Europe to Recycle CO2

 

Excerpts from the enclosed link won't copy over well, so we'll summarize a bit of the information.
 
Several research organizations in Europe are, or were, collaborating on developments leading to a comprehensive technology for, as we have been documenting to be possible and, perhaps, practical, reclaiming Carbon Dioxide and converting it into fuels and chemicals.
 
The groups involved include:
 
The University of Messina, Italy
The Max Planck Institute, Germany
The University of Patras, Greece
Louis Pasteur University, France.
 
The formal title of their joint project is "Electrocatalytic Gas-Phase Conversion of CO2 in Confined Catalysts".
 
Details of the research objectives are stated, with some editing for concision, as:
 
"To demonstrate the feasibility of the ... conversion of CO2 to Fisher-Tropsch (FT) products (C1-C10 hydrocarbons and alcohols) as (an) alternative innovative process ... starting from CO2 instead of CO and 
having a selective supplying of energy which allow the tuning of the product distribution. Scientific objectives of the projects are to ... improve the selective use of energy and tune the catalytic performances;  demonstrate the feasibility of combining catalysts ... to develop new process options with possible potential applications in a range of other areas such as energy and chemical syntheses."
 
In other words, they are/were working to refine technologies for recycling, on an industrial basis, Carbon Dioxide into "Fischer-Tropsch  products (i.e., liquid fuel - JtM) having "applications in ... energy and chemical syntheses".
 
According to dates specified in the full document, the project was supposed to have been completed a few years ago, but we have so far been unable to locate a final report, or other data.
 
Like much of the information regarding the conversion of coal into liquid fuels and the recycling of Carbon Dioxide into fuels and chemicals, the trail heads are easy enough to find, but the trails themselves seem to vanish after you take a few steps into the woods. Thing is: If the end results of coal-to-liquid and CO2 recycling efforts were negative, don't you think that Big Oil and the environmentalists would trumpet them, and make certain we all knew it? But, if the end results were positive, what would you expect? We would expect them to smother the baby with a pillow, as quietly as possible, and bury it in the garden.
 
Look back on the historical and technical documentation concerning the coal-to-liquid and CO2-recycling technologies we've been able to unearth for you thus far, some dating back a century, or more, and draw your own conclusions. 

More Korean CO2 Recycling

 
 
We earlier told you of Korean CO2 recycling developments, and herein is further confirmation of the fact that Korea, where Japan situated one of their military's coal-to-liquid conversion factories, as we've documented, during WWII, is working productively to exploit the economic potential of coal industry's primary by-product, Carbon Dioxide.
 
The excerpt:
 
"The selective synthesis of lower olefins(C2 - C4) by CO2 hydrogenation

Ho Kim, Dae-Ho Choi, Sang-Sung Nam, Myung-Jae Choi and Kyu-Wan Lee

Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, P.O. Box 107, Yusong, Taejon 305-600, Korea

Iron catalysts promoted with potassium and supported on ion-exchanged zeolite were examined for catalytic activity and product selectivity in the CO2 hydrogenation. The catalysts were prepared by impregnating the support with iron nitrate followed by calcination and in-situ reduction with hydrogen and were characterized by (various) technique(s). ... (test conditions) significantly improved the hydrogenation yield and the C2-C4 olefins selectivity. (Other conditions) resulted in an increased amount of methane production."

"Hydrogenation" should be a term now familiar to all our readers. Generically, it's how Germany and Japan converted coal into liquid fuels for their militaries during WWII.

We don't have the expertise to adequately explain what "olefins" are, and what can be done with them. But, in brief, they are hydrocarbons which can be used as raw materials in the further synthesis of fuels and plastics. And, "methane", which can be produced in an "increased amount", should be familiar to all involved in the coal industry. It can be used as a gaseous fuel, or, through known technology, be further synthesized into more complex hydrocarbons.

Since we can, it seems, turn Carbon Dioxide into such valuable products, doesn't it make a lot more sense to do THAT, rather than to cripple our coal-use industries, through imposing wasteful, and essentially fraudulent, Cap & Trade taxation schemes on them; or, through forcing them to support the imperious oil industry by subsidizing depleted petroleum reservoir-scraping efforts; efforts disguised under the neutral and innocent-sounding technical label of Sequestration?

