Conversion of CO2 by Hydrogenation

 

More research from Japan confirming that Carbon Dioxide can be a raw material for the synthesis of valuable organic chemicals and hydrocarbons, which would include, one infers, the precursors, at least, of liquid fuels.
 
Some important points in this study are that the CO2 conversions were evaluated, it seems, with a direct focus on their applicability to flue gasses - as in the stacks of coal-fired power plants and coal-to-liquid conversion facilities, where CO2 could be directly recovered in more concentrated, more valuable forms; with emissions problems thus obviated.
 
The excerpted summary: 

"Titre du document / Document title

Chemical conversion of carbon dioxide by catalytic hydrogenation and room temperature photoelectrocatalysis

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

ICHIKAWA S. ; ICHIKAWA S. ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

Hitachi Ltd, Hitachi res. lab., Green cent., Ibaraki-ken, JAPON

Résumé / Abstract

Conversion of effluent carbon dioxide to fuels is one of the possible methods to decrease its emission into the atmosphere. The concept of «chemical recycling» is expected to become a universal practice in the long run not only for its relevancy to CO2 but also as a means to solve energy problems by revitalizing flue gases in general through catalytic processes. This report gives new results on the developments of a rhodium-manganese catalyst for high-conversion of CO2 to methane by contact catalytic process and a photoelectrocatalytic process to convert CO2 to useful chemicals..."
 
Note that it is a for-profit company, Hitachi, conducting this research. They see profit potential in it. And, note also the use of the descriptor "photoelectrocatalytic" as applied to the process. Have they developed an artificial photosynthesis, do you suppose? It is, as they say in the title, a "room temperature" process, which would suggest, at least, that some, perhaps significant, energy savings would be realized.

Hydrocarbons from CO2

 
 
We submit this, the report of yet another research effort in Japan, which confirms once more that we can utilize the by-products of coal use, including and especially Carbon Dioxide,  to manufacture useful, valuable organic chemicals and hydrocarbons. 
 
Methane, one product of the CO2 conversions described herein, is just a "natural gas", and has some basic uses we're all familiar with. It can also serve as the raw material for synthesis into other products, including, through several competing processes - processes, in truth, of debateable practicality - methanol, which itself can be further converted into gasoline.
 
Notably, in the abstract below, you will see that the Japanese researchers have achieved a 95% yield of methane from CO2, using appropriate catalysts, which is beyond pretty-darned pure. The end product would require much less refining and cleaning than the stuff we would get from nature, and the processing costs would thus be much lower. 
 
The Japanese researchers also demonstrate that, through the use of other catalysts, they can synthesize other gaseous, and liquid, hydrocarbons from Carbon Dioxide.
 
As follows:
 
"Title;Hydrocarbon Synthesis from Carbon dioxide by Catalytic Hydrogenation
Author;SOUMA YOSHIE, FUJIWARA MASAHIRO,  ANDO HISANORI,  XU QIANG - Kansai Center, National Inst. Advanced Industrial Sci. and Technol., JAPAN   
Journal Title;Nippon Kagakkai Koen Yokoshu
Journal Code:S0493A
ISSN:0285-7626
VOL.85th;NO.1;PAGE.509(2005)
 
Pub. Country;Japan
Language;Japanese
Abstract;The synthesis of hydrocarbon was carried out by the catalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide. Methane was obtained in 95% yield by LaNi5 catalyst. Gaseous hydrocarbons (C2-C5) were obtained by zeolite/Cu/Zn hybrid catalyst. Liquid hydrocarbons (higher than C5) were obtained by Cu/Fe mixed oxide catalyst."
 
As we've been reporting, Carbon Dioxide could, and  should, be a raw material resource, a valuable by-product of our coal use. 
 
And, a final point: These processes are, generically, the hydrogenation of CO2, the same type of process that is, in some forward-thinking, but out-of-the-way places around the world, being applied to coal to make synthetic liquid fuel.

