Coal + Biomass to Liquids, with Algae CO2 Recycling


United States Patent Application: 0120144887

A group of highly-experienced petroleum industry scientists says that Coal and Biomass can be combined and converted together into liquid hydrocarbon fuels, in a complete and integrated process that, in the final analysis, emits no, and maybe even consumes a little, Carbon Dioxide.

We have cited the lead named inventor of the very-recently published United States Patent Application we bring to your attention herein several times previously.
Intriguingly, as seen in:

West Virginia Coal Association | Exxon Recycles CO2 to Gas and Liquids | Research & Development; concerning: "UnitedS Patent 5,140,049 - Method for Producing Olefins from H2 and CO2; 1992; Inventor: Rocco Fiato, et. al.; Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company; Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing C2 -C20 olefins from a feed stream consisting of H2 and CO2 using an iron-carbide based catalyst"; and:

West Virginia Coal Association | Exxon Recycles CO2 | Research & Development; concerning: "Iron catalyzed CO2 hydrogenation to liquid hydrocarbons; Rocco A. Fiato, et. al., 
Exxon Research and Engineering Company; Many of the catalysts which are useful in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis are also capable of catalyzing the hydrogenation of CO2 to hydrocarbons";

Rocco Fiato and, by extension, ExxonMobil, know how to convert Carbon Dioxide into liquid hydrocarbons.

Such technology has special application to the indirect conversion of Coal into liquid hydrocarbons, since, in such processes, Coal is first gasified, to produce a blend of Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen synthesis gas, and, some Carbon Dioxide is usually co-produced, either in that Coal gasification and/or in the subsequent catalytic hydrocarbon synthesis.  

Further, though, as can be seen separately in:

West Virginia Coal Association | Exxon Co-Gasifies Coal and Carbon-Recycling Biomass | Research & Development; concerning: "US Patent Application 20100083575 - Co-gasification Process for Hydrocarbon Solids and Biomass; 2010; Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company; A process for the co-gasification of carbonaceous solids (coal) and biomass in which the biomass ... comprises biological matter selected from wood, plant matter, municipal waste, green waste, byproducts of farming or food processing waste, sewage sludge, black liquor from wood pulp, and algae";

Carbon Dioxide-recycling and sustainable biomass of all sorts can be gasified right along with Coal; and, that biomass could include "algae", even the organic remains, the cellular debris, of Algae, after, as in:

West Virginia Coal Association | Hydrocarbon Fuels from CO2-Recycling Algae Biomass | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent Application 20110287503 - Producing Hydrocarbon Products from Algal Biomass; 2011; Assignee: UOP LLC; Abstract: Methods for producing hydrocarbon oils from algal biomass are provided. The algal biomass is hydrogenolysed under reaction conditions sufficient to produce a partially deoxygenated lipid-based oil. The algal biomass may be whole algal biomass, residual algal biomass, or both. The algal biomass is hydrogenolysed by liquefying the algal biomass in the presence of a hydrogenolytic catalyst in a hydrogen atmosphere at an elevated temperature and pressure to produce an organic phase containing the partially deoxygenated lipid-based oil, an aqueous phase, and a solid phase. The aqueous and solid phases may be removed from the partially deoxygenated lipid-based oil. The partially deoxygenated lipid-based oil is then substantially deoxygenated using a hydroprocessing catalyst to produce the hydrocarbon oil";

their botanical lipids have been extracted and converted into "hydrocarbon oil".

And Algae, we remind you, can, as seen for one example in:

Illinois Algae Convert Flue Gas CO2 into $60 Oil for USDOE | Research & Development; concerning the "Removal of Carbon Dioxide from Flue Gases by Algae; 1993; Contract FC22-92PC92521; Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago; Sponsors: Illinois Dept. of Energy and Natural Resources (and) USDOE; The objective of this research program is to determine the feasibility of the alga Botryococcus braunii as a biocatalyst for the photosynthetic conversion of flue gas CO2 to hydrocarbons. The feasibility and economic evaluation estimated the cost of oil produced from flue gas CO2 by algae to range between $45 and $75 per barrel";

be deliberately and intensively cultivated on a diet of "flue gas CO2"; and, they will convert that "flue gas CO2 to hydrocarbons" at a cost that seems, in light of current OPEC-dictated oil prices, very enticing.

