A team of accomplished scientists has established a fairly new company out in Colorado, perhaps to take advantage of all the Carbon Dioxide escaping from the rather well-known brewery out there that famously employs "Rocky Mountain Spring Water" in the making of beer; a beverage that, as soon as you pour a glass, starts doing it's part, through foaming, to, if you subscribe to greenhouse theories, contribute to warming the globe while at the same time cooling you off.
Information accessible via the initial link in this dispatch tells us that:
"New Sky Energy is a carbon negative energy and manufacturing company. Our proprietary capture process scrubs CO2 from the air or flue gas and converts it into safe, stable solids. These solids can in turn be incorporated into building materials, durable goods, fertilizers and other manufactured products. By converting CO2 into useful products we give consumers and manufacturers the opportunity to fight global warming simply by making smart buying choices.
New Sky's process is simple, sustainable chemistry, protected by nine US and international patent applications. Our chemical inputs are waste salt, water and carbon dioxide; our outputs are valuable carbon negative products -- smart chemistry for a cooler planet."
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The concept of making "durable goods", as above, out of Carbon Dioxide, shouldn't be that foreign to you, if you've followed our posts, since we've earlier documented such potentials, as, for one instance, in:
Carbon Dioxide + Coal Fly Ash = Synthetic Lumber | Research & Development; which concerns, in part:
"United States Patent 5,371,183 - Preparation of Urethane from Polyamine and Carbon Dioxide; 1994; Assignee: Monsanto Company, St. Louis; Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing urethanes and carbonates from an amine or an alcohol, carbon dioxide and a hydrocarbyl halide."
Nor, should the fact that we can utilize Carbon Dioxide in the making of "fertilizers" be unfamiliar, since, as we long ago documented in reports we won't attempt to track down, China, as part of her ambitious Coal conversion and liquefaction industrial plans, intends to use waste gases, and other materials, arising from factories where Coal is first gasified for indirect conversion processes that synthesize various hydrocarbons, to manufacture fertilizer.
However, there is quite a lot more to it, many other products can be manufactured, and Colorado's New Sky Energy team of experts seems to be going at it hammer and tongs.
Currently, they have three published United States Patent Applications in their portfolio of Carbon Dioxide recycling technologies. And, our understanding is that there are as well even more, related applications so recent that they are still in the pre-publication phase.
In any case, from what is available from our US Patent and Trademark office, we present, with comment inserted and appended concerning what are, to us, some very intriguing potentials for one product stream arising from New Sky's technology, in order:
"United States Patent Application: 0080245660 - Hydrogen Production and Carbon Dioxide Capture
Date: October, 2008
Inventors: C. Deane Little, et. al., CO, IN and CA
Assignee: New Sky Energy, Incorporated; Boulder, CO
Abstract: The present invention is an integrated system for the production of hydrogen and the removal of carbon dioxide from the air or gas streams. The integrated system includes an energy source for generating electrical energy and a water source coupled to the energy source. The water source includes ionic electrolytes. The energy source supplies energy to the water source to electrolyze water to produce hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, acid and base. The carbon dioxide reacts with the base. In some embodiments, the energy source is a renewable energy source. The integrated system produces substantially no carbon dioxide and when combined with a renewable energy source, produces clean hydrogen fuel and reduces atmospheric carbon dioxide, resulting in carbon dioxide negative energy and manufacturing strategies.
Claims: An integrated system for the production of hydrogen and the removal of carbon dioxide comprising: an energy source for generating electrical energy; and a water source coupled to the energy source, wherein the water source comprises ionic electrolytes, and wherein the energy source supplies energy to the water source to electrolyze water to produce oxygen gas, hydrogen gas, acid and base; wherein carbon dioxide reacts with the base; and wherein the integrated system produces substantially no carbon dioxide.
(And) wherein the energy source is a renewable energy source.
(And) wherein the hydrogen is used to generate renewable electricity to replace or supplement the renewable energy source.
(And) wherein the renewable energy source is one of wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, oceanic, wave or tidal.
