Canada Converts CO2 into Hydrocarbons and Alcohols

United States Patent: 8277631

In a previous dispatch, from just this past June, now accessible via:

West Virginia Coal Association | Connecticut Recycles CO2 into Hydrocarbons | Research & Development;

we included report of, and a link to:

"United States Patent 7,964,084 - Methods and Apparatus for the Synthesis of Useful Compounds; June 21, 2011; Inventors: Victor Stancovski, Steven Suib, et. al., CT; Assignee: Catalectric Corporation and the University of Connecticut; Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for activation of a low reactivity, non-polar chemical compound. In one example embodiment, the method comprises introducing the low reactivity chemical compound to a catalyst. At least one of (a) an oxidizing agent or a reducing agent and (b) a polar compound is provided to the catalyst and the chemical compound. An alternating current is applied to the catalyst to produce an activation reaction in the chemical compound. This activation reaction produces a useful product. (And) wherein: the polar compound comprises one of water or steam. (And) wherein: the low reactivity chemical compound comprise CO2; (And) wherein: the useful product comprises at least one of an alcohol".
As happens with surprising frequency, as we've noted on other occasions, the official link to the official United States Patent and Trademark Office electronic file of that US Patent has not proven durable; and, now, does not connect with "United States Patent 7,964,084".

By way of correction, here are two independent site links to that US Patent: 

Methods and apparatus for the synthesis of useful compounds - Catelectric Corp.
; and:

Patent US7964084 - Methods and apparatus for the synthesis of useful compounds - Google Patents.

The technology is quite real; and, Carbon Dioxide can, indeed, be converted on a practical basis into an Alcohol.

That fact is confirmed by the United States Patent which that malfunctioning link in our prior dispatch quite surprisingly now does connect with; in a coincidence so serendipitous it's almost as if the honest examiners in the US Patent and Trademark Office were trying, on the sly, to tell us something.

Should you go back and check that link, you will discover that it leads you to, as excerpted from the initial link in this dispatch:

"United States Patent 8,277,631 - The Production of Hydrocarbons from Carbon and Hydrogen Sources

Methods and devices for the production of hydrocarbons from carbon and hydrogen sources - Principle Energy Solutions, Inc.

Date: October 2, 2012

Inventors: Craig Eastman and Douglass Hole, Edmonton, Canada

Assignee: Principle Energy Solutions, Inc., Edmonton

((Renewable Energy | Principle Energy Solutions; "Synthesized Renewable Carbon Neutral Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels For Transportation; Synthesized Hydrocarbons: Transportation Fuels (from Renewable Energy); Renewable Ethanol, Methanol, DME (Synthetic Diesel Fuel)".

Eastman's and Hole's academic and industry credentials are presented on Principle Energy Solutions' web site; and, they are substantial. A web search confirms their resumes to be accurate, and we judge them, as does the United States Patent and Trademark Office herein, to be credible.))

Abstract: Devices and methods are described for converting a carbon source and a hydrogen source into hydrocarbons, such as alcohols, for alternative energy sources. The influents may comprise carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas or water, obtainable from the atmosphere for through methods described herein, such as plasma generation or electrolysis. One method to produce hydrocarbons comprises the use of an electrolytic device, comprising an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte. Another method comprises the use of ultrasonic energy to drive the reaction. The devices and methods and related devices and methods are useful, for example, to provide a fossil fuel alternative energy source, store renewable energy, sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, counteract global warming, and store carbon dioxide in a liquid fuel.

Claims: A method for the electrochemical production of hydrocarbons from a carbon-containing gas, comprising: obtaining a gaseous first input comprising a carbon-containing gas; obtaining a second input comprising a hydrogen-containing source; contacting the first input with a cathode in the presence of a protonic-conducting electrolyte; contacting the second input with an anode in the presence of the electrolyte, wherein the cathode and anode are connected through the electrolyte; and applying an electrical potential between the cathode and the anode, wherein the electrical potential causes gas-phase electrochemical reduction of the carbon-containing gas at the cathode to produce one or more hydrocarbons; and wherein the method operates at a pressure measured at the cathode of about 5 atm and at a temperature measured at the cathode of above or about 100 C to less than about 900 C.

The method ... further comprising providing plasma energy to facilitate one or more of reduction of the carbon-containing gas or oxidation of the hydrogen-containing source.

The method ... wherein the cathode is selected from the group consisting of metal electrocatalysts, metal-supported electrocatalysts, metal-oxide supported electrocatalysts, electrocatalytic superconducting materials, and combinations thereof.

The method ... wherein the anode is selected from the group consisting of platinum-ruthenium electrocatalysts, platinum-iridium electrocatalysts, IrO2 electrocatalysts, ultrafine IrO2 powder combined with platinum electrocatalysts, and combinations thereof.

The method ... wherein the carbon-containing gas comprises one or more of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

The method ... further comprising providing ultrasonic energy to facilitate one or more of reduction of the carbon-containing gas or oxidation of the hydrogen-containing source.

The method ... wherein the hydrogen-containing source comprises water and wherein the water disassociates at the anode to yield free protons.