Herein, Rocco Fiato, along with a team of former Exxon, and other Oil industry scientists, brings all of the above together in one integrated technical package.

As seen, with comment appended, in excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to the just-published:

"United States Patent Application 20120144887 - Integrated Coal to Liquids Process and System with CO2 Mitigation Using Algal Biomass

Date: June 14, 2012

Inventors: Rocco A. Fiato, et. al., NJ

(Note: We do a disservice not only to Fiato's three named co-inventors, by not identifying them, but, to our readers as well. All of his collaborators are distinguished and widely-published hydrocarbon scientists, two of whom, like Fiato, had distinguished careers at Exxon. We will make a point of citing each of them separately, in reports to follow concerning related and precedent Coal, and other Carbon source, conversion and utilization technologies.)

Assignee: Accelergy Corporation, Houston

(Accelergy Corporation; "Accelergy is a global leader in producing direct replacement, low carbon synthetic transportation fuels at less cost both to the environment and to the consumer. Accelergy uses ... biomass and coal to produce cost-competitive fuels with a reduced CO2 footprint compared to traditional petroleum based fuels. We do this without the expensive infrastructure required by many other alternative fuel technologies. Accelergy’s state-of-the-art synthetic fuel technologies economically convert (those) resources into clean low carbon gasoline, diesel or jet fuel.")

Abstract: An ICBTL (Integrated Coal and Biomass To Liquids) system having a low GHG footprint for converting coal or coal and biomass to liquid fuels in which a carbon-based feed is converted to liquids by direct liquefaction and optionally by indirect liquefaction and the liquids are upgraded to produce premium fuels. CO2 produced by the process is used to produce algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms in a photobioreactor. Optionally, lipids extracted from the some or all of the algal biomass is hydroprocessed to produce fuel components and biomass residues and the carbon-based feed (are) gasified to produce hydrogen and syngas for the direct and indirect liquefaction processes. Some or all of the algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms are used to produce a natural biofertilizer. CO2 may also be produced by a steam methane reformer for supplying CO2 to produce the algal biomass ... .

(Note that the potential for employing "a steam methane reformer" is very intriguing. We want to avoid more clutter than we feel to be essential; but, we have previously demonstrated and documented, and will do so again in the future, that such a "methane reformer" can be employed to provide molecular Hydrogen for the further hydrogenation of the Coal/Biomass liquids and/or the Algal lipids. Methane can be obtained as a byproduct both of an initial Carbon gasification or conversion and, if the appropriate strains are selected, of the Algae's cyclic metabolism. We will, as well, make a point of more fully explaining the "steam methane reformer", which is a well-known and established petroleum refining tool that facilitates the reaction: CH4 + 2H2O = 4H2 + CO2; thereby providing an abundance of Hydrogen for hydrogenation processes with a relatively minimal Carbon Dioxide co-production. - JtM)

Claims: Apparatus for converting a coal containing solid carbonaceous material to liquid fuels and cyanobacteria based biofertilizer, comprising:

a. a direct liquefaction reactor for directly converting solid carbonaceous material at elevated temperatures and pressures in the presence of a solvent and a molybdenum containing catalyst for producing hydrocarbon liquids and byproduct CO2;

b. separation and upgrading apparatus for upgrading liquids produced by said direct liquefaction reactor to liquid fuels and byproduct ammonia;

c. a reactor for producing hydrogen and byproduct CO2 from a carbonaceous feed, at least a portion of said hydrogen being supplied as inputs to said direct liquefaction reactor and said separation and upgrading apparatus; and:

d. an algae and biofertilizer production system including a photobioreactor for reproducing a cyanobacteria containing inoculant with the use of byproduct CO2 produced by one or both of said direct liquefaction reactor and said hydrogen producing reactor and ammonia produced by said upgrading reactor and for producing a biofertilizer incorporating said inoculant.

The apparatus ... wherein said hydrogen producing reactor includes a partial oxidation reactor or a gasifier and wherein said carbonaceous feed includes bottoms from said direct liquefaction reactor.