(Note: In a dispatch to follow in coming days, we will be making report on a very, very intriguing new source of one such "renewable energy", one specifically noted by Little, et. al., above, which we have briefly touched on previously and which could soon become available for use to the heart of US Coal Country.)
(And) wherein the carbon dioxide is captured from one of the atmosphere and a gas stream.
(And) wherein the carbon dioxide is converted to a value-added product (to be) one of methane, methanol, formic acid, urea, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, formamide, acetone, acetic acid, supercritical carbon dioxide, limestone, acetaldehyde, ethylene glycol, ethanol, a bicarbonate salt or a carbonate salt.
(And) wherein the value-added product is one of a building material, a plastic, a polymer, a resin, a fabric, a fertilizer, antifreeze, a lubricant, a buffer, a pesticide, a fiber, a foam, a film, paint, a carbon dioxide neutral fuel, a solvent, a stored source of carbon dioxide, a paving material, a filler for plastics, agricultural lime, baking soda or baking powder.
(Note: New Sky's extraordinary catalogue of products that can be made from Carbon Dioxide should not, again, be that surprising to you, if you have followed our posts thus far. For instance, as in:
USDOE 1976 Atmospheric CO2 to Methanol | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 3,959,094 - Electrolytic Synthesis of Methanol from CO2; 1976; Assignee: The USA; Abstract: A method and system for synthesizing methanol from the CO2 in air using electric power"; in:
Japan Converts CO2 to Formic Acid | Research & Development | News; concerning: "United States Patent 7,479,570 - Process for the Reduction of CO2; 2009; Assignee: Japan Science and Technology Agency; Abstract: Carbon dioxide and water are (reacted to form) formic acid or alkali salt thereof is formed"; and, in:
Chicago Recycles CO2 to Methane | Research & Development; which reports the details of: "United States Patent 4,609,440 - Electrochemical Synthesis of Methane; 1986; Assignee: Gas Research Institute, Chicago; Abstract: A method is described for electrochemically reducing carbon dioxide to form methane";
many of New Sky's potentials for CO2 recycling have been recognized and confirmed by others; which others, unfortunately, don't include many of the information-challenged denizens of US Coal Country.)
A system for recovering carbon dioxide comprising: a water electrolysis apparatus having an anode and a cathode, wherein the water electrolysis apparatus produces oxygen and aqueous acid at the anode and produces hydrogen and aqueous base at the cathode; and a renewable energy source coupled to the water electrolysis apparatus for providing energy to the water electrolysis apparatus; wherein the aqueous base produced by the water electrolysis apparatus is used to capture carbon dioxide; wherein the system captures more carbon dioxide than the system produces.
Background and Field: The present invention relates to the fields of renewable hydrogen production and carbon dioxide capture and sequestration. More specifically, the present invention relates to an integrated system that uses renewable energy in combination with water electrolysis to generate renewable hydrogen and capture and sequester carbon dioxide.
Summary: In one aspect, the present invention is an integrated system for the production of hydrogen and the removal of carbon dioxide including an energy source and a water source. The energy source generates electrical energy. The water source is coupled to the energy source and includes ionic electrolytes. The energy source supplies energy to the water source to electrolyze water to produce oxygen gas, hydrogen gas, acid and base. The carbon dioxide reacts with the base. The integrated system produces substantially no carbon dioxide."
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Our necessarily-abbreviated excerpts don't really do full justice to the technical depth of understanding about Carbon Dioxide recycling reactions that is expressed by New Sky's scientists in the full Disclosure.
