We've previously cited the Illinois scientist named in this dispatch, as can be seen in our earlier report of:
Illinois Recycles CO2 to Methane | Research & Development; which discloses the details of: "United States Patent 3,852,180 - Apparatus for CO2 Conversion to Methane; December, 1974; Inventor: Derek Gregory, Illinois; Assignee: SKF Industrial Trading and Development Company, Amsterdam; Abstract: A process of fixation and conversion of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or other sources to produce methane and oxygen. Carbon dioxide is scrubbed from a CO2-containing source and separated by a process of chemical concentration. A special cell is provided in which hydrogen is produced and reacted with the separated CO2 at methanation conditions to produce methane."
Although SKF, of the Netherlands, the named Assignee, is not an insignificant company, it seems odd that an Illinois researcher, such as Gregory, would be working on such an unusual project for them.
Maybe they're they only ones who would have him, since, little more than a year prior to the issuance of US Patent 3,852,180, Gregory had already established the essential facts revealed in that patent, that Methane could be efficiently synthesized from Carbon Dioxide, for an industry trade and development group who, perhaps, we speculate, wanted to keep everything a little more "natural".
As additional forward, we must note, that, as in one or two others concerning similar Carbon Dioxide recycling technologies we have already brought to your attention, the title of the US Patent we enclose herein is, for whatever reason, incorrectly recorded in the Patent and Trademark Offices computer files of it.
We reproduce that Title, in our excerpts, exactly as it appears in the USPTO electronic records. The true intent of the technology, however, is quickly revealed by the Abstract.
Comment follows excerpts from the incorrectly-titled:
"US Patent 3,766,027 - Method and Apparatus for CO Conversion to Methane
Date: October, 1973
Inventor: Derek Gregory, Illinois
Assignee: Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago
Abstract: A process of fixation and conversion of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or other sources to produce methane and oxygen. Carbon dioxide is scrubbed from a CO2 -containing source and separated by process of chemical concentration. A special cell is provided in which hydrogen is produced and reacted with the separated CO2 at methanation conditions to produce methane.
Claims: A process for the conversion of carbon dioxide to methane which comprises the steps of:
Passing a gas containing carbon dioxide into contact with a carbon dioxide selective sorbent at sorption conditions to produce a carbon dioxide-containing sorbent relatively free of oxygen (and extracting the CO2 via specified procedures, and) passing said relatively oxygen-free carbon dioxide-containing gas into an exothermic electrochemical reaction zone having a hydrogen evolving electrode; maintaining said reaction zone at electrolysis and methanation conditions to produce hydrogen; (and), reacting said relatively oxygen-free carbon dioxide-containing gas in said reaction zone with said hydrogen to produce a gas mixture containing methane.
A process ... wherein said gas is process flue gas relatively rich in CO2.
Description and Background: This invention pertains to the recovery and conversion of carbon dioxide from air or other sources to produce a methane. More particularly, this invention pertains to a process of recovery of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or other sources, followed by methanation of the CO2 with hydrogen in a special eletrochemical cell which combines the production of purge hydrogen with methanation.
Objects: It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a process which can help to maintain the level of CO2 in the atmosphere or other sources at an acceptable level, and convert it to methane as a basic fuel source of energy, and as a feed stock for industrial processes for production of a wide range of organic chemicals.
It is another object of this invention to recover carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or other sources such as combustion flue gases.
It is (an) object of this invention to provide a process for the fixation of atmospheric or other carbon dioxide coupled with a process for production of hydrogen followed by methanation of the scavenged carbon dioxide.
Summary: In the process of this invention, carbon dioxide is scrubbed from the atmosphere or other sources by a carbon dioxide absorber, from which the carbon dioxide is then liberated by regeneration with heat, and swept out of the regenerator with a stream of purge hydrogen or methane. The hydrogen is produced in a special electrolysis cell having an electrolyte compatible with CO2 and operated at methanation conditions, with the hydrogen evolving electrode being fed with the CO2 evolved from the regeneration stage of the absorber. The conditions in the cell are controlled to produce methane. In turn this lowers hydrogen pressure and depolarizes the cell. The methanation zone of the cell is preferably in heat exchange relationship with the regeneration phase of the CO2 absorber to provide the heat necessary for regenerating the CO2 absorbing liquid.
The end product methane is recovered and may be utilized as a natural gas substitute, for example peak-shaving gas, but is also useful as a feed stock for the production of more valuable chemical compounds such as in reforming processes to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen, or methanol, or other organic chemicals."
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First, Gregory posits that the Methane, as herein synthesized from recovered atmospheric Carbon Dioxide, can itself be utilized in the synthesis of the nearly-precious liquid fuel and, as in ExxonMobil's "MTG"(r) technology, Gasoline raw material, Methanol.
And, one way to make that Methanol, from that CO2-derived Methane, is by reacting that Methane with even more Carbon Dioxide; as seen, for just one instance, in our report of:
WV DuPont Patents CO2 + CH4 = Methanol | Research & Development; wherein is disclosed:
"United States Patent 3,763,205 - Methanol Process with Recycle; October 2, 1973; Inventor: Ralph Green, Charleston, WV; Assignee: E.I. DuPont; Abstract: Methanol is made by a process that involves feeding natural gas, steam ... and ... carbon dioxide to a single bed type reactor"; and, wherein the "natural gas" is specified to consist primarily of Methane.
Or, as we've know since WWII, we can, instead of Methanol, synthesize a wide range of liquid hydrocarbon fuels, again by reacting that CO2-derived Methane with even more CO2, as seen, again for just one instance, in our earlier report of:
More Standard Oil 1944 CO2 + CH4 = Hydrocarbons | Research & Development; which concerns:
"United States Patent 2.347.682 - Hydrocarbon Synthesis; May, 1944; Inventor: Robert Gunness, Chicago; Assignee: Standard Oil Company of Indiana; Abstract: This invention relates to an improved method and means for effecting the synthesis of hydrocarbons from carbon monoxide and hydrogen (using) methane (which is) mixed with such proportion of carbon dioxide and steam as to give a gas mixture having an atomic hydrogen:carbon:oxygen ratio of about 4:1:1. The reaction products (of that synthesis gas) may be fractionated in any conventional manner ... and may be converted ... into high quality motor fuels ...".
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Yet again: Carbon Dioxide, as it arises, in a relatively small way, relative to natural sources of emission, such as volcanoes, from our productive and profitable uses of Coal, is a valuable raw material resource.
Starting only with Carbon Dioxide, reclaimed from whatever source, with a little added Water, we can manufacture such things as Methane, Methanol and "high quality motor fuels".
Why, we are compelled to ask, wouldn't we prefer to do that, instead of, through Cap & Trade levies, tax our vital Coal-use industries, and the people who depend upon them, into impoverishment; or, through mandated Geologic Sequestration of CO2 in leaky old West Texas oil wells, for the unstated purposes of secondary petroleum recovery, enslave those same Coal-use industries, and the people who depend upon them, into the service of Big Oil and his avaricious profit-making.