(We know it's difficult to keep track of everything that's going on in here. They are, in essence, describing an initial mild hydrogen donor solvent extraction and conversion/liquefaction of the combined Carbon source materials, followed by a gasification of the carbonaceous residues, a total process that might be represented somewhat by that seen in our report of:

West Virginia Coal Association | Consol Hydrogasifies CoalTL Residues | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,248,605 - Gasification of Coal Liquefaction Residues; 1981; Inventor: Michael Lancet, Pittsburgh; Assignee: Conoco, Inc.; Abstract: A method for gasifying the bottoms fraction from a coal liquefaction process ... . A method for gasifying the bottoms fraction from a coal liquefaction process wherein coal is liquified by extraction of said coal by a distillable solvent ... said method consisting essentially of ... mixing said bottoms fraction with at least one finely-divided calcium compound ...; and gasifying ... said agglomerates by reacting said agglomerates with steam in a fluidized bed to produce a hydrogen-rich fuel gas".

Precedent technologies that are specifically applicable to the process of "United States Patent Application 20120144887" will be directly referenced within the patent, when and if it issues.)

The apparatus ... further including a circulating fluid bed boiler having feeds including bottoms from said direct liquefaction reactor and limestone.

The apparatus ... further including extraction apparatus for extracting lipids from cyanobacteria produced in said photobioreactor, and indirect liquefaction apparatus for converting said extracted lipids to hydrocarbon liquids, the biomass residues remaining after the extraction of said lipids being supplied as an input to said hydrogen producing reactor, hydrogen produced by said hydrogen producing reactor also being supplied to said indirect liquefaction apparatus.

The apparatus ... wherein said indirect liquefaction apparatus includes a catalytic hydrodeoxygenation and isomerization system.

(The immediately above refer to relatively standard, though more modern, petroleum refining processes that will be familiar to any petroleum or chemical engineer who's worked in a contemporary refinery.)

A method converting a solid carbonaceous material to liquid fuels and cyanobacteria based biofertilizer, comprising the steps of:

a. directly liquefying a coal containing solid carbonaceous material by subjecting said material to elevated temperatures and pressures in the presence of a solvent and a molybdenum containing catalyst for a time sufficient for producing hydrocarbon liquids and byproduct CO2;

b. upgrading hydrocarbon liquids produced by step a to liquid fuels and byproduct ammonia;

c. producing hydrogen and byproduct CO2 from a carbonaceous feed, and supplying at least a portion of said hydrogen as inputs to said direct liquefaction and said upgrading steps;

d. reproducing a cyanobacteria containing inoculant in a photobioreactor with the use of byproduct CO2 produced by one or both of said direct liquefaction and hydrogen producing steps and ammonia produced by said upgrading step; and:

e. producing a biofertilizer incorporating said inoculant.

(The Disclosure proceeds in some considerable detail to specify appropriate microorganisms and other specifics concerning the "biofertilizer".)

The method ... wherein said hydrogen producing step includes gasifying said carbonaceous feed in a partial oxidation reactor or a gasifier and wherein said carbonaceous feed includes bottoms from said direct liquefaction step.

(As in our above citation of Conoco's "United States Patent 4,248,605 - Gasification of Coal Liquefaction Residues".)

The method ... further including feeding bottoms produced by said direct liquefaction step and limestone to a circulating fluid bed boiler for powering an electric power generation system.

Background and Field: The present invention relates to integrated coal to liquids or electrical power, and particularly to an integrated coal or coal and biomass to liquids or electrical power processes and systems in which CO2 emissions are substantially reduced by using CO2 to produce algal biomass including cyanobacteria, and preferably including other photosynthetic microorganisms and the use thereof as a biofertilizer and optionally for producing synthesis gas and H2.

(Note that, while not strictly-speaking accurate, we may consider "cyanobacteria" and "algae" as being, for practical purposes, synonymous. They are both "photosynthetic microorganisms".)

Increases in the cost of petroleum and concerns about future shortages has led to increased interest in other carbonaceous energy resources, such as coal, tar sands, shale and the mixtures thereof. Coal is the most important of these alternative resources for reasons including the fact that vast, easily accessible coal deposits exist in several parts of the world, and the other resources contain a much higher proportion of mineral matter and a lower carbon content. Various processes have been proposed for converting such materials to liquid and gaseous fuel products including gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation fuel and heating oils, and, in some cases, to other products such as lubricants and chemicals.