However, we did want to keep those excerpts relatively brief since there is quite a lot more to the New Sky technology; and, as we understand it, more is yet to come. So, following, is yet another example of the Carbon Dioxide reuse processes that have been developed by them:
"United States Patent Application: 0080245672 - Methods to Generate Hydrogen and Sequester CO2
Date: October, 2008
Inventors: C. Deane Little, et. al., CO, IN and CA
Assignee: New Sky Energy, Incorporated; Boulder, CO
Abstract: A carbon dioxide negative method of manufacturing renewable hydrogen and trapping carbon dioxide from the air or gas streams is described. Direct current renewable electricity is provided to a water electrolysis apparatus with sufficient voltage to generate hydrogen and hydroxide ions at the cathode, and protons and oxygen at the anode. These products are separated and sequestered and the base is used to trap carbon dioxide from the air or gas streams as bicarbonate or carbonate salts. These carbonate salts, hydrogen, and trapped carbon dioxide in turn can be combined in a variety of chemical and electrochemical processes to create valuable carbon-based materials made from atmospheric carbon dioxide. The net effect of all processes is the generation of renewable hydrogen from water and a reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere or in gas destined to enter the atmosphere.
Claims: A method of generating renewable hydrogen and sequestering gaseous carbon dioxide ... as bicarbonate or carbonate or a mixture thereof.
(And) wherein the source of gaseous carbon dioxide is atmospheric carbon dioxide (and/or) wherein the source of gaseous carbon dioxide is a gas stream.
(And) wherein the reduced carbon compound is any one of formic acid, oxalic acid, formaldehyde, or methanol.
(And) further comprising chemically reducing carbon dioxide by reacting hydrogen gas produced by the system with carbon dioxide trapped by the system to produce carbon monoxide, a precursor for other synthetic processes.
(Although we have some other thoughts about what can be done with the excess Hydrogen produced by New Sky's process, which we'll explain in closing, should anyone choose, in fact, to use the Hydrogen, as New Sky herein suggests, to reduce even more Carbon Dioxide to form Carbon Monoxide, then, as seen in:
Standard Oil Carbon Monoxide + Water = Gasoline | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,559,363 - Process for Reacting Carbon Monoxide and Water; 1985; Abstract: A process for reacting carbon monoxide and water in the presence of a cadmium-containing catalyst (for) the production of hydrocarbons";
there are some pretty-darned nifty things we can do with that Carbon Monoxide.)
A method of generating renewable hydrogen and producing urea fertilizer ... .
(As we've earlier reported in dispatches concerning China's ambitious Coal conversion plans, there are ways in which Nitrogen in the air can be combined with Carbon Dioxide to make such "urea fertilizer". China's Nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide will arise as by-products from the process of gasifying Coal with air, in order to make, primarily, hydrocarbon synthesis gas, i.e., a blend of Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide.)
Summary: According to some embodiments, the present invention is an electrochemical method of generating hydrogen and sequestering carbon dioxide from a gaseous source (and, according) to other embodiments, the present invention is an electrochemical method of producing hydrogen gas from water and bicarbonate from carbon dioxide trapped from the air or a gas stream.
(In other words, we can reclaim CO2 that has first been chemically "captured".)
The method ... further comprising recycling the hydrogen gas to generate renewable electricity."
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Actually, we think there are better ways "to generate renewable electricity", and better uses for any excess "hydrogen gas", as we will explain, following the link to and excerpts from the third and final of our examples of the thorough Carbon Dioxide recycling technology that has been developed by New Sky:
"United States Patent Application: 0080248350 - Apparatus to Generate Hydrogen and Sequester CO2
Date: October, 2008
Inventors: C. Deane Little, et. al., CO, IN and CA
Assignee: New Sky Energy, Incorporated; Boulder, CO
Abstract: A carbon dioxide negative method of manufacturing renewable hydrogen and trapping carbon dioxide from the air or gas streams is described. Direct current renewable electricity is provided to a water electrolysis apparatus with sufficient voltage to generate hydrogen and hydroxide ions at the cathode, and protons and oxygen at the anode. These products are separated and sequestered and the base is used to trap carbon dioxide from the air or gas streams as bicarbonate or carbonate salts. These carbonate salts, hydrogen, and trapped carbon dioxide in turn can be combined in a variety of chemical and electrochemical processes to create valuable carbon-based materials made from atmospheric carbon dioxide. The net effect of all processes is the generation of renewable hydrogen from water and a reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere or in gas destined to enter the atmosphere.
