United States Patent Application: 0060051274
This will, we caution, be an extended and unfortunately cluttered presentation. We are herein making further report of the Carbon Dioxide capture and recycling achievements made by a team of scientists about whom we have previously written, as in:
US Navy and Columbia University Recycle Atmospheric CO2 | Research & Development; which actually centered on:
"US Patent 7,420,004 - Process and System for Producing Synthetic Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels; 2008; Assignee: The USA as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy; A process for producing synthetic hydrocarbons that reacts carbon dioxide, obtained from seawater or air, and hydrogen obtained from water, with a catalyst in a chemical process such as reverse water gas shift combined with Fischer Tropsch synthesis";
but, which also contained information concerning how we could get that Carbon Dioxide, with discussion of:
"US Patent 7,833,328 - Scrubber for Capturing Carbon Dioxide from Air; 2010; Inventors: Klaus Lackner, NY, and Dennis Wright, AZ; Assignee: Columbia University; Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for carbon dioxide from air, which comprises exposing solvent covered surfaces to air streams where the airflow is kept laminar, or close to the laminar regime. The invention also provides for an apparatus, which is a laminar scrubber, comprising solvent covered surfaces situated such that they can be exposed to air streams such that the airflow is kept laminar. A scrubber apparatus for capturing carbon dioxide from open air."
We long ago presented you with information concerning the Carbon Dioxide capture and utilization technology being established by scientist Klaus Lackner, and colleagues, at New York's Columbia University.
And, recently, we submitted report of even additional advancements in atmospheric Carbon Dioxide extraction technology being developed by Columbia scientists, in concert with others at a new enterprise centered on the efficient capture, and productive reuse, of atmospheric Carbon Dioxide as a profit-making proposition.
As accessible via:
Efficient Capture of Atmospheric CO2 | Research & Development; reported on: "United States Patent 7,993,432 - Air Collector ... for Capturing Ambient CO2; 2011; Inventors: Dennis Wright and Eddy Peters; Assignee: Kilimanjaro Energy, Inc., WI; An apparatus for capture of CO2 from the atmosphere ... remote from where the CO2 was generated ... including the step of converting the captured CO2 to methane (and/or) to liquid synthetic fuel or a plastic.";
we learned that a team of scientists, one of whom, as in our above reference to "US Patent 7,833,328", has been associated in the literature with Klaus Lackner and Columbia University, have developed a technology certified by our US Government to be effective in efficiently extracting Carbon Dioxide from the air itself, with the potential for then using that CO2 to manufacture "methane" and/or "liquid synthetic fuel".
Herein, in as orderly a fashion as is possible, given the extent and breadth of the developments, we present further documentation of the facts, established by Lackner, Wright and Eddy, and even more of their associates, that we can, most certainly, efficiently extract Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere, and, do so wherever opportunities for the use of environmental energy to drive the productive conversion of that CO2 into compounds of value exist.
We caution that US Patent and Trademark Office files don't clearly link Patent Application files with those of the Patents which might have resulted from the Applications. Thus, some of what we disclose might be repetitive, relative to our earlier reports, as cited above.
But, the essence of it all likely bears repetition, until the truth of the matter is acknowledged.
Comment, and additional links and excerpts, follow highly-abbreviated excerpts from the initial link herein to:
"United States Patent Application 20060051274 - Removal of Carbon Dioxide from Air
Date: March, 2006
Inventors: Allen Wright, AZ, et. al.
Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for removing carbon dioxide from air, which comprises exposing solvent covered surfaces to air streams where the airflow is kept laminar, or close to the laminar regime. The invention also provides for an apparatus, which is a laminar scrubber, comprising solvent covered surfaces situated such that they can be exposed to air stream. In another aspect, the invention provides a method and apparatus for separating carbon dioxide (CO2) bound in a solvent. The invention is particularly useful in processing hydroxide solvents containing CO2 captured from air."
Again, we are keeping our excerpts brief. Full exposition of the technologies is beyond our scope herein; and, full explanation of their technical details is beyond our handicapped capacities. It could well be, however, that the above application represents disclosure of the methods of use, and application, of the device disclosed in the above-referenced "United States Patent 7,993,432 - Air Collector ... for Capturing Ambient CO2".
