We've previously documented, as, for one example, in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | GE and USDOE Harvest CO2 for Hydrocarbon Synthesis | Research & Development; concerning, in part: "United States Patent Application 20070149392 - Reactor for Carbon Dioxide Capture and Conversion; 2007; Inventors: Anthony Yu-Chung Ku, et. al., NY; Correspondence Address (and presumed Assignee of Rights): General Electric Company, NY; Abstract: Disclosed herein is a multifunctional catalyst system (that) facilitates the reduction of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide while the second catalyst initiates or facilitates the conversion of carbon monoxide to an organic compound. Disclosed herein is a method comprising reducing carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide in a first reaction catalyzed by a first catalyst; and reacting carbon monoxide with hydrogen in a second reaction catalyzed by second catalyst; wherein ... the second catalyst initiates or facilitates the conversion of carbon monoxide to an organic compound ... (and) wherein the organic compound is an ... alcohol (and/or) paraffins, olefins, oxygenates, or the like, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing organic molecules";
that, the rather well-known General Electric Company has been at work developing technology that would enable the productive recycling of Carbon Dioxide in the production of alcohols and hydrocarbons.
In the General Electric Carbon Dioxide recycling processes, elemental, molecular Hydrogen is required to effect the chemical reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Carbon Monoxide, and the subsequent, integral hydrogenation of the product Carbon Monoxide to form "alcohol (and/or) paraffins," etc.
Herein, we document that GE has been thorough in their development of that technology, even to devising economical methods for generating the needed Hydrogen.
As seen, with comment and one additional link concerning their Hydrogen production technology appended, in excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"United States Patent 7,820,022 - Photoelectrochemical Cell and Method of Manufacture
Patent US7820022 - Photoelectrochemical cell and method of manufacture - Google Patents
Photoelectrochemical cell and method of manufacture - General Electric Company
Date: October 26, 2010
Inventor: Thomas McNulty and Lifeng Zhang, NY
Assignee: General Electric Company, NY
Abstract: A photoelectrochemical cell may include a cell housing defining an interior volume with a window affixed to the cell housing for allowing the passage of light into the interior volume of the cell. A polymeric film may be affixed within the interior volume defining an anterior compartment and a posterior compartment within the cell housing. A plurality of semiconductor particles embedded continuously within a through thickness of the polymeric film so that a first respective surface area of the plurality of semiconductor particles is exposed to the anterior portion of the cell and a second respective surface area of the plurality of semiconductor particles is exposed to the posterior portion of the cell. The membrane may be immersed within an electrolyte so that incident radiation on the semiconductor particles causes oxidation and reduction to occur within the cell to produce gaseous hydrogen and oxygen.
(We note that this, as suggested by our reports of:
West Virginia Coal Association | General Motors Uses Sunshine to Make Hydrogen | Research & Development; concerning, as only one out of several closely-related examples in that report: "United States Patent 7,892,407 - System and Sub-systems for Production and Use of Hydrogen; 2011; 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"; and:
West Virginia Coal Association | Japan Makes More Hydrogen from Water and Sunlight | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent Application 20110315545 - Hydrogen Generating Device; 2011; Assignee: Panasonic Corporation, (Japan); Abstract: A hydrogen generating device ... that includes a photoelectrode having an optical semiconductor, and that generates hydrogen through water decomposition by irradiation of the photoelectrode with light such as sunlight";
is far from the only confirmation of the fact that Hydrogen, H2, can be generated from Water, H20, in a "photoelectrochemical" reactor that uses simple light, freely-available sunshine, as the primary energy to drive the process.)
Claims: An apparatus for producing hydrogen, the apparatus comprising: a housing defining an interior volume; a window integral to the housing allowing the passage of incident radiation into the interior volume; an opaque membrane having a first side and a second side affixed within the housing, wherein the membrane divides the interior volume defined by the housing into an anterior compartment exposed to incident light passing through the window, and a posterior compartment, wherein the membrane prevents incident light from passing into the posterior compartment; and a plurality of photoelectrochemical particles embedded within the opaque membrane, wherein individual particles of the plurality of photoelectrochemical particles have a first surface area exposed to the anterior compartment on the first side of the opaque membrane and a second surface area exposed to the posterior compartment on the second side of the opaque membrane.
The apparatus (wherein) the photoelectrochemical particles comprising a powder selected from the group of powder particles comprising Titanium Dioxide, Strontium-Titanium Trioxide (and others, specified) and wherein the the photoelectrochemical particles comprising an n-type semiconductor powder or ... p-type semiconductor powder.
(If you're anything like us, terminology like "n-type semiconductor powder or ... p-type semiconductor" probably causes you to say: "What? Yeah ... right". But, stuff like that is well-known to people who work with modern electronics. For a brief introduction, see:
n-type semiconductor - definition of n-type semiconductor by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.; "n-type semiconductor - a semiconductor in which electrical conduction is due chiefly to the movement of electrons"; and:
p-type semiconductor - definition of p-type semiconductor by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.; "p-type semiconductor - a semiconductor in which electrical conduction is due chiefly to the movement of positive holes".