Claims: An electrochemical apparatus to sequester carbon dioxide from gas streams and generate hydrogen comprising: a) a water electrolysis chamber, adapted to electrolyze water and to be electrically connected to an electrical energy source (and) further comprising a direct current assembly that provides a pulsed direct current.
(We have, in a few previous reports, documented the value of a "pulsed direct current" in similar applications, but confess that we have no understanding of why such intermittent application of electrical current would be better or more efficient.)
Background and Field: The present invention relates to an electrochemical apparatus for the production of hydrogen, oxygen, acid and base. The apparatus is used for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration and to produce hydrogen. More specifically, the present invention relates to electrochemical apparatus to generate products from water electrolysis that are used to capture and sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or a gaseous source and to generate hydrogen as a renewable fuel source.
Many carbon based products can be manufactured from carbon dioxide (and, those products) are carbon dioxide negative, resulting in an overall net decrease in atmospheric carbon dioxide as gaseous carbon dioxide is converted to value-added carbon products. Sale of these products may dramatically subsidize renewable hydrogen production, making clean hydrogen an inexpensive by-product of an industrial process focused on converting atmospheric carbon dioxide into valuable carbon-based products."
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Now, really, doesn't the concept of "converting atmospheric carbon dioxide into valuable carbon-based products" have one heck of a lot nicer feel to it than the concept of Cap & Trade taxation, and, than subsidized Big Oil profits from the secondary petroleum recovery made possible for them by mandated Geologic Sequestration of CO2, accomplished all at the expense of Coal-based electricity consumers?
We must note that New Sky does, sadly, though not reflected in our excerpts, several times in the course of things suggest the use of nuclear power to drive their processes.
We, of course, say "Nuts" to more Three Mile Island's, and submit, that, as seen for just one example in:
Penn State Solar CO2 + H2O = Methane | Research & Development | News; concerning the: "High-Rate Solar Photocatalytic Conversion of CO2 and Water Vapor to Hydrocarbon Fuels; 2009; The Pennsylvania State University; Abstract: Efficient solar conversion of carbon dioxide and water vapor to methane;
the potentials exist for us to harness environmental energy to accomplish such high-value transmutations.
And, as we intimated far above, there is yet another source, a vast source, of environmental energy that might soon become available to parts of US Country, environmental energy that could be harnessed to the tasks of Coal-to-Liquid conversion and, as herein, Carbon Dioxide recycling; and, more on that will soon follow.
However, in closing, we did want to point out that New Sky's technology, in addition to producing such seemingly-needed things as, specified herein by New Sky, "methane, methanol, formic acid (and) ethanol", also seems to produce a surplus of Hydrogen, an amount of Hydrogen above and beyond that required by the applications they themselves identify.
New Sky proposes burning, or otherwise somehow using, that "the hydrogen gas to generate renewable electricity"; which, we suppose would be used, at least in part, to help power the overall CO2-recycling process.
We submit that, instead, any needed electricity should be generated by a dedicated environmental source, such as the "mini" hydroelectric generator that was, at least at one time, planned to be installed in an already-existing navigation locks and dam system north of New Martinsville, WV.
If we could get any needed supplemental energy from environmental sources, and didn't, thus, consume the excess, by-product Hydrogen, which is made by recycling Carbon Dioxide in accordance with the New Sky processes, we could, then, economically generate some of the Hydrogen needed by yet another process, such as that described in:
WVU Hydrogenates Coal Tar | Research & Development; concerning the: "Hydrogenation of Naphthalene and Coal Tar Distillate; West Virginia University; 2009; Abstract: The hydrogenation of naphthalene and coal-tar distillates (to form) tetralin (1,2,3,4 Tetrahydronaphthalene)" and, which "tetralin" is a Hydrogen donor solvent that enables "the direct reaction between coal and hydrogen", which leads to "the conversion of coal to refinable crude hydrocarbons, from which liquid fuels such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, etc., can be produced."