Taiwan Recycles CO2

 
 
We submit this technical article, from Taiwan, as additional confirmation of the facts that, not only can Carbon Dioxide, as arises from our varied uses of coal, be recycled on an industrial basis into other useful and profitable materials, such as herein, again, the valuable liquid fuel, and gasoline and plastics raw material, Methanol; but, that the technologies to accomplish such transmutations are well-known around the world, except, apparently, in the coal-producing regions of the United States. 
 
The excerpt:
 
"Synergistic Catalysis of Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation into Methanol
 
Authors: Wang, J.B.; Lee, H.K.; Huang, T.J
 
Affiliations: Department of Chemical Engineering, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC;
Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC

Source: Catalysis Letters, Volume 83, Numbers 1-2, October 2002 , pp. 79-86(8)

Abstract:

Methanol synthesis from carbon dioxide hydrogenation was studied over ceria/gamma-alumina- and yttria-doped ceria (YDC)/gamma-alumina-supported copper oxide catalysts to seek insight into the catalysis at metal–support interfaces. It was found that, in comparison with Cu/gamma-Al2O3, the Cu/CeO2/gamma-Al2O3gamma-Al2O3 catalysts exhibited substantial enhancement in activity and selectivity toward methanol formation. The extent of enhancement was augmented by increased ceria loading on gamma-alumina and with increased yttria doping into ceria. The enhancement is inferred to result from the synergistic effect between copper oxide and surface oxygen vacancies of ceria." and Cu/YDC/

We won't attempt getting into the esoterics of "ceria" and "yttria" catalyst doping. However, we note the "enhancement ... (of) ... methanol formation" from Carbon Dioxide. In other words, we know how to do it. We know how to reclaim and recycle Carbon Dioxide into products of value; and, we're getting better at it.

Makes a lot more sense, doesn't it, than trying to drill a deeper, and more expensive, rat hole to pump it all down; or, than attempting to tax our coal-use industries out of existence for co-producing it

Exxon Recycles CO2

 
Not many people in Coal Country, aside from those who've been following the WV Coal Association's R&D Blog, have heard of Exxon-Mobil's MTG (r) - i.e., methanol-to-gasoline, wherein the methanol is synthesized from coal - Process.
 
But, it is just another of the several technologies that do exist to transform our abundant coal into the liquid fuels we're short of; another of the several that have fallen, apparently, into the hands of Big Oil, and thus into an obscuring pit of apparent non-existence.
 
We've documented from multiple sources that Iron Group metals can be effective catalysts for the conversion of "syngas", generated from coal, into more complex hydrocarbon liquids that can be refined into conventional liquid fuels.
 
Exxon, unfortunately Exxon, has discovered that those same Iron Group metals, as we've documented from other sources, can serve to catalyze the condensation and conversion of Carbon Dioxide, CO2, as well, into liquid hydrocarbon fuel precursors.
 
The excerpt: 
 
"Iron catalyzed CO2 hydrogenation to liquid hydrocarbons 

Rocco A. Fiato, E. Iglesia, G.W. Rice and S.L. Soled

Exxon Research and Engineering Company, Florham Park, New Jersey 07932 USA


Many of the catalysts which are useful in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis are also capable of catalyzing the hydrogenation of CO2 to hydrocarbons. Our structure-function studies have shown that it is possible to control the selectivity of CO2 hydrogenation by specific iron-based catalysts to generate yields of C5 + hydrocarbons that are comparable to those produced with conventional CO based feedstocks."

Some things it might be thought-provoking to note: "Many ... catalysts ... are useful in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis", for instance, implies that scientists have identified many substances that will convert coal-derived synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons. And, we realize it's not obvious, but, by "conventional CO based feedstocks", we are compelled to presume they mean Carbon Monoxide generated by coal gasification in a low-oxygen atmosphere. Where else would they get CO? And, once again, through describing coal-based syngas, by inference, as a component of "conventional ... feedstocks", these Exxon researchers reveal that the knowledge of such conversion technologies is, in certain circles, common and routine.

