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GB2552010A - Synthesising carbon compounds - Google Patents

Synthesising carbon compounds Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2552010A
GB2552010A GB1611797.0A GB201611797A GB2552010A GB 2552010 A GB2552010 A GB 2552010A GB 201611797 A GB201611797 A GB 201611797A GB 2552010 A GB2552010 A GB 2552010A
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carbon dioxide
hydrogen
sorbent material
exothermic reaction
reaction
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Leslie Mcneight David
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G2/00—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon
    • C10G2/30—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen
    • C10G2/32—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen with the use of catalysts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/02—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography
    • B01D53/04—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography with stationary adsorbents
    • B01D53/0407—Constructional details of adsorbing systems
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/02—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography
    • B01D53/04—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography with stationary adsorbents
    • B01D53/0462—Temperature swing adsorption
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G2/00—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon
    • C10G2/30—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen
    • C10G2/32—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen with the use of catalysts
    • C10G2/33—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen with the use of catalysts characterised by the catalyst used
    • C10G2/331—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen with the use of catalysts characterised by the catalyst used containing group VIII-metals
    • C10G2/332—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen with the use of catalysts characterised by the catalyst used containing group VIII-metals of the iron-group
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G2/00—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon
    • C10G2/30—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen
    • C10G2/32—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen with the use of catalysts
    • C10G2/33—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen with the use of catalysts characterised by the catalyst used
    • C10G2/331—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen with the use of catalysts characterised by the catalyst used containing group VIII-metals
    • C10G2/333—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon monoxide with hydrogen with the use of catalysts characterised by the catalyst used containing group VIII-metals of the platinum-group
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G2/00—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon
    • C10G2/50—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures of undefined composition from oxides of carbon from carbon dioxide with hydrogen
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10K—PURIFYING OR MODIFYING THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF COMBUSTIBLE GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE
    • C10K3/00—Modifying the chemical composition of combustible gases containing carbon monoxide to produce an improved fuel, e.g. one of different calorific value, which may be free from carbon monoxide
    • C10K3/02—Modifying the chemical composition of combustible gases containing carbon monoxide to produce an improved fuel, e.g. one of different calorific value, which may be free from carbon monoxide by catalytic treatment
    • C10K3/026—Increasing the carbon monoxide content, e.g. reverse water-gas shift [RWGS]
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D2257/00—Components to be removed
    • B01D2257/50—Carbon oxides
    • B01D2257/504—Carbon dioxide
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D2258/00—Sources of waste gases
    • B01D2258/06—Polluted air
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D2259/00—Type of treatment
    • B01D2259/40—Further details for adsorption processes and devices
    • B01D2259/40083—Regeneration of adsorbents in processes other than pressure or temperature swing adsorption
    • B01D2259/40088—Regeneration of adsorbents in processes other than pressure or temperature swing adsorption by heating
    • B01D2259/4009—Regeneration of adsorbents in processes other than pressure or temperature swing adsorption by heating using hot gas
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D2259/00—Type of treatment
    • B01D2259/65—Employing advanced heat integration, e.g. Pinch technology
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02C—CAPTURE, STORAGE, SEQUESTRATION OR DISPOSAL OF GREENHOUSE GASES [GHG]
    • Y02C20/00—Capture or disposal of greenhouse gases
    • Y02C20/40—Capture or disposal of greenhouse gases of CO2
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P20/00—Technologies relating to chemical industry
    • Y02P20/10—Process efficiency
    • Y02P20/133—Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P20/00—Technologies relating to chemical industry
    • Y02P20/151—Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)

Abstract