WVU - Mossgas "Gas-to-Liquid" Diesel


 
 
"Mossgas" has, since this publication, merged with South Africa's petroleum monopoly, PetroSA. But, they are still making liquid fuel from natural gas, using the same sort of Fischer-Tropsch processing technology that Sasol, and others, use to convert syngas, produced from coal, into liquid fuels.
 
Note, especially, the highlight in the excerpt, below.
 
We were informed, by parties we believe to be knowledgeable, that WVU was very active in the coal and gas-to-liquid arena. We earlier reported on their participation in China's mammoth coal-to-liquid undertaking, and their invention of an improved coal-to-liquid technology, called, we believe, the "West Virginia Process".
 
As follows:

"Abstract

This paper presents a brief summary and comparison of heavy vehicle emissions using Mossgas synthetically derived diesel as opposed to a US Regular Federal 49-state number 2 diesel fuel. A series of engine dynamometer and heavy-duty chassis dynamometer tests were performed at West Virginia University early in 1999.

The Mossgas gas-to-liquid (GTL) low sulphur diesel fuel is produced primarily by the conversion of olefins to distillate (COD) process in conjunction with a high temperature Fisher–Tropsch technology process."

CO2 to Methane and Methanol - United Kingdom



We submit this article to confirm that both methane and methanol can be derived from Carbon Dioxide, and that the technology for accomplishing the transmutation is not only widely-known, but is being reduced to practice in multiple international venues.
 
Note, as well, in the brief excerpt below, that the British researchers are utilizing, as are others we've cited, "photocatalysis" to effect the synthesis - just as green plants use sunlight to synthesize CO2 into useful substances.
 
As follows:
 
"The UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is providing £167,530 (US$336,000) in funding for an 18-month research project that aims to develop an efficient, inexpensive aerogel photocatalytic diode that will reduce carbon dioxide and generate methane and methanol for use as fuels."
 
Two points:
 
First, further reading will reveal that the CO2 in this scenario is first converted into gaseous compounds comparable to the "syngas" produced from coal.
 
Second, this British process, as others we've cited, uses an artificial photosynthesis (i.e., "photocatalytic", as above - JtM) to accomplish the transmutation of CO2.
 
Just like trees and our other leafy friends. We can employ the by-products of coal-fired power stations and coal-to-liquid conversion facilities, through a natural process, to make more liquid fuel.
 
What could be more "green" than that?
 
And, is it by now gratuitous to note that, once we have methanol, we can make gasoline from it?

White Energy and Peabody Enter Clean Coal Development Agreement

If you will recall, a major US coal mining company, Peabody, is one of the big players in China's ambitious plans to build a substantial Coal-To-Liquids conversion industry. Toward that end, they have partnered with a coal processing technology company, as follows:
 
 
An excerpt:
 
"The coal upgrading plant would utilize White Energy’s patented coal briquetting technology, a mechanical process that upgrades lower Btu coals.The upgraded coal can be used interchangeably with high rank thermal coal for a number of applications, including power generation, industrial processes and Btu Conversion, such as coal-to-gas and coal-to-liquids."
 
And, here's a little more about White Energy, specifically:
 
 
"White Energy Company Limited is a public company (ASX: WEC / OTCQX: WECFY) based in Sydney, Australia and focused on the commercialization of coal upgrading technologies. White Energy owns the global marketing rights to the White Coal Technology, a patented process that dehydrates lower grade coals to improve the heat energy content and quality of these coals. The White Coal Technology upgrades lower grade coals into higher grade briquettes with properties similar to higher grade and value bituminous coals."
 
"The White Coal Technology process will produce an upgraded coal from low energy sub-bituminous, lignite and brown coals. The White Coal Technology product has an energy content of 50% to 100% higher than the raw coal from which it is derived, but is otherwise chemically unchanged from the parent coal. The product is in a form that can be handled, stored and transported as conveniently and safely as normal bituminous coal."