United States Patent: 8288446
We earlier reported that Saudi Arabia, in concert with at least one scientist in Texas, had devised a way to convert Carbon Dioxide, reclaimed from whatever source, into what would be an endless supply of, essentially, in the final analysis, petroleum.
Actually, the crown jewel of OPEC's turban, and their Texan collaborator, invented a process that converts Carbon Dioxide into hydrocarbon synthesis gas, which can then be catalytically and chemically condensed, through a number of known and practiced chemical processes, such as the venerable Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, into a full range of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons that have been conventionally derived from petroleum.
Our reorts on that topic include:
West Virginia Coal Association | Saudia Arabia & Texas Recycle More CO2 | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent Application 20100105962 - Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide into Syngas Mixture; April 29, 2010; Inventors: Agaddin Mamedov, Texas, and Abdulaziz Al-Jodai, Riyadh; Assignee: Saudi Basic Industries Corporation; Abstract: The invention relates to a process of making a syngas mixture containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, comprising a step of contacting a gaseous feed mixture containing carbon dioxide and hydrogen with a catalyst, wherein the catalyst substantially consists of chromia/alumina. This process enables hydrogenation of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide with high selectivity, and good catalyst stability over time and under variations in processing conditions. The process can be applied separately, but can also be combined with other processes, for example up-stream with other synthesis processes for making products like aliphatic oxygenates, olefins or aromatics"; and:
West Virginia Coal Association | Saudi Arabia Coverts CO2 to Fuel | Research & Development; concerning:
"United States Patent Application Publication Number US2010/0190874A1; Catalytic Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide into Syngas Mixtures; Publication date: July 29, 2010; Inventors: Agaddin Mamedov, Texas, and Abdulaziz Al-Jodai, et. al., Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Abstract: The invention relates to a process of making a syngas mixture containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide comprising a step of contacting a gaseous feed mixture containing CO2 and hydrogen with a catalyst (thus enabling) hydrogenation of carbon dioxide (and which process can be) integrated with other ... synthesis processes for making ... alcohols. A further advantage of the process (makes it possible to vary the syngas composition so that it can be used) as a raw material in the synthesis of various other products (including) ethane, propane, ... dimethylether (and) methanol".
Our take on the two patent applications presented in those prior reports is that they represented an evolution of the technology taking place during, or in response to feedback received during, the patent application and review process itself; and, that the two documents represented, in essence, one technical process for which patent protection was being sought.
That might not, in fact, be the case. We are totally unequipped to run through the detailed technicalities for you, but, seemingly-slight differences in wording suggest that two, subtly different, Carbon Dioxide recycling technologies developed by Saudi Arabia might be represented by those two patent applications. And, we discover herein that the earlier of the two, "United States Patent Application 20100105962 - Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide into Syngas Mixture; April 29, 2010", has been thoroughly assessed by technical experts in the employ of our United States Government, and has very recently been judged by those experts to be a practical, viable way by which Carbon Dioxide, as recovered from whatever source, can be converted, via an initial production of hydrocarbon synthesis gas, into synthetic hydrocarbon liquids and gases, into literally anything, quite literally anything, that can be derived from natural petroleum or natural gas deposits.
Comment follows and is inserted within excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch, to the very recent:
"United States Patent 8,288,446 - Catalytic Hydrogenation of CO2 into Syngas Mixture
Catalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide into syngas mixture - Saudi Basic Industries Corporation
Date: October 16, 2012
Inventors: Agaddin Mamedov, Texas, and Abdulaziz Al-Jodai, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Assignee: Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, Riyadh
Abstract: The invention relates to a process of making a syngas mixture containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, comprising a step of contacting a gaseous feed mixture containing carbon dioxide and hydrogen with a catalyst, wherein the catalyst substantially consists of chromia/alumina. This process enables hydrogenation of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide with high selectivity, and good catalyst stability over time and under variations in processing conditions. The process can be applied separately, but can also be combined with other processes, for example up-stream with other synthesis processes for making products like aliphatic oxygenates, olefins or aromatics.
Claims: A process of making a syngas mixture containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, comprising a step of contacting a gaseous feed mixture containing carbon dioxide and hydrogen with a catalyst, consisting essentially of chromium as active substituent, optionally at least one alkali metal or alkaline earth metal as promoter, and alumina as support.