A method for synthesising carbon compounds 10 comprises: generating electricity from a renewable source 11, e.g. nuclear or solar power; recovering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere 12; generating a supply of hydrogen 13; and reacting the recovered carbon dioxide with the hydrogen in an exothermic reaction 14, wherein recovering the carbon dioxide is powered using electricity E and thermal Th energy from the exothermic reaction. Carbon dioxide may be recovered from the atmosphere using a sorbent material which may comprise a weakly basic ion exchange resin with adsorbing amine groups such as amine functionalised cellulose. Hydrogen may be generated from water, using electrolysis. The sorbent material may also adsorb water from the atmosphere which may be desorbed and used to generate the hydrogen. Desorption may take place into steam. The recycled thermal energy may be used to heat the sorbent material to initiate desorption, which may take place in the temperature range 80-130 degrees C. An iron, cobalt or ruthenium catalyst may be used in the exothermic reaction. Sufficient hydrogen and carbon dioxide may be generated during daylight hours to continue the exothermic reaction overnight, avoiding the need to start and stop the reaction. Overnight thermal energy may be stored, for use in the carbon dioxide recovery process, in a phase-change material or a high thermal capacity material such as concrete or insulated tanks of water or water and glycol.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Synthesising carbon compounds
Abstract Title: Synthesising carbon compounds, e.g. alkanes and sugars, using a Fischer-Tropsch reaction and recycling thermal energy from an exothermic reaction (57) A method for synthesising carbon compounds 10 comprises: generating electricity from a renewable source 11, e.g. nuclear or solar power; recovering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere 12; generating a supply of hydrogen 13; and reacting the recovered carbon dioxide with the hydrogen in an exothermic reaction 14, wherein recovering the carbon dioxide is powered using electricity E and thermal Th energy from the exothermic reaction. Carbon dioxide may be recovered from the atmosphere using a sorbent material which may comprise a weakly basic ion exchange resin with adsorbing amine groups such as amine functionalised cellulose. Hydrogen may be generated from water, using electrolysis. The sorbent material may also adsorb water from the atmosphere which may be desorbed and used to generate the hydrogen. Desorption may take place into steam. The recycled thermal energy may be used to heat the sorbent material to initiate desorption, which may take place in the temperature range 80-130 degrees C. An iron, cobalt or ruthenium catalyst may be used in the exothermic reaction. Sufficient hydrogen and carbon dioxide may be generated during daylight hours to continue the exothermic reaction overnight, avoiding the need to start and stop the reaction. Overnight thermal energy may be stored, for use in the carbon dioxide recovery process, in a phase-change material or a high thermal capacity material such as concrete or insulated tanks of water or water and glycol.
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Fig 1
Figure GB2552010A_D0001
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Figure GB2552010A_D0002
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Figure GB2552010A_D0003
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Synthesising Carbon Compounds
This invention relates to synthesising carbon compounds, particularly compounds containing hydrogen such as hydrocarbons, more particularly alkanes, and carbohydrates such as sugars.
A useful source of carbon for synthesising carbon compounds is atmospheric carbon dioxide. It has many times been proposed to use atmospheric carbon dioxide to make hydrocarbons, particularly alkanes, from which fuels such as diesel, gasoline and heavy fuel oils can be made. Burning such synthesised fuels of course puts carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, but only the same amount of carbon dioxide as was used to make the fuels in the first place, so the process is carbon neutral. Synthesised fuels displace fuels from fossil sources, and there would thus be a nett reduction in the rate at which carbon dioxide concentration would increase in the atmosphere. Were we to derive all our hydrocarbon fuels from atmospheric carbon dioxide, that rate of increase would become zero.
The procedure for synthesising hydrocarbon fuels involves:
• recovering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere • generating a supply of hydrogen, as by electrolysis of water • reforming the carbon dioxide by reaction with hydrogen to make carbon monoxide • mixing the carbon monoxide with more hydrogen to make syngas and subjecting the syngas to a Fischer Tropsch reaction.
There needs, of course, to be an energy input, which needs to be from a sustainable source - there is no point using fossil fuel energy - derived from fossil carbon or hydrocarbons, whether oil or gas, or pure carbon, such as coal - to synthesise hydrocarbons, which, because of inevitable inefficiencies, uses more fossil fuel than the synthesised fuel it produces. Among the best sustainable sources is solar energy, preferably in locations of 12/24 guaranteed sunlight, i.e. in tropical climes. However, nuclear energy is an option, preferably, on a number of grounds, thorium nuclear, which can be safely used in small scale reactors close to centres of population, if not, indeed, in the middle of them
While the procedure is well known, it has only recently been demonstrated and that on a very small scale. It appears that there is a perception that the procedure is costly, particularly in the carbon dioxide capture step. It is thought that it is less expensive to capture carbon dioxide where it is produced, primarily from flue gases of fossil fuelled electricity generating stations. Even then, the emphasis is on carbon capture and storage CCS - rather than on carbon capture and use - CCU - which has only recently been proposed for flue gas carbon dioxide. Unfortunately, a principal use proposed is in fertilisers, completely overlooking the fact that the carbon will within a year or so find its way back into the atmosphere.