A number of problems have hampered widespread use of coal and other solid fossil energy sources that include the relatively low thermal efficiency of indirect coal-to-liquids (CTL) conversion methods, such as Fischer Tropsch (FT) synthesis and methanol-to-liquids (MTL) conversion. The conversion of coal, which has a H/C ratio of approximately 1:1, to hydrocarbon products, such as fuels that have H/C ratio of something greater than 2:1 results in at least half of the carbon in the coal being converted to CO2, and thereby wasted. Additionally, the fact that, heretofore, a large amount of greenhouse gas (GHG), particularly in the form of CO2, is emitted as a waste product in the conversion of coal to useful products has caused CTL processes to be disfavored by many from an environmental point of view.

(The inventors are painting as negative a picture of prior art as possible, to enhance the perceived innovative value of their process. In point of fact, Coal gasification processes can be made to be so efficient, that, as seen for one more recent example in our report of:

Conoco 2011 Coal + CO2 + H2O + O2 = Syngas | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 7,959,829 - Gasification System and Process; 2011; Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company; Abstract: A system and process for gasifying carbonaceous feedstock with staged slurry addition in order to prevent the formation of tar that causes deposition problems. Dry solid carbonaceous material is partially combusted, then pyrolyzed along with a first slurry stream comprising carbonaceous material (and) wherein (the) carrier liquid is selected from group consisting of water, liquid Carbon Dioxide, (or) mixtures thereof";

Carbon Dioxide can even be utilized to convey "carbonaceous material" into a gasification reactor, where they both are consumed and converted, along with H2O, into hydrocarbon synthesis gas.) 

It has been proposed to at least partially overcome the GHG problem by capturing and sequestering the carbon dioxide by re-injecting it into subterranean formations. Such an arrangement has the disadvantages of being expensive, of further reducing the process energy efficiency, of requiring the availability of appropriate subterranean formations somewhere in the vicinity of the conversion facility, of concerns about the subsequent escape into the atmosphere of the carbon dioxide, and of the waste of the energy potential of the carbon content of the carbon dioxide.

Direct coal liquefaction (DCL) methods have been developed for liquefying carbonaceous materials such as coal that have advantages in many applications to conversion by FT synthesis, including substantially higher thermal efficiency and lower CO2 emissions. Such direct liquefaction methods typically involve heating the carbonaceous material in the presence of a donor solvent, and optionally a catalyst, in a hydrogen containing atmosphere to a temperature in the range of about 700 to 850F to break down the coal structure into free radicals that are quenched to produce liquid products. The catalyst can typically be very finely divided iron or molybdenum or mixtures thereof.

Hybrid coal liquefaction systems involving both direct liquefaction and FT synthesis, or direct liquefaction and biomass conversion have been proposed in which the FT synthesis or biomass conversion provides additional hydrogen for the direct liquefaction, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Hybrid coal liquefaction systems involving all three of direct liquefaction, FT synthesis, and biomass conversion have also been proposed. None of these proposed arrangements, however, achieve the combination of thermal efficiency, low cost and substantially reduced GHG emissions that would be required for them to be economically and environmentally attractive. There remains an important need for economical coal and biomass to liquids conversion processes with reduced carbon dioxide emissions and efficient use of carbon resources.

Coal fired power plants generate about half of the United States' electricity and are expected to continue supplying a large portion of the nation's electricity in the future. According to the Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Information Administration (EIA), coal will provide 44 percent of the electricity in 2035 in the United States. The critical role that coal plays in supplying electricity is due in part to the large coal reserves in the United States, which some estimate will last about 240 years at current consumption levels, and the relatively low cost of this energy supply.

However, coal power plants also currently account for about one-third of the nation's emissions of CO2, the most prevalent GHG. In the United States and elsewhere, these concerns have increased focus on developing and using technologies to limit CO2 emissions from coal power plants while allowing coal to remain a viable source of energy.

It has been proposed to use CO2 emissions produced by coal conversion facilities to make algae and oxygen. Lipids in the algae can then be converted directly to liquid fuels, and the residual biomass, or if desired, the entire algae can be processed in indirect conversion processes such as Fischer Tropsch, to produce hydrogen and liquid fuels.