For a broader discussion, see:
Semiconductor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; "A semiconductor is a material which has electrical conductivity between that of a conductor such as copper and an insulator such as glass. The conductivity of a semiconductor increases with increasing temperature, behavior opposite to that of a metal. Semiconductors can display a range of useful properties such as passing current more easily in one direction than the other. Because the conductive properties of a semiconductor can be modified by controlled addition of impurities or by the application of electrical fields or light, semiconductors are very useful devices for amplification of signals, switching, and energy conversion. Understanding the properties of semiconductors relies on quantum physics to explain the motions of electrons through a lattice of atoms. Current conduction in a semiconductor occurs via free electrons and "holes", collectively known as charge carriers. Adding impurity atoms to a semiconducting material, known as "doping", greatly increases the number of charge carriers within it. When a doped semiconductor contains excess holes it is called "p-type", and when it contains excess free electrons it is known as "n-type". The semiconductor material used in devices is doped under highly controlled conditions to precisely control the location and concentration of p- and n-type dopants. A single semiconductor crystal can have multiple p- and n-type regions; the p-n junctions between these regions have many useful electronic properties".
Probably, the kid with no sun tan and spiked hair working a summer job down at Radio Shack could tell you all about it. Thing is, this is quite real technology which, in other areas of endeavor, like high-tech electronics and computers, is well-known and has been reduced to commercial, industrial practice.)
The apparatus ... further comprising the opaque membrane partitioning the interior volume into an anterior compartment and a posterior compartment (and) whereby O2 is formed within the anterior compartment and H2 is formed within the posterior compartment (or) whereby H2 is formed within the anterior compartment and O2 is formed within the posterior compartment.
(You can design it, in other words, so that H2 and O2 are produced on whichever side of it you want.)
The apparatus ... (wherein) the opaque membrane (is) a polymeric material.
A photoelectrochemical cell comprising: a cell housing defining an interior volume; a window affixed to the cell housing; an opaque polymeric film affixed within the interior volume defining an anterior compartment and a posterior compartment within the cell housing, wherein the polymeric film prevents incident light from passing into the posterior compartment; and a plurality of semiconductor particles embedded continuously within a through thickness of the opaque polymeric film, wherein individual of the plurality of semiconductor particles has a first surface area exposed to the anterior compartment and a second surface area exposed to the posterior compartment.
The photoelectrochemical cell ... further comprising a coating of an electron-transfer catalyst on at least one surface area of the semiconductor particles (and wherein the) electron-transfer catalyst comprising a catalyst selected from the group of catalysts comprising Platinum, Nickel, a hydrogenase and an oxygenase.
(The jargon, again, is somewhat confusing, if not regrettable. And again, the terminology is well-understood in certain scientific disciplines; and, the processes, originating in biological organisms and cellular metabolism, have been adapted for technical use. See:
hydrogenase - definition of hydrogenase by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.; "An enzyme in certain microorganisms that catalyzes the hydrolysis or reduction of a substrate by molecular hydrogen";
oxygenase - definition of oxygenase by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.; "An oxidoreductase that catalyzes the incorporation of molecular oxygen into its substrate";
Hydrogenase - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; and: Oxygenase - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The "hydrogenase" and"oxygenase" are known natural and/or synthetic enzymes that facilitate the transfer of Hydrogen and Oxygen between various compounds, thus reducing the amount of energy needed to effect such transfer.)
Background and Field: This invention relates generally to an apparatus for producing hydrogen directly from solar energy. More particularly, this invention relates to hydrogen production using a photoelectrochemical cell having a particulate-loaded thermoplastic film membrane within an interior cavity of the cell.
Various configurations of photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells are known in the art with the fundamental objective of converting light energy into chemical energy in the form of hydrogen. One such configuration uses a single photo anode and a metal counter electrode immersed in an aqueous electrolyte for the electrolysis of water. When light is incident on the semiconductor electrode, it absorbs part of the light and generates electricity. This electricity is then used for the electrolysis of water.
PEC cells may use various types of thin film semiconducting materials that are photoactive and which may be fabricated using numerous techniques. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,091 discloses numerous techniques for fabricating semiconducting photo anodes including a method of preparing thick film TiO2 photo anodes.
(United States Patent: 4524091 - "Preparing TiO2 Thick Film Photoanodes for Photoelectrochemical Cells". Again, this is an established industrial technology. We don't have to wait for the aliens to land and teach us how to do it.)
The thick film photo anodes are prepared from a paste consisting of a TiO2 powder dispersed in a liquid organic vehicle. The thick film is screen-printed and fired on a ceramic substrate, e.g. of 96% alumina. A layer of screen-printed thick film conductor is also provided as a conducting path to a counter electrode in the PEC cell."