It is, in any case, far from the only example of related technology, as seen following, wherein the team of collaborative scientists noted above specify in great detail the nature of the supporting base material to be used, in conjunction with their Carbon Dioxide capturing chemical and structural systems as disclosed via the above-cited "United States Patent Application 20060051274" and "United States Patent 7,993,432":
United States Patent Application: 0060186562 - Removal of Carbon Dioxide from Air
Date: August, 2006
Inventors: Allen Wright, AZ, Klaus Lackner, NY, and Eddy Peters, CA
Abstract and Claims: An air/liquid exchanger comprising an open-cell foam supporting a liquid sorbent. The exchanger may be used for removing trace gaseous components from the air (and) has particular utility for the extraction of carbon dioxide (CO2) from air".
And, once they have their above "open-cell foam"s "liquid sorbent" saturated with Carbon Dioxide, and then squeezed the CO2-saturated "sorbent" out of the foam, or off the membrane, they've addressed methods to refresh the sorbent, and extract pure Carbon Dioxide from it, as seen in:
United States Patent Application: 0070187247 - CO2 Recovery from Alkaline Solvents
Date: August, 2007
Inventors: Klaus Lackner, NY, and Allen Wright, AZ
Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for recovering a hydroxide based sorbent from carbonate or another salt by electrochemical means involving separation schemes that use bipolar membranes and at least one type of cationic or anionic membrane. The methods can be used in an air contactor that removes carbon dioxide from the air by binding the carbon dioxide into a solvent or sorbent.
A process to separate hydroxide/carbonate brine into hydroxide and CO2, wherein the brine is first concentrated by means of the state of the art to approach the carbonate saturation point; and the concentrated hydroxide carbonate brine is subsequently separated through thermal swing precipitation of the carbonate from the brine; the carbonate is electrochemically separated into sodium hydroxide solution and sodium bicarbonate solution by various means including electrodialysis with bipolar membranes; the bicarbonate is mixed with an acid to release carbon dioxide and the acid is recovered from its salt through a electrochemical process specifically electrodialysis with bipolar membranes.
(Note that virtually all of the chemical reagents are recovered, restored and recycled in component processes of the overall system.)
A method ... in which the CO2 producing unit is pressurized to deliver a concentrated stream of CO2."
Note that the net product, again, is "concentrated ... CO2", obtained from the atmosphere in a cyclical process that recycles and reuses essentially all of it's chemical components.
And, should you examine the full documents, you'll discover that, in addition to the "open-cell foam" specified in the above "US Patent Application 00060185562", they are, in the foregoing "US Patent Application 0070187247", also suggesting the use of a "membrane" to support or carry the solvent during its exposure to air for the absorption of Carbon Dioxide; and, they address the use of such membranes in:
"United States Patent Application: 0070217982 - Membrane for Capturing Ambient CO2
Date: September, 2007
Inventors: Allen Wright and Eddy Peters, AZ
Abstract: An apparatus for capture of CO2 from the atmosphere comprising an anion exchange material formed in a matrix exposed to a flow of the air.
Claims: The apparatus (as specified) wherein the material is formed of a polystyrene or cellulose based anion exchange resin.
(And) wherein the material is formed as a mesh (and is) installed in a cooling tower (or) an exhaust system.
An apparatus for capture of CO2 from the atmosphere comprising anionic membrane material formed as a honeycomb or mesh.
(Note: We can use this CO2-capturing technology either with "exhaust" gases or "the atmosphere".)
A process for removing CO2 from the air, comprising the steps of passing the air in contact with an apparatus as (specified) whereupon CO2 is captured by the anionic material, and treating the anionic material to remove and concentrate the captured CO2.
The process ... including the step of converting the captured CO2 to methane.
The process ... wherein the captured CO2 is converted to liquid synthetic fuel or a plastic."
The immediately-above being what this is really all about. And, why we should pay attention to it. In the full Disclosure, they do mention the Sabatier process, specifically, which you should now, from all of our posts concerning it, be more than cognizant of.
But, this string of Carbon Dioxide capture and use technologies is far, far from being over; and we see, following, that Klaus Lackner and a team composed primarily of Columbia University scientists, early in the year following publication of the above "US Patent Application 0070217982 - Membrane for Capturing Ambient CO2" developed their own, more proprietary method of efficiently separating Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere.