Summary: In accordance with one aspect of the invention there has been developed a highly efficient integrated coal and biomass to liquids (ICBTL) process scheme for producing premium fuels such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and chemical feedstocks, that makes beneficial use of generated CO2 involving four major process steps:

1 - CO2 carbon capture and conversion to a biological material such as algae;

2 - direct coal liquefaction (DCL);

3 - indirect conversion of biomass and/or coal to liquid fuels, e.g., by gasification and Fischer Tropsch conversion or by catalytic hydrodeoxygenation and isomerization (CHI); and:

4 - hydrogen generation, e.g., by steam hydrogasification (SHG) or POX of the bottoms from the coal conversion, by steam methane reforming (SMR) of a feed such as natural gas, or via the water-gas shift reaction. Alternatively, the hydrogen can be supplied from an external source. Combustible waste streams from the different components of the system may be used to produce electrical power for internal use in the system or for supply to the electrical power grid.

Fuels and fuel blends stocks produced by DCL contain high concentrations of cycloparaffins and aromatics. The indirect conversion, on the other hand, produces fuels or fuel blends stocks that are high in isoparaffins that make very high Cetane diesel fuels and can be used as blendstocks for producing jet fuels such as JP8.

Advantageously, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the current invention, the byproduct CO2 carbon capture and conversion involves the use of the CO2 to produce microorganisms including algal biomass such as cyanobacteria and preferably other photosynthetic microorganisms, preferably in a closed photobioreactor (PBR).

The microorganisms may be used as all or part of the biomass used in the indirect conversion to produce additional liquid fuels. In that case, preferably, the algal biomass is first processed to extract the lipids that can be directly converted into fuels, e.g., by catalytic hydrodeoxygenation and isomerization, and the residual material is used as a feed to the indirect conversion process.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention having extremely high thermal efficiency, low GHG footprint and substantially lower cost than processes involving indirect liquefaction, the process of the invention involves direct coal liquefaction to produce, after product separation and upgrading, liquid fuels such as LPG, gasoline, jet fuel and diesel.

Additional hydrogen is supplied to the coal liquefaction and product upgrading reactors.

Bottoms from the direct coal liquefaction reactor are preferably fed to a circulating fluid bed (CFB) boiler for use in an electrical power generating system. CO2 produced ... (is) preferably supplied to the PBR to produce algal biomass and preferably other photosynthetic microorganisms ... .

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, the generation of algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms to produce fertilizer is maximized in order to achieve the greatest reduction in lifecycle GHG footprint for associated processes, such as power generation. In this embodiment, the process of the invention preferably involves direct coal liquefaction to produce liquid fuels after product separation and upgrading, with the bottoms from the liquefaction and additional coal being used to generate hydrogen and CO2 in a POX system. The CO2 is used to produce a biofertilizer.

(There are actually two sorts of fertilizer, as we take it, being made herein. One is simply soil amendment residual algae biomass, after lipid extraction, that isn't fed, with the Coal extraction residues, into the gasification stage. The second involves the reaction of Carbon Dioxide with any byproduct ammonia, as in:

Synthesis of Urea from Ammonia and Carbon Dioxide - Journal of Industrial & Engineering Chemistry (ACS Publications); "Synthesis of Urea from Ammonia and Carbon Dioxide; Industrial Engineering Chemistry";

to make a more familiar type of synthetic fertilizer.).

Preferably the biofertilizer includes a soil inoculant cultured from the set of microorganisms including cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, and, preferably, other photosynthetic microorganisms, that are already present in the soil or type of soil to which the biofertilizer is to be applied. The biofertilizer soil application rates can range from one gram per square meter to greater than 25 grams per square meter depending on soil type and soil moisture. This provides a highly leveraged effect on soil (terrestrial) carbon sequestration and greatly increases the fertility of the soil. Starting with one ton of DCL process CO2, the application of the biofertilizer can result, on a lifecycle basis, in several tens of tons of additional CO2 being removed from the atmosphere and sequestered in the treated soil and in vegetation, crops and/or trees grown in the soil.

(Note that the CO2 from the Coal conversion process is being "leveraged", through the manufacture of fertilizer and the general stimulation of plant growth, to enable the photosynthetic extraction of many multiples more of CO2 from the atmosphere.)