Recently, also, however, methods of extracting carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere have been demonstrated that use a dual energy input, one input being electricity, the other being thermal energy. Such extraction methods are discussed in WO2013/075981, W02014/170184, WO2015/158434 and W02016/005226.
The present invention provides a method for synthesising carbon compounds using such extraction methods.
The invention comprises a method for synthesising carbon compounds comprising the steps of:
generating electricity from a renewable source;
recovering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere;
providing a supply of hydrogen; and reacting the recovered carbon dioxide with the hydrogen in an exothermic reaction;
in which the step of recovering the carbon dioxide is carried out by a method powered by electricity and by thermal energy, and in which the thermal energy is recovered from the exothermic reaction.
The exothermic reaction may be a reaction under heat and pressure in the presence of a catalyst. The catalyst may comprise one or more of iron, cobalt and ruthenium. Such a reaction is known as the Fischer Tropsch reaction, when used to generate hydrocarbons from hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the mixture known as 'synthesis gas' or 'syngas'. Carbon dioxide may be reformed to carbon monoxide by a similar reaction. The catalyst may comprise copper and the reaction may then be arranged to yield compounds comprising carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
The renewable source may be solar energy, which may generate electricity by means of photovoltaics, by a solar tower, in which the sun's rays are focused on a boiler atop a tower to drive a turbine, or a solar chimney, in which a tall chimney generates an updraft used to drive one or more turbines - solar chimneys also generate power at night because of the temperature difference between the top and bottom of the chimney..
The renewable source may be a nuclear reactor, which may be a thorium reactor. While solar energy is best exploited where it is regular and plentiful, which requirement is best met in tropical climes, thorium reactors can be located anywhere.
Where solar energy is used, which is not available, or available to a less extent, at night, sufficient hydrogen and carbon dioxide may be generated during the hours of daylight to carry on the exothermic reaction overnight, avoiding the need to start and stop the reaction. Overnight thermal energy from the reaction may be stored for use in the carbon dioxide recovery during the day.
The overnight thermal energy may be stored in a phase-change material, a high thermal capacity material such as concrete, or in insulated tanks containing water or a water/glycol mixture.
The carbon dioxide recovery step may be an adsorption/desorption process in which atmospheric air is directed to a sorbent material that absorbs carbon dioxide and that desorbs the carbon dioxide on heating. The sorbent material may comprise a weakly basic ion exchange resin, that may have adsorbing amine groups, or may comprise an amine functionalised cellulose. The sorbent material may also adsorb water from the atmosphere that may be used to generate hydrogen.
In the adsorption stage, air may be driven over the sorbent material by electrically driven pumps or fans, while in the desorption stage the sorbent material is heated under reduced pressure so that it gives up the adsorbed carbon dioxide, which is then drawn off. Adsorbed water may also be drawn off at this stage. Adsorption may take place at ambient temperature, desorption at a temperature in the range 80 - 130^C at pressures in the range 20 - 400mbarabs, and may involve desorption into steam. Power for moving the air and generating the vacuum and drawing off the carbon dioxide as well as pumping heat exchange fluid for the desorption stage may be electrical power from the renewable source, thermal energy for heating the sorbent material may entirely comprise the thermal energy recovered from the exothermic process or may include some heat derived from the renewable energy source.
Total energy requirement can be in the region of 190kWhr/tonne of carbon dioxide recovered. At a cost of US$0.10 per kWhr, that is a cost of $19/tonne.