As in:
"United States Patent Application: 0080031801 - Carbon Dioxide Capture
Date: February, 2008
Inventors: Klaus Lackner, et. al., NY; Columbia University
Abstract: The present invention describes methods and systems for extracting, capturing, reducing, storing, sequestering, or disposing of carbon dioxide (CO2), particularly from the air. The CO2 extraction methods and systems involve the use of chemical processes, mineral sequestration, and solid and liquid sorbents. Methods are also described for extracting and/or capturing CO2 via condensation on solid surfaces at low temperature.
Claims: A method of extracting or sequestering carbon dioxide, comprising: (a) dissolving a magnesium bearing silicate in an aqueous acid to form an acidic solution; (b) increasing the pH of the solution of step (a) to precipitate one or more magnesium components; and (c) carbonating the precipitated magnesium components from step (b) to bind carbon dioxide (and) wherein carbon dioxide is extracted or sequestered from air.
A method for extracting, capturing, or sequestering carbon dioxide from air (which further comprises) releasing the captured carbon dioxide to a system for collection, storage, or transport.
(Transport, we suggest as just one option, to, as specified above in "US Patent Application 0070217982", to a Sabatier reactor, for "converting the captured CO2 to methane".)
The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatuses for capturing, sequestering, storing, disposing of, or entraining carbon dioxide (CO2), such as is found in the air and the environment, as well as for mitigating carbon dioxide emissions. In some aspects of the invention, the CO22 obtained by the methods and apparatuses is isolated and stored or disposed of to keep it from the air."
There quite a few more details to the full Disclosure of "US Patent Application 0080031801", as you might surmise. And, the technology seems to direct preferentially that the CO2 be further mineralized, into a carbonate, for permanent sequestration and storage. However, there is opportunity to colloect purified and concentrated CO2 as it's released from initial absorbent, and the Disclosure indicates that the CO2 would be available for more convenient "transport" to, and for use in, some other, unspecified, application.
And, not long after, some of the named principals went on to see published further refinement on that technology, which does suggest and specify at least one or two applications to which the Carbon Dioxide could be transported, as in:
"United States Patent Application: 0080087165 - Method for Extracting Carbon Dioxide from Air
Date: April, 2008
Inventors: Allen Wright and Klaus Lackner, AZ
Abstract: A method and apparatus for extracting CO2 from air comprising an anion exchange material formed in a matrix exposed to a flow of the air, and for delivering that extracted CO2 to controlled environments. The present invention contemplates the extraction of CO2 from air using conventional extraction methods or by using one of the extraction methods disclosed; e.g., humidity swing or electro dialysis. The present invention also provides delivery of the CO2 to greenhouses where increased levels of CO2 will improve conditions for growth. Alternatively, the CO2 is fed to an algae culture."
And, since they suggest "algae culture" as one final destination for their efficiently-capture CO2, we'll cut our excerpts from US Patent Application 0080087165 short right there, so that we can remind of just one of our previous reports, out of several similar, as in:
USDOE Algae Recycle CO2 into Liquid Fuels | Research & Development; concerning: "Liquid Fuels from Microalgae; 1987; National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO; USDOE; The goal of the DOE/SERI Aquatic Species Program is to develop the technology to produce gasoline and diesel fuels from microalgae";
wherein we learn that our own USDOE knows how to, using the "algae culture", specified by Wright and Lackner above, convert the Carbon Dioxide captured by Wright and Lackner's process, into "gasoline" and "diesel fuels".
And, bless them, they went on, as seen in:
"United States Patent Application: 0090120288 - Removal of Carbon Dioxide from Air
Date: May, 2009
Inventors: Klaus Lackner, NY, and Allen Wright, AZ
Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for removing a contaminant, such as carbon dioxide, from a gas stream, such as ambient air. The contaminant is removed from the gas stream by a sorbent which may be regenerated using a humidity swing, a thermal swing, or a combination thereof. The sorbent may comprise a substrate having embedded positive ions and individually mobile negative ions wherein the positive ions are sufficiently spaced to prevent interactions between the negative ions. Where a thermal swing is used, heat may be conserved by employing a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the regenerated sorbent to an amount of sorbent that is loaded with the contaminant prior to regeneration.