The process ... wherein the catalyst contains from 5 to 30 mass % of chromium.
The process ... wherein the catalyst comprises from 0.2 to 30 mass % of at least one member selected from the group consisting of Lithium, Potassium, Cesium and Strontium.
The process ... wherein the catalyst is a spent chromia/alumina dehydrogenation catalyst.
(The specified "dehydrogenation catalyst" is well-known in the petroleum refining/hydrocarbon processing industries; and, processes of "dehydrogenation" can, for instance, as seen in:
http://www.nacatsoc.org/18nam/Posters/P103-Oxidative%20dehydrogenation%20of%20ethane%20to%20ethylene.pdf; concerning the: "Oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene with CO2 as an oxidant over chromium oxide supported on high-silica H-ZSM-5; National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST); Tokyo, Japan; Catalytic dehydrogenation of ethane and other light alkanes (C3, C4) is currently being extensively studied as a new energy-saving method for producing light olefins.
Carbon dioxide is a promising oxidant for dehydrogenation of ethane. In the dehydrogenation reaction, CO2 is expected (1) to serve as a medium for supplying heat to the endothermic dehydrogenation reaction, (2) to increase equilibrium conversion by diluting light alkanes, and (3) to maintain the activity of the catalyst over a
long time by removing coke formed on the catalyst. We have found that the Cr/HZSM-5 catalysts are very active for the dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene in the presence of carbon dioxide";
be used to convert light hydrocarbons, in concert with some other interesting stuff, into more complex, more energy-dense hydrocarbons. And, dehydrogenation processes have utility in a wide variety of hydrocarbon "refining", or processing, operations and technologies, as seen in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | USDOE Pays Kentucky to Improve Fischer-Tropsch Coal Conversion | Research & Development; concerning, primarily:
"US Patent Application 20110294906 - Incorporation of Catalytic Dehydrogenation into Fischer-Tropsch
Synthesis to Lower Carbon Dioxide Emissions; 2011; Inventor: Gerald P. Huffman (University of Kentucky, College of Engineering; Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering); Abstract: A method for producing liquid fuels includes the steps of gasifying a starting material selected from a group consisting of coal, biomass, carbon nanotubes and mixtures thereof to produce a syngas, subjecting that syngas to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) to produce a hydrocarbon product stream, separating that hydrocarbon product stream into C1-C4 hydrocarbons and C5+ hydrocarbons to be used as liquid fuels and subjecting the C1-C4 hydrocarbons to catalytic dehydrogenation (CDH) to produce hydrogen and carbon nanotubes";
and, wherein "subjecting the C1-C4 hydrocarbons to catalytic dehydrogenation", by reference, follows the process disclosed by:
"US Patent 6,875,417 - Catalytic Conversion of Hydrocarbons to Hydrogen and High-Value Carbon; 2005;
Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation; Abstract: The present invention provides novel catalysts for accomplishing catalytic decomposition of undiluted light hydrocarbons to a hydrogen product, and methods for preparing such catalysts. In one aspect ... a process is provided for producing hydrogen from an undiluted light hydrocarbon reactant, comprising contacting the hydrocarbon reactant with a catalyst as described above in a reactor, and recovering a substantially carbon monoxide-free hydrogen product stream. In still yet another aspect, a process is provided for catalytic decomposition of an undiluted light hydrocarbon reactant to obtain hydrogen and a valuable multi-walled carbon nanotube coproduct."
The net effect of "catalytic dehydrogenation" can be the production of more energy-dense hydrocarbons from light, and lower value, hydrocarbons, i.e., "ethane to ethylene", or, the production of elemental Carbon, in various forms, some of which have value in and of themselves or which can be recycled back into a Coal or Carbon gasification process; and, the evolution of elemental, molecular Hydrogen, which can be directed into additional hydrogenation reactions with other intermediates to effect the synthesis of the desired end-product hydrocarbons. The evolved Hydrogen can also be used as these Saudi Basic Industries scientists further disclose in additional claims, not only for reactions with Carbon Dioxide, but, to regenerate spent catalyst, as well.)
The process ... wherein the spent catalyst has been pre-treated with a gaseous mixture containing hydrogen at about 500-700 C under atmospheric pressure during 1-8 hours.
