United States Patent: 7459065
This will be a somewhat, even for us, tedious dispatch; but not one, we assure you, that is off-topic.
There is a fair amount of ground to cover; and, we'll traverse it as expeditiously as possible.
We again remind you, that, as seen, for just two examples, in our reports of:
West Virginia Coal Association | Conoco Converts CO2 to Methanol and Dimethyl Ether | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 6,664,207 - Catalyst for Converting Carbon Dioxide to Oxygenates; 2003; Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company, Houston; Abstract: A catalyst and process for converting carbon dioxide into oxygenates. The catalyst comprises copper, zinc, aluminum, gallium, and a solid acid (which comprises) a zeolite (specified as) ZSM-5. A catalyst composition for converting carbon dioxide to methanol and dimethyl ether. The present invention relates generally to the conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygenates. In another aspect, the invention concerns a catalyst for converting a feed comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen into methanol and dimethyl ether"; and:
West Virginia Coal Association | Exxon 1982 CoalTL Uses WVU CoalTL Hydrogen Donor Solvent | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,345,989 - Catalytic Hydrogen-donor Liquefaction Process; 1982; Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company, NJ; Abstract: Coal or a similar solid carbonaceous feed material is converted into lower molecular weight liquid hydrocarbons by contacting the feed material with a hydrogen-donor solvent containing above about 0.6 weight percent donatable hydrogen and molecular hydrogen in a liquefaction zone or a series of two or more liquefaction zones ... . A catalytic hydrogen-donor liquefaction process for converting a solid carbonaceous feed material into lower molecular weight liquid hydrocarbons which comprises contacting said feed material with a hydrogen-donor solvent ... and a hydrogen-containing gas in ... (and) wherein said solid carbonaceous feed material comprises coal";
the petroleum industry has in hand catalytic technologies that enable the direct, efficient conversion of both Coal and Carbon Dioxide into liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
Key to the economical practice of those technologies is a ready, and economical, supply of elemental, molecular Hydrogen.
And, we remind you, that, as seen in:
West Virginia Coal Association | GM & Korea Help Conoco Recycle CO2 | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 7,625,835 - Photocatalyst and Use Thereof; 2009; Assignees: GM Global Technologies, Inc., MI, and Pohang University of Science, Korea; Abstract: A composite photocatalyst (that) is sensitive to visible light irradiation (and) and wherein irradiating ... water (and) the composite photocatalyst with at least visible light is effective to produce hydrogen gas";
a major component of our US transportation industry, in concert with international consultants, has devised a technology that utilizes freely-available environmental energy to generate such needed Hydrogen from nothing, essentially, but Water.
Further, there is nothing in that concept which should be seen as so innovative that it is impractical or overly advanced, since, as seen in:
NASA Hydrogen from Water and Sunlight | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,045,315 - Solar Photolysis of Water; 1977; NASA; Abstract: Hydrogen is produced by the solar photolysis of water in ... in the presence of a water soluble photo-oxidizable reagent and an insoluble hydrogen recombination catalyst";
it had already been demonstrated fully three decades earlier.
Even further, it is only one component of a suite of efficient Hydrogen production technologies developed by General Motors, as demonstrated via brief excerpts from the initial and three following links:
"United States Patent 7,459,065 - Hydrogen Generator Photovoltaic Electrolysis Reactor System
(Hydrogen generator photovoltaic electrolysis reactor system - General Motors Corporation)
Date: December, 2008
Inventors: Nelson Kelly and Thomas Gibson, MI
Assignee: General Motors Corporation, Detroit
Abstract: An apparatus for creating hydrogen from the disassociation of water using sunlight (photoelectrolysis) is provided. The system utilizes an aqueous fluid filled container which functions both to hold the water to be disassociated and as a light collecting lens. A photovoltaic module is positioned at a point to most efficiently accept the refracted light from the fluid filled container. A pair of electrodes which are coupled to the photovoltaic module are disposed within the fluid and configured to split the water into hydrogen and oxygen."
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"United States Patent: 7510640 - Method and Apparatus for Hydrogen Generation
(Method and apparatus for hydrogen generation - General Motors Corporation)
Date: March, 2009
Inventors: Nelson Kelly and Thomas Gibson, MI
Assignee: General Motors Corporation, Detroit
Abstract: A method for configuring a solar hydrogen generation system and the system optimization are disclosed. The system utilizes photovoltaic modules and an electrolyte solution to efficiently split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The efficiency of solar powered electrolysis of water is optimized by matching the most efficient voltage generated by photovoltaic cells to the most efficient input voltage required by the electrolysis cell(s). Optimizing PV-electrolysis systems makes solar powered hydrogen generation cheaper and more practical for use as an environmentally clean alternative fuel."