(The "free protons", by the way, would just be chemically positively-charged Hydrogen ions. There's no radioactive chemistry going on here, despite their rather odd, but accurate, choice of terminology. The electrolysis of Water, to generate Hydrogen, is an integral part of the total process.)

The method ... wherein the hydrogen-containing source comprises water in the form of liquid, vapor, or steam, and wherein the water is electrolyzed at the anode to yield free protons.

(Again, "free protons" are just positively-charged Hydrogen ions.)

The method ... wherein the carbon-containing gas is obtained by a method comprising: contacting a carbon dioxide-containing gas with a cathode connected to an anode through an electrolyte; and applying an electrical potential between the cathode and the anode to cause a gas-phase electrochemical reduction of at least some of the carbon dioxide at the cathode to produce a carbon-containing gas comprising carbon monoxide.

(The "gas-phase electrochemical reduction of ... carbon dioxide at the cathode to ... carbon monoxide", with the necessarily concomitant generation of Oxygen, could be thought of as in essence and spirit the same as the liquid-phase electrolytic reduction of CO2 disclosed in our report of: 

West Virginia Coal Association | Standard Oil Electrolyzes CO2 to Carbon Monoxide | Research & Development; concerning: "US Patent 4,668,349 - Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 by Square Planar Transition Metal Complexes; 1987; Assignee: The Standard Oil Company; Abstract: A process for the electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide comprises immersing a transition metal complex with square planar geometry into an aqueous or nonaqueous solution which has been acidified to a (specified) hydrogen ion concentration ... , adding the carbon dioxide, applying an electrical potential of from about -0.8 volts to about -1.5 volts ... , and reducing the carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide".).

The method ... wherein the cathode comprises a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst.

(Remember: The Hydrogen ions, the "protons", generated from H2O at the anode, will be migrating toward the cathode where Carbon Monoxide is being produced by the "electrochemical reduction of at least some of the carbon dioxide".)

Background and Field: The invention generally relates to devices and methods for the production of hydrocarbons from carbon and hydrogen sources, such as, the production of alcohols from gaseous, carbonaceous influents in the presence of water. Additionally, the invention relates to the production of hydrocarbons using hydrogen gas influents. The invention relates to production of hydrocarbons using electrolytic, plasma or ultrasonic energy.

The invention also generally relates to devices and methods for ... storing carbon dioxide as a liquid hydrocarbon based fuel; storing renewable energy; providing long-term, stable energy prices; and renewably producing hydrogen gas and hydrogen ions.

The present invention will make use of carbon dioxide as an influent, and in some methods sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The present invention also provides devices and methods for the clean production of hydrocarbons with a goal toward using those hydrocarbons as alternatives to fossil fuel consumption.

Summary: One embodiment of the invention is a device and method for the production of hydrocarbons using a carbon source and water as the hydrogen source in an electrolytic reaction. Another embodiment of the invention is a device and method for the production of hydrocarbons using a carbon source and water as the hydrogen source in an plasma assisted electrolytic reaction. Another embodiment of the invention is a device and method for the production of hydrocarbons using a carbon source and water as the hydrogen source in an sonochemical assisted electrolytic reaction. A further embodiment of the invention is a device and method for the production of hydrocarbons using gaseous hydrogen as a feed.

There is a need for ... devices and methods for providing energy in a form that is capable of immediately replacing existing fossil fuels used in internal combustion power sources such as automobile engines.

Additionally needed are devices and processes to store renewable energy in energy-dense, readily accessible formats. There also is a need for devices and processes to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and to store it in a liquid or solid (i.e. plastic) form ... .

(For some other folks' thoughts on how to go about converting Carbon Dioxide into "plastic", see:

West Virginia Coal Association | Bayer Is Converting Coal Power Plant CO2 Into Plastics | Research & Development; concerning: "Bayer Material Science CO2-to-Plastics Pilot Plant, Germany; In February 2011, Bayer MaterialScience started a new pilot plant (in the) North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany for producing plastics from carbon dioxide (CO2). It will be used to develop polyurethanes from the waste gas released during power generation".)

Accordingly, there is provided herein an electro-hydrocarbon device for the electrolytic production of hydrocarbons from gaseous, carbonaceous influents. The electro-hydrocarbon device comprises a first input for accepting a gaseous influent comprising at least one of carbon monoxide gas and carbon dioxide gas; a second input for accepting an influent selected from the group consisting of water-containing influents and hydrogen-containing influents; an electrical power source; a cathode connected to the electrical power source and exposed to the first input; an anode connected to the electrical power source and exposed to the second input; and an electrolyte connecting the anode and cathode. Electrical power from the electrical power source causes reduction of the gases at the cathode to form hydrocarbons.

There also is provided a process for the electrolytic production of hydrocarbons from gaseous, carbonaceous influents. The process comprises contacting a gaseous influent comprising at least one of carbon monoxide gas and carbon dioxide gas with a cathode; contacting an influent selected from the group consisting of water-containing influents and hydrogen-containing influents with an anode connected to the cathode by an electrolyte; and applying an electrical potential between the cathode and the anode. The electrical potential applied between the cathode and the anode causes reduction of the gases at the cathode to form hydrocarbons.