(And, in the above, they quite possibly mean, as seems borne out by later claims, the treating of "spent catalyst" as received from a petroleum refining or natural gas reforming operation, as in our above references. However, there might well be a certain amount of Carbon deposition in this CO2-reforming process, as well, which could necessitate such a treatment for the catalyst.)
The process ... wherein the feed mixture contains hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a ratio of from 1 to 5 (and) wherein the feed mixture further comprises methane.
(Any added Methane would serve to increase, if desired, the Hydrogen to Carbon ratio of the product synthesis gas; and, in such a case, this process would become more akin to a "tri-reforming" technology, like that disclosed, for only one out of now many examples, in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | More Penn State CO2 Recycling with Methane | Research & Development; concerning, in part: "Catalytic Tri-reforming of Methane Using Flue Gas from Fossil Fuel-based Power Plants; The Pennsylvania State University, University; (A) new process for the production of synthesis gas (CO + H2) using CO2 in flue gas from fossil fuel-based electric power plants. The existing processes for synthesis gas production from methane ... include steam reforming, CO2 reforming, auto-thermal reforming, and partial oxidation, of methane";
and, again, any Methane that might be wanted for such use can, as seen for only one example in:
West Virginia Coal Association | Penn State Solar CO2 + H2O = Methane | Research & Development; concerning: "High-Rate Solar Photocatalytic Conversion of CO2 and Water Vapor to Hydrocarbon Fuels; The Pennsylvania State University; 2009; Efficient solar conversion of carbon dioxide and water vapor to methane";
be itself made from Carbon Dioxide.)
A process for making a chemical product using a syngas mixture as an intermediate or as feed material comprising a step of contacting a gaseous feed mixture containing carbon dioxide and hydrogen with a catalyst consisting of chromium as active substituent, optionally at least one alkali metal or alkaline earth metal as promoter, and alumina as support.
(If more Hydrogen is required, for this Carbon Dioxide chemical reduction process, than would be generated via an integral process like that of the above-cited "US Patent 6,875,417 - Catalytic Conversion of Hydrocarbons to Hydrogen and High-Value Carbon", a number of technologies exist, like that disclosed, for only one out of now many examples, in our report of:
More NASA Hydrogen from Water and Sunlight | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,051,005 - Photolytic Production of Hydrogen; 1977; Assignee: United Technologies Corporation; Government Interests: The invention described herein was made in the course of a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Abstract: Hydrogen and oxygen are produced from water in a process involving the photo-dissociation of molecular bromine with radiant energy at wavelengths within the visible light region. A process for producing hydrogen from water ... wherein the source of radiation is sunlight";
which enable the efficient and sustainable generation of Hydrogen from Water by harnessing a source of renewable, environmental energy to drive the process.)
Background and Description: The invention relates to a catalytic process for producing a syngas mixture from carbon dioxide, more specifically to a process of making a syngas mixture containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, comprising a step of contacting a gaseous feed mixture containing carbon dioxide and hydrogen with a chromium-containing catalyst.
In the past decades, numerous processes have been developed to produce synthesis gas, which is one of the most important feedstocks in the chemical industry. Syngas is a gaseous mixture containing hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO), which may further contain other gas components like carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), methane (CH4), and/or nitrogen (N2).
Syngas is successfully used as synthetic fuel and also in a number of chemical processes, such as synthesis of methanol or ammonia, Fischer-Tropsch type and other olefin syntheses, hydroformulation or carbonylation reactions, reduction of iron oxides in steel production, etc.
Such syngas processes frequently use methane as a main feed gas component, which can be converted to syngas by steam reforming, partial oxidation, CO2 reforming, or by a so-called auto-thermal reforming reaction. One of the disadvantages associated with syngas production by steam reforming of methane, which is the most widely applied process to produce syngas, is that the composition of the produced gas mixture is limited by the reaction stoichiometry to H2/CO ratios of 3 or higher. In order to avoid such drawback, and initiated as well by the strong influence that an increasing amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has on the environment, research has been conducted to manufacture syngas from carbon dioxide as a raw material; based on the known equilibrium reaction (generally referred to as the water gas shift (WGS) or more specifically, as in the present case, the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction):
CO2 + H2 = (in a reversible reaction) CO + H2O.