Renewable energy power generation, carbon dioxide recovery and carbon compound synthesis may all take place in a single location. Hydrogen can also be generated locally by electrolysis of water, and the location may be adjacent a source of water, or water may also be extracted from the atmosphere by cooling, as by adiabatic expansion, to below the dew point. There is plenty of water even in dry desert air, to react with the carbon dioxide it contains. Locating all the elements of the method together eliminates costs of transportation, except, of course, for shipping out the product.
When used to synthesise hydrocarbons, the Fischer Tropsch reaction can be tuned to produce a mixture of short chain alkanes - methane, ethane, propane, butane - which are gaseous at ambient temperature and pressure, or longer chain, liquid alkanes, hexane, octane, decane and others, which can be fractionated and blended to produce carbonneutral transport fuels. Longer chain alkanes can be used as lubricants or as feedstock for other products such as plastics and fertilisers.
A by-product of the method is oxygen, which may be stored for sale or use, or used to make carbohydrates, or released to atmosphere.
The invention also comprises apparatus for synthesising carbon compounds comprising: a renewable energy source electricity generator;
an atmospheric carbon dioxide recovery apparatus;
a hydrogen source; and an exothermic reaction apparatus adapted to synthesise carbon compounds from carbon dioxide from the recovery apparatus;
in which the carbon dioxide recovery apparatus is powered by electricity from the electricity generator and by thermal energy from the exothermic reaction.
The hydrogen source may comprise a hydrogen production facility, which may comprise an electrolysis plant powered from the electricity generator.
The exothermic reaction apparatus may comprise a Fischer Tropsch plant in which hydrogen and carbon monoxide are reacted under heat and pressure in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydrocarbons. Such plant may be adapted also to reform carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide. The catalyst may comprise iron and/or cobalt and/or ruthenium, or copper.
The carbon dioxide recovery apparatus may comprise a sorbent material, flow means adapted to flow atmospheric air to the sorbent material, vacuum means adapted to reduce pressure around the sorbent material and heat exchange means adapted to heat the sorbent material under the reduced pressure to desorb adsorbed carbon dioxide using heat produced by the exothermic reaction apparatus.
The atmospheric carbon dioxide recovery apparatus may also recover water from the atmosphere. The sorbent material may adsorb water in addition to carbon dioxide.
The sorbent material may comprise a weakly basic ion exchange resin, that may have adsorbing amine groups, or may comprise an amine functionalised cellulose.
The electricity generator may comprise a solar power generator such as a photovoltaic array, a solar tower or a solar chimney, or a nuclear generator such, particularly, as a thorium nuclear generator.
The components of the apparatus may be grouped together in a single location. The production capacities of the components are desirably matched, so that the electricity generator generates enough electricity to provide enough carbon dioxide to feed the exothermic reaction apparatus and enough hydrogen to match the carbon dioxide.
A solar power generator in apparatus according to the invention may have a collector area of the order of one square kilometre.
The apparatus may comprise hydrogen and/or carbon dioxide storage means to store hydrogen and/or carbon dioxide for use when they are not being generated, e.g. when there is no sunlight.
A method and apparatus according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for synthesising carbon compound including a carbon dioxide recovery apparatus;
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the carbon dioxide recovery apparatus of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a plan view of a plant comprising the components of Figures 1 and 2.
The drawings illustrate apparatus 10 for synthesising carbon compounds comprising:
a renewable source electricity generator 11;
an atmospheric carbon dioxide recovery apparatus 12;
a hydrogen source 13; and an exothermic reaction apparatus 14 adapted to synthesise carbon compounds from carbon dioxide from the recovery apparatus 12 and hydrogen from the supply 13;
in which the carbon dioxide recovery apparatus 12 is powered by electricity Σ'from the electricity generator 11 and by thermal energy Σ/ifrom the exothermic reaction apparatus
14.
The hydrogen source 13 comprises a hydrogen production facility, which comprises a water electrolysis plant powered by electricity ΣίΓοιτι the electricity generator 11. As shown in Figure 1, it is supplied with water from the recovery apparatus 12, but it could, of course, be supplied from a water reservoir or by pipeline from a water source such as the sea or a river.
