistry of the process to the point where they've given it a name, as in our dispatch: More USDOE CO2 "Syntrolysis" | Research & Development | News; which makes disclosure of: "Syntrolysis ... a process developed by the Idaho National Laboratory that (consumes) carbon dioxide while creating synthesis gas ... a combination of hydrogen and carbon monoxide used to produce synthetic fuels".
We note, too, again, that Methanol can, through known and established technologies, be further converted into Gasoline; or, into a variety of commercially-valuable plastics, where the CO2 consumed in the original synthesis of the Methanol would be permanently, and productively, sequestered.
In any case, we have herein, from Iran, even additional confirmation of the fact, that, Carbon Dioxide, as arises in a very small way, relative to natural sources of emission, such as volcanoes, from our varied and productive uses of Coal, is a valuable raw material resource.
Using environmental energy, we can reclaim CO2 from the environment, and then convert it into liquid hydrocarbon fuels that are compatible with our "existing infrastructure".