Conversion of CO2 to CO by a catalytic RWGS reaction has been recognized as a promising process for CO2 utilization, and has been subject of numerous studies in the past decades. ...
A drawback of the known process as disclosed in US 2003/0113244 A1 is the selectivity of the catalyst employed; that is methane formation from carbon dioxide is still observed as a side-reaction. In the illustrative example this is quantified as 0.8 vol % of methane being formed in the gas output of the reactor, at a degree of conversion of carbon dioxide of 40%.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a catalyst that shows improved selectivity in reducing carbon dioxide with hydrogen into a syngas mixture, with only very little methane formation, and with good catalyst stability.
(Note, in the above discussion, admission of technologies which exist for the conversion of Carbon Dioxide into Methane.)
This object is achieved according to the invention by contacting a gaseous feed mixture containing carbon dioxide and hydrogen with a catalyst that substantially consists of chromium as active constituent, optionally at least one alkali metal or alkaline earth metal as promoter, and alumina as support.
With the process according to the present invention carbon dioxide can be hydrogenated into carbon monoxide with high selectivity, the catalyst showing good stability over time and under variations in processing conditions. Especially forming of methane, via a so-called methanation reaction is suppressed; typically only trace amounts of methane are found in the syngas mixture formed by the process according to the invention.
Methanation reactions are the reactions that produce methane and water from a carbon source, such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, and hydrogen:
CO + 3H2 = CH4 + H2O (and) CO2 + 4H2 = CH4 + 2H2O.
In the process according to the present invention a product mixture is obtained containing an amount of formed methane of typically less than 0.5 vol % ... . The process according to the invention thus shows very high selectivity towards syngas, more specifically to forming CO; CO selectivity is typically higher than 95%, preferably higher than 98%, and most preferably higher than 99% or even 99.5%.
The process of the invention shows good catalyst stability, also at temperatures of about 600 C or above; meaning that the composition of the product mixture varies little over time.
A further advantage is that methane can be present in the feed mixture without affecting the reaction, and without being reacted itself; further demonstrating high selectivity of the catalyst used.
A further advantage of the process according to the invention is that the stoichiometric number (SN) of the syngas mixture obtained can be varied over a wide range, e.g. by varying the composition of the feed mixture. SN can, for example, vary from 0.5 to 3.0; making it possible to apply the syngas mixture obtained as a starting material in the synthesis of various other products; like alkanes, such as ethane, propane and iso-butane; aldehydes; ethers like dimethylether; or alcohols such as methanol. A further advantage is that the syngas made with the process of the invention can be applied without the need to separate excess H2.
A special advantage of the present invention is that also spent chromia/alumina dehydrogenation catalyst, that is a catalyst that has been used in an alkane dehydrogenation process and which shows a significantly decreased dehydrogenation activity, can be applied with above-indicated advantages.
Within the context of the present application, a catalyst that substantially consists of chromium as active constituent, optionally at least one alkali metal or alkaline earth metal as promoter, and alumina as support is understood to mean that chromium (in the form of its oxides) forms the active sites of the catalyst composition, and that no other metals are added as active species. The catalyst contains alumina as its support material, and may further comprise an alkali or alkaline earth metal as promoter, and other inert components, like a binder material, or usual impurities, as known to the skilled person. Such catalyst containing only chromium as active constituent, alumina as support and optionally an alkali or alkaline earth metal as promoter will also be referred to herein as chromia/alumina catalyst.
The Cr-content of the catalyst may vary within broad ranges. A certain minimum content is needed to reach a desired level of catalyst activity, but a high content will increase the chance of particle (active site) agglomeration, and reduce efficiency of the catalyst.
(Note that the Chromium, "Cr", serves only as a catalyst, and isn't "used up" to any appreciable extent in the process. Moreover, according to the US Geologic Survey, via:
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/chromium/mcs-2011-chrom.pdf; "World resources are greater than 12 billion tons of shipping-grade chromite, sufficient to meet conceivable demand for centuries";
there is plenty of it available.)