In accordance with a still further aspect of the invention, during times such as cloudy days or at night when there is not enough available ambient sunlight to drive the photosynthesis for producing algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms, CO2 produced by the ICBTL process of the invention is stored until sunlight is available, e.g., by liquefying the CO2 or by storing it under pressure in bladders that can be part of or adjacent to the PBRs being used to produce the algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms. Alternatively, it is also possible to illuminate the contents of the PBR during non-sunlit hours in order to maintain the productivity of the algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms.

Important advantageous synergies in the ICBTL process and system of the present invention that contributed substantially to its overall efficiency and economic attractiveness include the facts that the CO2 stream produced by the gasification ... is highly concentrated and an ideal feed for producing algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms, and that the NH3 inherently produced in the direct liquefaction and upgrading steps is an important nutrient in the algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms production step."

----------------------

And, believe or not, there is even quite a lot more to it, involving especially the specifics of operating the CO2-recycling "photobioreactor", or "PBR"; which, as we've documented, for one example in:

USDOE Enables CO2-Recycling Processes | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 6,603,069 - Adaptive Full-Spectrum Solar Energy System; 2003; Assignee: UT-Battelle, Oak Ridge; Abstract: An adaptive full spectrum solar energy system having at least one hybrid solar concentrator, at least one hybrid luminaire, at least one hybrid photobioreactor, and a light distribution system operably connected to each hybrid solar concentrator, each hybrid luminaire, and each hybrid photobioreactor. A lighting control system operates each component. This invention was made with Government support under contract no. DE-AC05-00OR22725 to UT-Battelle, LLC, awarded by the US Department of Energy";

is an area of interest for our United States Department of Energy, as well.

The entire scenario, we know, is a difficult one to assimilate; but, as we imperfectly summarize:

Coal can be directly extracted in a solvent process to yield liquid hydrocarbons; and, the still-carbonaceous residues from that initial liquefaction can be gasified with the cellular debris of Algae that have had natural hydrocarbon liquids extracted from them; which Algae have been grown in a bioreactor, where they have been fed and stimulated to grow with Carbon Dioxide and other nutrients that arise as byproducts from the overall Coal and Biomass conversion process.

Some additional, externally-supplied Hydrogen, H2, might be required at one or two stages along the way to accomplish all of that; and, as we've documented, by way of only one example, in:

USDOE Algae Make Hydrogen for Coal and CO2 Hydrogenation | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,442,211- Method for Producing Hydrogen and Oxygen by Use of Algae; 1984; Assignee: The United States of America";

we have some intriguing options, again using CO2-nurtured Algae, available for us to get that H2, as well.

Further, byproduct Carbon Dioxide, Algae cellular debris, and byproduct ammonia can all be directed and used to further stimulate the growth of green plants external to the liquid fuel production system, and thereby leverage the botanical photosynthetic extraction of even more Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere itself.

The end result being, that, if such secondary biological Carbon fixation were allowed to be assessed as a component, or resultant benefit, of the technology disclosed herein, the entire system, for producing liquid hydrocarbon fuels from Coal and Biomass, could, conceptually, wind up considered as Carbon negative.

The full Disclosure of "United States Patent Application 20120144887 - Integrated Coal to Liquids Process and System with CO2 Mitigation Using Algal Biomass", as we perceive it, is an elegant, though complicated, exposition of how, in a sustainable and maybe even Carbon-negative way, Coal, or, more accurately, the Carbon content of Coal, can be fully and completely utilized in an integrated system that not only produces badly-needed liquid hydrocarbon fuels but, also, enables the indirect utilization and additional biologic sequestration of Carbon Dioxide, in amounts above and beyond those generated as byproduct within the system itself. 

Again, it is far, far beyond our limited capacities, even with the help of our fully-functioning advisors, to adequately summarize and explain it all herein. Maybe one of our more-qualified readers will be emboldened to step forward and give 'er a try - - if anyone, we're beginning to doubt that there is, is really listening.

In any case, we must note that Rocco Fiato and friends have been at work now on Coal conversion technologies for a number of years, and this is only the latest example of their accomplishments that we have available to us. In a report to follow in coming days, we'll disclose another of their Coal conversion achievements, one which isn't quite as complicated, but which also points the way towards a future where we could, even in a Carbon constrained world, begin to supply our domestic US liquid fuel needs by relying on, as a foundation, our most abundant basic Carbon resource: Coal.