Japan Recycles CO2 with CoalTL Catalysts

 
We submit the enclosed article as further evidence that the conversion of coal AND the recycling of CO2, as arises from varied uses of coal, as well as many other sources, into liquid fuels can be accomplished via interrelated and synergistic technologies.
 
The excerpt, with additional comment following:
 
"Title: 'Hydrogenation of carbon dioxide over Fe-ZnO/HY composite catalyst'
 
Authors: F. Mashito; A. Hisanori; X. Qiang - Osaka National Research Institute, Ikeda, Osaka, Japan
 
Date: December, 1996
 
Source: American Chemical Society, Division of Fuel Chemistry; Journal Volume: 41; Journal Issue: 4; Aug 1996 
 
Abstract:
 
Fe-based catalysts are often used for various fields of catalytic reactions. F-T (Fischer-Tropsch) reaction is a representative example. It is well known that the Schulz-Anderson-Flory law determines the distribution of hydrocarbons in F-T reaction. To overcome this limitation, the composite catalysts comprised of Fe-based catalyst and zeolite have been examined. Although these composite catalysts produced branched hydrocarbons and improved the selectivity of hydrocarbons, the distribution was essentially restricted by the Schulz-Anderson-Flory law in almost cases. We have already reported that hydrocarbons were obtained efficiently from carbon dioxide and hydrogen over another type of the composite catalysts which are prepared by the physical mixing of Cu-based catalysts and zeolite. This catalytic system combining methanol synthesis and MTG (Methanol-to-Gasoline) reaction presents a novel method for hydrocarbon synthesis which is free from the Schulz-Anderson-Flory law. We recently found that, in the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide, Fe-ZnO/HY composite catalyst produced hydrocarbons with a similar distribution to the composite catalysts comprised of Cu-Zn-chromate and zeolite, while Fe-ZnO catalyst acted as a typical F-T catalyst to afford hydrocarbons with the Schulz-Anderson-Flory distribution. This presentation describes the entire studies of the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide over Fe-ZnO/HY."
 
We'll note, first, that we have no idea what the "Schulz-Anderson-Flory" "distribution" and/or "law" might be. But, whatever it/they are, it is, apparently, "well known" that the "law determines the distribution of hydrocarbons in F-T reaction".
 
Now, by "F-T reaction", the authors refer to the Fischer-Tropsch process for synthesizing liquid transportation fuels from coal. That hasn't been made too "well known" to those of us in coal country, has it? So, it's no surprise that we've never heard of "Schulz-Anderson-Flory".
 
But, it doesn't matter. The point of this Japanese research report is that CO2 can be recovered and converted into liquid hydrocarbon transportation fuels, just as coal can be. In their words: "hydrocarbons were obtained efficiently from carbon dioxide and hydrogen". And, basic coal-to-liquid conversion technologies can be used to accomplish that. We've earlier noted, as these Japanese researchers note herein, the use of both zeolite, as in Exxon-Mobil's MTG(r), methanol-to-gasoline, process, where the methanol is synthesized from coal; and, Iron Group (Fe, Co, Ni) metal catalysts and Zinc in "traditional", for want of a better word, coal-to-liquid conversion processes. 
 
Again: This Japanese research is just more confirmation, and more is "out there", and will be forthcoming, that the solutions to liquid fuel shortages andcan, through demonstrated, proven and established coal-to-liquid technology, put a stop to all of it. to CO2 emissions are in hand, and have been in hand for many years, many decades. It's way past time we stopped wrangling over liquid fuel shortages; stopped allowing ourselves to be extorted by unfriendly foreign powers and Big Oil robber barons. We
 
And, at the same time, through the development of complementary technology, such as is reported herein by Japanese researchers, and has been, or is being, reduced to practice by our own US Navy, as verified by their several patents on the technology, we can recycle the primary by-product of our coal use, CO2, into even more liquid fuels and industrial chemical manufacturing raw materials.
 
Coal can do that. Coal can do all of that.