There further is provided another device for the electrolytic production of hydrocarbons from gaseous, carbonaceous influents. The device comprises a first input for accepting a gaseous influent, the gaseous influent comprising carbon dioxide gas; a second input for accepting an influent selected from the group consisting of water-containing influents and hydrogen-containing influents; a deoxygenation device connected to the first input and that is capable of reducing at least some of the carbon dioxide gas in the gaseous influent to produce carbon monoxide gas; and an electro-hydrocarbon device connected to the deoxygenation device and the second input and that is capable of reducing at least some of the carbon monoxide gas and any remaining carbon dioxide gas to produce hydrocarbons.

Additionally provided is a process for sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing carbon dioxide in a liquid fuel ... . The process comprises collecting carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere; treating the carbon dioxide gas with a deoxygenation device that is capable of reducing at least some of the carbon dioxide gas in the gaseous influent to produce carbon monoxide gas; and treating the carbon monoxide gas and any remaining carbon dioxide gas with an electro-hydrocarbon device that is capable of reducing at least some of the carbon monoxide gas and any remaining carbon dioxide gas to produce hydrocarbons.

A process for storing renewable energy also is provided. The process comprises producing electrical energy from a renewable energy source and treating a gaseous influent comprising at least one of carbon monoxide gas and carbon dioxide gas with an electro-hydrocarbon device that is capable of reducing at least some of the gaseous influent to produce hydrocarbons. The electro-hydrocarbon device utilizes the electric energy produced from the renewable energy source.

A combined deoxygenation/electro-hydrocarbon device also may be used for the electrolytic production of hydrocarbons from gaseous, carbonaceous influents. The combined deoxygenation/electro-hydrocarbon device may comprise a first input for accepting a gaseous influent, the gaseous influent comprising carbon dioxide gas; a second input for accepting an influent selected from the group consisting of water-containing influents and hydrogen-containing influents; a deoxygenation device connected to the first input and that is capable of reducing at least some of the carbon dioxide gas in the gaseous influent to produce carbon monoxide gas; and an electro-hydrocarbon device connected to the deoxygenation device and the second input and that is capable of reducing at least some of the carbon monoxide gas and any remaining carbon dioxide gas to produce hydrocarbons.

The carbon dioxide gas that is processed by the deoxygenation devices described herein may be obtained from a variety of sources including, but not limited to, the atmosphere, industrial combustion processes, and syngas. Like the gaseous influent described previously in regards to the electro-hydrocarbon devices, the influent to the deoxygenation devices may be pre-treated in order to remove undesirable contaminants and/or inerts that might detrimentally affect the functioning of the devices."

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

We'll close our excerpts there. The full Disclosure is comprehensive and detailed; and, it even explains to some extent the generation and use of "ultrasonic energy", which isn't, strictly speaking, required, to help facilitate the process.  Our headline, "Canada Converts CO2 into Alcohol", is only partially correct. The full Disclosure also reveals how a range of hydrocarbon products, such the "plastics" we highlighted in the body of our excerpts, can be synthesized from Carbon Dioxide.

Note that the hydrocarbon synthesis portion of the process is effected by a "Fischer-Tropsch" catalyst that is an integral part of the cathode, and, in at least one report to follow, we will be documenting again how the application of electrical potential can help to facilitate and improve the hydrocarbon synthesis activity in a Fischer-Tropsch process.

Note, as well, that "plasma" energy can used in addition to electric potential and "ultrasonic energy", and, by way of reference, we remind you of our report:

West Virginia Coal Association | Exxon CO2 and Methane to Syngas via Microwave Radiation | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 5,266,175 - Conversion of Methane, CO2 and H2O Using Microwave Radiation; 1993; Exxon Research and Engineering Company; Abstract: A mixture of methane, water and carbon dioxide can be effectively converted to carbon monoxide and hydrogen by subjecting the mixture to microwave radiation in the presence of at least one plasma initiator that is capable of initiating an electric discharge in an electromagnetic field";

which, in confirmation of other, similar technologies developed in Switzerland about which we've reported, relates how microwave-promoted plasma discharges can lessen the energy required to break H2O and CO2, and, in some cases, as above, "methane", down into their components, and to then recombine those components into desirable products.

All in all, the full Disclosure of "United States Patent 8,277,631 - The Production of Hydrocarbons from Carbon and Hydrogen Sources", issued less than two weeks ago, should be seen and thought of as a rather comprehensive dissertation confirming our oft-stated thesis, that:

Carbon Dioxide, as it arises in only a small way, relative to some natural processes, such as volcanism, from our essential use of Coal in the generation of abundant, reliable and genuinely affordable electric power, is a valuable raw material resource. As affirmed herein by technical experts employed by all of us US citizens, in the United States Patent and Trademark office, we can reclaim Carbon Dioxide from whatever convenient source and, as fully explained by accomplished Canadian scientists, convert that Carbon Dioxide efficiently into a range of "hydrocarbons", "alcohols", and, even, "plastics