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"United States Patent: 7674358 - Method and Apparatus for Hydrogen Generation
(Method and apparatus for hydrogen generation - GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.)
Date: March, 2010
Inventors: Nelson Kelly and Thomas Gibson, MI
Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
Abstract: A method for configuring a solar hydrogen generation system and the system optimization are disclosed. The system utilizes photovoltaic modules and an electrolyte solution to efficiently split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The efficiency of solar powered electrolysis of water is optimized by matching the most efficient voltage generated by photovoltaic cells to the most efficient input voltage required by the electrolysis cell(s). Optimizing PV-electrolysis systems makes solar powered hydrogen generation cheaper and more practical for use as an environmentally clean alternative fuel."
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"United States Patent: 7892407 - System and Sub-systems for Production and Use of Hydrogen
(System and sub-systems for production and use of hydrogen - GM Global Technology Operations LLC)
Date: February, 2011
Inventors: Nelson Kelly and Thomas Gibson, MI
Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
Abstract: A method for optimizing the efficiency of a solar powered hydrogen generation system is disclosed. The system utilizes photovoltaic modules and a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer to split water into hydrogen and oxygen with an efficiency greater than 12%. This high efficiency for the solar powered electrolysis of water was obtained by matching the voltage generated by photovoltaic modules to the operating voltage of the electrolyzer. Optimizing PV-electrolysis systems makes solar generated hydrogen less expensive and more practical for use as an environmentally clean and renewable fuel."
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Again, pretty definitively, we can, according herein to General Motors, make all the Hydrogen we want efficiently, maybe even cheaply, out of nothing but Sunshine and Water.
Some catalysts are needed; but, those represent more of a capital investment and aren't consumed or used up to any appreciable extent in the process.
And, again, once we have the Hydrogen, as seen in:
Oklahoma & New Jersey Direct Hydrogenation of WV & PA Coal | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 3,960,700 - Coal Hydrogenation to Produce Liquids; 1976; Assignee: Cities Service Company, OK; Abstract: Crushed coal is mixed with hot hydrogen, at 500 to 1,500C. and 600 to 3,000 psig., in a reactor, and then, after a short reaction time, rapidly quenched. The total heat-up, reaction, and quench time is less than 2 seconds. This short residence time results in less gas production and less polymerization of the liquid components. Claims: A process of treating carbonaceous material with hydrogen, in the absence of added catalyst, (and, a) method of converting coal into liquid hydrocarbon";
we can use it to pretty-darned directly convert Coal into liquid hydrocarbons. And, if we can make plenty of Hydrogen out of nothing, as General Motors indicates, but freely-available Sunshine and Water, then we could employ it in a process developed by our own United States Navy, as disclosed in:
West Virginia Coal Association | US Navy Improves CO2 Hydrogenation Catalyst | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent Application 20110105630 - Catalytic Support for use in Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation; 2011; Assignee: The Government of the USA as represented by the Secretary of the Navy; Abstract: A catalyst support which may be used to support various catalysts for use in reactions for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide including a catalyst support material and an active material capable of catalyzing a reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction associated with the catalyst support material. A process for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide and for making syngas comprising a hydrocarbon, esp. methane, reforming step and a RWGS step which employs the catalyst composition of the present invention and products thereof. (Concerning the above "reverse water-gas shift", i.e., CO2 + H2 = CO + H2O, see: RWGS.) A method for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide comprising the step of reacting hydrogen and carbon dioxide in ... a reverse water-gas shift reaction ... . The invention also relates to a process for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide ... . The invention further relates to the use of the syngas mixture obtained with the process according to the invention as feed material for a process of making a chemical product; such as, for example, methanol production, olefin and alkane synthesis (e.g. via Fischer-Tropsch reaction), aromatics production, (etc.). The carbon dioxide in the gaseous feed mixture used in the process of the invention can originate from various sources. Preferably, the carbon dioxide comes from a waste gas stream, e.g. from a plant on the same site ... or from the environment";
wherein an abundance of inexpensive Hydrogen, as produced perhaps by the processes of our subjects, enables, first, the Reverse Water Gas Shift reaction, which converts Carbon Dioxide, as reclaimed from whatever handy "waste gas stream", and Hydrogen into Carbon Monoxide and Water, and, second, the "Fischer-Tropsch reaction", or a related catalytic process, wherein the Carbon Monoxide produced by the RWGS reaction, from Carbon Dioxide, is reacted with even more Hydrogen and made to form, for example, the nearly-precious and versatile alcohol, "methanol", or various liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons.