Preferably, the catalyst used ... further comprises from 0.1 to 50 mass % (metal content based on total mass of catalyst composition) of at least one alkali or alkaline earth metal, because this further suppresses coke formation, and thus improves catalyst stability/life-time. More preferably, said metal is selected from the group consisting of Lithium, Potassium, Cesium and Strontium. The advantage of such chromia/alumina catalysts comprising a promoter is that side-reactions in the process of the invention are even more effectively suppressed, especially methanation reactions. An additional advantage of these metals being present is that the catalyst is more robust, i.e. the support has better mechanical stability.
The catalyst used in the process according to the invention contains alumina as carrier or support material. Without wishing to be bound to any theory, it is believed that chemical interactions between chromium and alumina lead to special structural properties (e.g. spinel type structures) that enhance catalytic performance in the targeted reaction.
The catalyst that is used in the process of the invention may be prepared by any conventional catalyst synthesis method as known in the art (and) may be applied in the process of the invention in various geometric forms, for example as spherical pellets.
Preferably, the catalyst used in the process according to the invention is a chromia/alumina catalyst that has been used in an alkane dehydrogenation process, for example a propane or iso-butane dehydrogenation process. Such catalyst is referred to herein as spent dehydrogenation catalyst. Such spent catalyst is typically removed from a reactor, because the catalyst showed too low residual activity in said dehydrogenation process, most likely due to deactivation caused by coke formation, for continued use in said reactions. Coke deposition on the catalyst is generally thought to result in a change in physical properties of the catalyst particles, like a lower surface area and increased pore size; and the resulting decreased activity of the dehydrogenation catalyst cannot be increased again by a regeneration process. Regeneration with e.g. oxygen will remove coke, but will not restore the original structure. Such spent catalyst therefore has to be disposed of after its use in alkane dehydrogenation. It is therefore a great advantage and highly surprising that such spent dehydrogenation catalyst can be used in the process according to the invention, and that this process can be operated during prolonged times with good stability.
(The above is further confirmation that a "spent" catalyst from a petroleum refinery operation can be utilized to good effect in the conversion of Carbon Dioxide into hydrocarbon synthesis gas.)
Preferably, the spent chromia/alumina dehydrogenation catalyst has been pre-treated with a gaseous mixture containing hydrogen at about 500-700 C under atmospheric pressure during about 1 to 8 hours, before it is used as catalyst in the process according to the invention.
In the process according to the invention the step of contacting the gaseous feed mixture containing carbon dioxide and hydrogen with the catalyst can be performed over a wide temperature range. As the reaction is endothermic, a high temperature will promote conversion, but too high temperature may also induce unwanted reactions; therefore this step is preferably performed at a temperature (range specified).
The step of contacting the gaseous feed mixture containing carbon dioxide and hydrogen with a catalyst according to the process of the invention can be performed over a wide pressure range. A higher pressure tends to enable lower reaction temperatures, but very high pressures are not practical. In addition, high pressure will increase methane formation; therefore this step is preferably performed at a pressure above about atmospheric (as specified).
The contact time in the step of contacting the gaseous feed mixture containing carbon dioxide and hydrogen with a catalyst according to the process of the invention ... is preferably ... 2 to 4 seconds.
The process according to the invention can be performed in conventional reactors and apparatuses; which are for example also used in methane reforming reactions.
In the process according to the present invention, carbon dioxide is selectively converted into carbon monoxide by a reverse water gas shift reaction in the presence of a chromia/alumina catalyst. The resulting product of this CO2 hydrogenation process is a gas mixture containing carbon monoxide and water, and non-converted carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
The amount of hydrogen in the feed gas ... may vary widely, for example from n=1 to n=5, to result in a syngas composition, e.g. expressed as its H2/CO ratio or as the stoichiometric number (SN), which can consequently vary within wide limits. The advantage thereof is that the syngas composition can be adjusted and controlled to match the desired use requirements.
In a preferred embodiment the feed gas contains equimolar amounts of CO2 and H2 ... resulting in a syngas composition that (at complete conversion and water removal) mainly consists of CO; which syngas is very suited for use in carbonylation reactions, for example carbonylation of methanol into acetic acid.
In another preferred embodiment, the feed gas contains CO2 and H2 in molar ratio of 1:2 ... resulting in a syngas composition with H2/CO or SN of about 1; which can be advantageously used for producing oxygenates, like dimethyl ether.
(Such "dimethyl ether", if you recall some of our earlier posts, is, among other things, an admirable substitute for Diesel fuel, though some modification of engine fuel supply systems is required.)