Claims: A method for removing carbon dioxide from a gas stream, comprising placing said gas stream in contact with a substrate having a surface in which cations are embedded, wherein anions which are individually mobile are included on said surface, and wherein carbon dioxide from said gas stream becomes attached to said substrate by reacting with said anions; and releasing the carbon dioxide from said substrate by use of a humidity swing.
The method ... wherein the gas stream is an exhaust stream (or) wherein the gas stream is ambient air.
The invention has particular utility for the extraction of carbon dioxide (CO2) from air."
The full disclosure goes on to describe one use of the efficiently-captured Carbon Dioxide as a refrigerant, and even suggests that it be used as such in the process of the invention.
And, that was followed by:
"United States Patent Application: 0090232861 - Extraction and Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide
Date: September, 2009
Inventors: Allen Wright, AZ, and Klaus Lackner, NY
Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide (CO2) from a fluid stream and for delivering that extracted CO2 to controlled environments for utilization by a secondary process.
Claims: A system for removing carbon dioxide from a fluid, comprising passing a stream of the fluid in contact with a sorbent to absorb and concentrate carbon dioxide from the fluid stream; releasing the carbon dioxide from the sorbent; and delivering the carbon dioxide for use in a secondary process.
(And) wherein the carbon dioxide is delivered to the secondary process in a gaseous state, solid state, or liquid state, as described.
(And) wherein the secondary process is selected from ... plant fertilization, horticulture, agriculture, silvaculture, aquatic algae production, ... semi conductor manufacturing, organic solvent, ... pharmaceutical manufacturing, chemical production of urea, methanol, inorganic carbonates, organic carbonates, polyurethanes, paint pigments, foaming agents, carbon based fuels (and) synthetic fuels ... ."
We'll close the excerpts from "US Patent Application 0090232861" to remind you, lest there be any doubt, that, as in:
USDOE Converts CO2 to Gasoline | Research & Development; about: "US Patent 4,197,421 - Synthetic Carbonaceous Fuels and Feedstocks; 1980; Assignee: The United States of America; Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a three compartment electrolytic cell in the production of synthetic carbonaceous fuels and chemical feedstocks such as gasoline, methane and methanol by electrolyzing an aqueous sodium carbonate/bicarbonate solution, obtained from ... carbon dioxide";
We the People, through our own US Government, actually own at least one process that would enable us to convert efficiently-collected Carbon Dioxide into a variety of liquid and gaseous "synthetic fuels".
And, finally, we conclude our presentation of such extensive Carbon Dioxide collection technology with:
"United States Patent Application: 0090294366 - Removal of Carbon Dioxide from Air
Date: December, 2009
Inventors: Allen Wright, et. al.
Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for removing CO2 from air, which comprises exposing sorbent covered surfaces to the air. The invention also provides for an apparatus for exposing air to a CO2 sorbent. In another aspect, the invention provides a method and apparatus for separating carbon dioxide (CO2) bound in a sorbent."
In the above, we again learn that we can absorb Carbon Dioxide efficiently from the atmosphere, regenerate the absorbents for reuse, and, again, generate a stream of nearly-pure Carbon Dioxide that could be directed into a process, we suggest, such as seen in:
USDOE and Utah CO2 + H2O = Hydrocarbon Syngas | Research & Development; concerning: "US Patent Application 2007/0045125A1 - Electrochemical Cell for Production of Synthesis Gas; 2007; Assignee: Ceramatec, Inc.; Abstract: A method is provided for synthesizing synthesis gas from carbon dioxide obtained from atmospheric air or other available carbon dioxide source and water using a sodium-conducting electrochemical cell. Synthesis gas is also produced by the co-electrolysis of carbon dioxide and steam in a solid oxide fuel cell or solid oxide electrolytic cell. The synthesis gas produced may then be further processed and eventually converted into a liquid fuel suitable for transportation or other applications"; and:
More USDOE CO2 "Syntrolysis" | Research & Development; concerning the: "Co-Electrolysis of Steam and Carbon Dioxide for Production of Syngas; 2007; Idaho National Laboratory, USDOE; and Ceramatec, Inc.,
Abstract: (The use) of single-oxide electrolysis cells ... simultaneously electrolyzing steam and carbon dioxide for the direct production of syngas. Syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, can be used for the production of synthetic liquid fuels via Fischer-Tropsch processes";
and, thereby be converted into "synthetic liquid fuels" that are "suitable for transportation ... applications".