United States Patent Application: 0140174916
Ludicrous.
That's the only word we think adequately describes all the squalling over, the morbid fascination with, the looming EPA restrictions of, and rules concerning, "carbon emissions" from our economically vital, our economically essential, Coal-fired power generation industries.
Both the EPA's actions/pending actions and the shrieks of Coal Country outrage and alarm over them distract from, and hide the truth embodied in, one simple statement, i.e.:
Carbon Dioxide is a valuable raw material resource which can be effectively harvested and then be efficiently consumed in the synthesis of needed hydrocarbon fuels.
The simple fact of that statement has been indisputably known to the United States Government since the bicentennial of United States independence, as seen in our report of:
USDOE 1976 Atmospheric CO2 to Methanol | Research & Development | News; concerning: "United States Patent 3,959,094 - Electrolytic Synthesis of Methanol from CO2; 1976; Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy; Abstract: A method and system for synthesizing methanol from the CO2 in air using electric power".
But, if we common US citizens are too poorly educated, or too blindly conditioned, to react constructively; and, if we would prefer to react - - instead of intellectually and productively - - reflexively and spastically, out of fear and in anger, with unfocused squeals of protest about corruption at the US EPA; and, the incompetence of climatologists and global warming alarmists; and, the indisputable duplicity of our United States Government in hiding facts it, itself, via "United States Patent 3,959,094", established, so be it.
Saudi Arabia, OPEC, sees things pretty clearly, and is proceeding and conducting their affairs according to the facts.
And, not only will they continue to eat our lunch, they soon will be seasoning it with Carbon Dioxide.
We're going to keep this brief. We have many times documented that various Saudi Arabian companies and universities have developed all the technology they need to convert Carbon Dioxide into fuel alcohols, all sorts of synthetic hydrocarbons, and, even, synthetic petroleum; and, that, in concert with the German engineering firm, the Linde Group, the company Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation are now building a factory somewhere outside Riyadh to do precisely that.
One of our prior reports concerning Saudi Arabia's CO2-to-Hydrocarbon technologies and achievements is accessible via:
Saudi Arabia Converts Exhaust Gas CO2 into Hydrocarbons | Research & Development | News; and centered on:
"United States Patent 8,596,047 - Vehicle Electrocatalyzer for Recycling Carbon Dioxide to Fuel Hydrocarbons; December 3, 2013; Inventors: R. A. K. Shawabkeh, et. al., Saudi Arabia; Assignees: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology";
and contained as well additional information concerning:
"United States Patent Application 20130256123 - Electrocatalyst for Electrochemical Conversion of Carbon Dioxide; October 3, 2013; Inventors: Saleem Ur Rahman, et. al., Saudi Arabia and India; Assignees: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals; Saudi Arabia; Abstract: An electrocatalyst for the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons is provided. The electrocatalyst for the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide includes copper material supported on carbon nanotubes. The copper material may be pure copper, copper and ruthenium, copper and iron, or copper and palladium supported on the carbon nanotubes. The electrocatalyst is prepared by dissolving copper nitrate trihydrate in deionized water to form a salt solution. Carbon nanotubes are then added to the salt solution to form a suspension, which is then heated. A urea solution is added to the suspension to form the electrocatalyst in solution. The electrocatalyst is then removed from the solution. In addition to dissolving the copper nitrate trihydrate in the deionized water, either iron nitrate monohydrate, ruthenium chloride or palladium chloride may also be dissolved in the deionized water to form the salt solution. Claims: An electrocatalyst for electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide, comprising a copper catalyst material supported on carbon nanotubes. Background and Field: The present invention relates to electrochemical catalysts, and particularly to an electrocatalyst for the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons, such as methanol and methane".
And, herein, we learn that, just today, our United States Government published yet more information concerning yet more Saudi Arabian advancements in the electro-catalytic chemical "reduction" of Carbon Dioxide, for the purpose, we must conclude, of synthesizing even more fuel alcohol "methanol" and additional synthetic natural gas "methane", from Carbon Dioxide.
Comment follows excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"US Patent Application 2014174916 - Catalytic Composition for the Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide
Date: June 26, 2014
Inventors: Saleem Ur Rahman, et. al., Saudi Arabia
Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
Abstract: The catalytic composition for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide is a metal oxide supported by multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The metal oxide may be nickel oxide (NiO) or tin dioxide (SnO2). The metal oxides form 20 weight percent of the catalyst. In order to make the catalysts, a metal oxide precursor is first dissolved in deionized water to form a metal oxide precursor solution. The metal oxide precursor solution is then sonicated and the solution is impregnated in a support material composed of multi-walled carbon nanotubes to form a slurry. The slurry is then sonicated to form a homogeneous solid solution. Solids are removed from the homogeneous solid solution and dried in an oven for about 24 hours at a temperature of about 110 C. Drying is then followed by calcination in a tubular furnace under an argon atmosphere for about three hours at a temperature of 450 C: .
(The above "sonicated" just means they're using ultrasound to mix the "slurry" well, on a microscopic level. It is understood and practiced technology. See: .
Sonication - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.)
Claims: A catalytic composition for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, comprising a metal oxide supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes, wherein the metal oxide comprises about 20 weight percent of the catalytic composition (and) wherein the metal oxide comprises nickel oxide (NiO) (and, an) electrode for electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (coated with that composition).
The catalytic composition for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide ... wherein the metal oxide comprises tin dioxide (SnO2) (and, an) electrode for electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide having the composition (specified) coated thereon;
A method of making a catalytic composition for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, comprising the steps (as described).
Background and Field: The present invention relates to catalytic coatings for electrodes for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, and particularly to a catalytic composition for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide that provides metal oxide catalysts for performing the reduction of carbon dioxide, where the metal oxides are supported by multi-walled carbon nanotubes".
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As we said, we're keeping this one brief. The full Disclosure is given over to a complete dissertation concerning how to process the raw materials and how to make the coatings and the coated electrodes that enable the efficient "electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide" to synthesize, we must assume, as in the electrochemical Carbon Dioxide reduction process disclosed in the above-cited "United States Patent Application 20130256123 - Electrocatalyst for Electrochemical Conversion of Carbon Dioxide", such products as the specified "methane" and "methanol".
And, rather than documenting for you, as we already many times have, how "methane", as perhaps made, as herein, from CO2, can be reacted with more Carbon Dioxide, to form a hydrocarbon synthesis gas that can be catalytically condensed, as via the Fischer-Tropsch process, into liquid hydrocarbons; or, how "methanol", as perhaps made, as herein, from CO2, can be directly converted, as via ExxonMobil's "MTG"(r) technology, into Gasoline, we'll just close by expressing some things we've begun to consider:
Is is possible, even now probable, given that none of the above information has been disseminated publicly or openly discussed, especially in US Coal Country, that, instead of practical, productive, profitable solutions that would be good for darned-near everyone, we actually, as a group, as a people, prefer bickering, conflict and narrow political gamesmanship?
The latter is easy and entertaining, of course, and maybe we've fallen into the habit of it, while the former, though actually getting some good things done for all us, would at the same time necessitate that we get off our dead cans, start to cooperate a little bit, and do some actual work.
And, maybe it would require some moral courage, too, some genuine commitment to ideals and to the truth, all of which, nowadays, as has been tragically demonstrated in other, personal and direct, ways to us here, seems to be in dreadfully short supply.
We continue to pray that we're wrong about all of that; but, it's getting time for some heroes and heroines to stand up and come forth.