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We know that all of this is overly-technical and it's relationship to the recycling of Carbon Dioxide and to the conversion of Coal into hydrocarbons might seem of secondary importance. Be assured that the economical generation of Hydrogen for such processes is, indeed, crucial to overcoming the "cost" objections of Coal conversion and CO2 recycling negativists. Those objections are reflexive and, especially given now the extraordinary costs of imported petroleum to our economy and society, groundless. But, we must deal with them, nonetheless. To that end, following is documentation of related Hydrogen generation technology developed by General Electric, which, though patented earlier, might be seen as somewhat derivative of the above "United States Patent 7,820,022 - Photoelectrochemical Cell and Method of Manufacture".
Comment follows brief excerpts from:
"United States Patent: 7481914 - Photoelectrolysis Cells, and Related Devices and Processes
Patent US7481914 - Photoelectrolysis cells, and related devices and processes - Google Patents
Date: January, 2009
Inventors: Thomas McNulty and Anant Setlur, NY
Assignee: General Electric Company, NY
Abstract: A photoelectrolysis cell is described herein. The cell includes a photoelectrode based on a material having the general formula (as specified, including) at least one lanthanide element; (and,) at least one alkaline earth metal ... . The photoelectrolysis cell further includes a counter-electrode formed from at least one metal or metallic alloy. An electrolyte which is in contact with both the photoelectrode and the counter-electrode is another component of the cell, along with a means for collecting hydrogen produced by the cell. A related process for producing hydrogen in a photoelectrolysis cell is also described.
Claims: A photoelectrolysis cell, comprising: (a) a photoelectrode, ... comprising ... at least one lanthanide element selected from the group consisting of cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, yttrium and scandium (and) an alkaline earth metal selected from the group consisting of calcium, strontium, barium; and combinations thereof; (and) a counter-electrode comprising at least one metallic material; (and) an electrolyte in contact with both the photoelectrode and the counter-electrode; and,means for collecting hydrogen produced by the cell.
Description: This invention relates generally to the production of hydrogen and oxygen by the electrolysis of water. In some specific embodiments, the invention is directed to the production of hydrogen by the photoelectrolysis of water, using solar radiation."
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Basically, General Electric has provided us with a complete process and system that uses environmental energy, "solar radiation", to generate Hydrogen, H2, and commercially-valuable Oxygen, O2, from Water.
And, even though the Oxygen can be used in a process like that seen in:
West Virginia Coal Association | Texaco 1951 Coal + CO2 + H2O + O2 = Syngas | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 2,558,746 - Carbon Monoxide and Other Gases from Carbonaceous Materials; 1951; Assignee: The Texas Company, NYC; Abstract: This invention relates ... to a process and apparatus for the generation of a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, suitable as a feed for the synthesis of hydrocarbons, from powdered coal. ... The present invention is concerned with the generation of a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen (and) is particularly suited to the production of a feed gas for the synthesis of hydrocarbons (and) the method and apparatus is especially useful when powdered coal is used as the feed material. An object of this invention is to provide a process for the generation of carbon monoxide and hydrogen (and) to provide a process particularly suited to the generation of a feed gas for the synthesis of hydrocarbons from coal. In the gasification of carbonaceous material with oxygen, particularly solid fuels, the reaction between oxygen and fuel results in the production of carbon dioxide ... . The oxidation reaction, being highly exothermic, releases large quantities of heat. The carbon dioxide, so produced, in contact with hot carbon, in turn, reacts with the carbon to produce carbon monoxide. Steam also reacts with heated carbon to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen";
to help generate a CO2-free synthesis gas suitable "for the synthesis of hydrocarbons from coal", the Hydrogen is of special interest, since it can not only be used, as seen in:
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; Abstract: Coal ... is converted into lower molecular weight liquid hydrocarbons by contacting (it) with a hydrogen-donor solvent ... and molecular hydrogen";
in the production of more "liquid hydrocarbons" from Coal, it can also, as seen for yet another example in:
West Virginia Coal Association | USDOE CO2 + Hydrogen = Methanol and Ethanol | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 7,858,667 - Alcohol Synthesis from CO or CO2; 2010; Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute, WA; ('United States Department of Energy; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Proudly operated by Battelle since 1965'); Abstract: Methods for producing alcohols from CO or CO2 and H2 utilizing a palladium-zinc (Pd--Zn) on alumina catalyst are described. Ethanol, higher alcohols, and other C2+ oxygenates can be produced ... . A portion of this work was funded by the U.S. DOE ... under Contract DE-AC06-76RL01830. Claims: A method of synthesizing alcohols from CO or CO2 comprising: flowing a reactant gas mixture comprising H2 and CO orCO2 into contact with a catalyst; wherein the catalyst comprises a Pd--Zn alloy dispersed on alumina; and forming an alcohol or alcohols (and) wherein the alcohol ... consists essentially of methanol (or) wherein ... ethanol is the principle alcohol"; enable the productive recycling of Carbon Dioxide, as well.