In a further preferred embodiment the feed gas contains CO2 and H2 in molar ratio of 1:3 ..., resulting in a syngas composition with H2/CO or SN of about 2; which can be advantageously used in olefin or methanol synthesis processes.
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 or recycle gas stream, e.g. from a plant on the same site, like for example from ammonia synthesis, optionally with (non-catalytical) adjustment of the gas composition, or after recovering the carbon dioxide from a gas stream. Recycling such carbon dioxide as starting material in the process of the invention thus contributes to reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere (from a chemical production site). The carbon dioxide used as feed may also at least partly have been removed from the effluent gas of the RWGS reaction itself.
The hydrogen in the feed may also originate from various sources, including streams coming from other chemical processes, like ethane cracking, methanol synthesis, or conversion of methane to aromatics.
(Again, there are a lot of ways to go about getting any needed Hydrogen through the employment of freely available environmental energy in the splitting of Water, H2O. Another example is disclosed in:
West Virginia Coal Association | Chicago Hydrogen from H2O | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,793,910 - Photoelectrochemical Cell for Unassisted Photocatalysis; 1988; Assignee: Gas Research Institute; Abstract: A multielectrode photoelectrochemical cell ... which ... contains two bipolar electrode panels for photoelectrochemical reactions such as water photolysis to produce H2 (and) O2".)
The gaseous feed mixture comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen used in the process of the invention may further contain other gases, provided that these do not negatively affect the reaction.
The invention further relates to use of the syngas mixture obtained with the process according to the invention as feed material for a process of making a chemical product; like aliphatic oxygenates, especially methanol production, olefin synthesis (e.g. via Fischer-Tropsch reaction), aromatics production, carbonylation of methanol, carbonylation of olefins, or the reduction of iron oxide in steel production.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention ... concerns a process of making methanol via synthesis gas, comprising a step wherein carbon dioxide is hydrogenated according to the invention, to result in a syngas mixture of suitable stoichiometry; i.e. preferably having SN of about 2. For the step of making methanol from syngas in this process, any suitable synthesis process as known in the art can be applied."
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And, we'll close our excerpts there, and remind you, concerning the synthesis of Methanol from Carbon Dioxide, as immediately above, that, as seen in:
West Virginia Coal Association | ExxonMobil Coal to Methanol to Gasoline | Research & Development; concerning both: "United States Patent 4,348,486 - Production of Methanol via Catalytic Coal Gasification; 1982; Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company"; and the earlier companion: "United States Patent 4,035,430 - Conversion of Methanol to Gasoline; 1977; Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation";
once we have the Methanol, no matter which of our precious natural resources, whether, as above, Coal, or, as via the process of our subject herein, "United States Patent 8,288,446 - Catalytic Hydrogenation of CO2 into Syngas Mixture", Carbon Dioxide, we choose to make it from, that Methanol can then be efficiently converted into something we seem almost in desperate, so desperate we'll fight foreign OPEC wars to keep ourselves supplied with it, need of: Gasoline.
But, Methanol can as well be used as the raw material in the making of some types of plastics, wherein the CO2 consumed in the Methanol synthesis would be forever, and productively, chemically sequestered.
And, note that the synthesis gas generated by the process of our subject can also be made suitable for the direct production, through, for instance, the specified "Fischer-Tropsch reaction", into more conventional types of liquid hydrocarbon fuels; and, through other catalytic reactions, into a full range of other hydrocarbon products.
Need we say it again? Carbon Dioxide, as it arises in only a small way, relative to natural sources of emission, such as the earth's inexorable processes of vulcanism, from our economically essential use of Coal in the generation of abundant and truly affordable electric power, is a valuable raw material resource.
We can, as herein, collect Carbon Dioxide, from whatever convenient source, and then convert that Carbon Dioxide into the immensely-valuable alcohol, Methanol; and, further, if desired, through, or even instead of, Methanol, not only into Gasoline, but into a full range of hydrocarbon products we've been deceived into believing that we have to economically enslave ourselves, and indenture our children's future, to the foreign, even alien, powers of OPEC to keep ourselves supplied with in the here and now.
They, again as herein, know all of that to be true in Saudi Arabia and Texas.
Why is it that we have yet to be publicly informed of it here, in the heart of United States Coal Country?