The exothermic reaction apparatus 14 comprises a Fischer Tropsch reactor 14b in which hydrogen and carbon monoxide are reacted under heat and pressure in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydrocarbons. A similar reactor 14a reforms the carbon dioxide from the recovery apparatus 12 to carbon monoxide which it supplies to the Fischer Tropsch reactor 14b. Reforming the carbon dioxide and the Fischer Tropsch reaction might be carried out in the same reactor. The catalyst may comprise iron and/or cobalt and/or ruthenium, or copper.
The carbon dioxide recovery apparatus 12, shown in more detail in Figure 2, comprises a closed vessel 21 capable of being evacuated down to 200mbarabs containing sorbent material 22, flow means 23 adapted to flow atmospheric air to the sorbent material 22, valve 24-controlled vacuum means 25 adapted to reduce pressure around the sorbent material 22, and heat exchange means 26 adapted to heat the sorbent material 22 under the reduced pressure to desorb adsorbed carbon dioxide using heat produced by the exothermic reaction apparatus 14. A steam supply 27 is provided to help purge the sorbent material 22 of carbon dioxide controlled by a valve 28.
The sorbent material 22 comprises a weakly basic ion exchange resin, that may have adsorbing amine groups, or an amine functionalised cellulose.
The electricity generator 11 comprises a solar power generator such as a photovoltaic array, a solar tower or a solar chimney, or a nuclear generator such, particularly, as a thorium nuclear generator.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the components of the apparatus grouped together in a single location. The production capacities of the components are desirably matched, so that the electricity generator 11 generates enough electricity to provide enough carbon dioxide to feed the exothermic reaction apparatus 14 and enough hydrogen to match the carbon dioxide.
A solar power generator in apparatus according to the invention may have a collector area of the order of one square kilometre, which will generate enough electricity in a favourable solar regime where daytime is substantially constant over the year to sustain a large Fischer Tropsch reactor.
Tankage 31 can hold carbon dioxide and hydrogen reserves to feed the reaction apparatus 14 during the hours of darkness as well as holding the synthesised carbon compounds, which might be liquid hydrocarbons to be used as transport fuel.

Claims (44)

Claims:
1 A method for synthesising carbon compounds comprising the steps of: generating electricity from a renewable source;
recovering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere;
generating a supply of hydrogen; and reacting the recovered carbon dioxide with the hydrogen in an exothermic reaction;
in which the step of recovering the carbon dioxide is carried out by a method powered by electricity and by thermal energy, and in which the thermal energy is recovered from the exothermic reaction.
2 A method according to claim 1, in which the exothermic reaction is a reaction under heat and pressure in the presence of a catalyst.
3 A method according to claim 2, in which the catalyst comprises one or more of iron, cobalt and ruthenium and the product comprises alkanes.
4 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the reaction is the Fischer Tropsch reaction, and generates hydrocarbons from hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
5 A method according to claim 4, in which carbon dioxide is reformed to carbon monoxide by a similar reaction.
6 A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the catalyst comprises copper and the reaction is arranged to yield compounds comprising carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
7 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the renewable source comprises solar energy.
8 A method according to claim 7, in which sufficient hydrogen and carbon dioxide are generated during the hours of daylight to carry on the exothermic reaction overnight, avoiding the need to start and stop the reaction.
9 A method according to claim 8, in which overnight thermal energy from the reaction is stored for use in the carbon dioxide recovery during the day.
10 A method according to claim 9, in which the overnight thermal energy is stored in a phase-change material, a high thermal capacity material such as concrete or in insulated tanks containing water or a water/glycol mixture.
11 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the renewable source comprises a nuclear reactor.
12 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in which the carbon dioxide recovery step comprises an adsorption/desorption cycle process in which atmospheric air is directed to a sorbent material that absorbs carbon dioxide and the material is heated to desorb the carbon dioxide.
13 A method according to claim 12, in which the sorbent material comprises a weakly basic ion exchange resin.
14 A method according to claim 13, in which the resin has adsorbing amine groups.
15 A method according to claim 12 in which the sorbent material comprises an amine functionalised cellulose.
16 A method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, in which the sorbent material also adsorbs water from the atmosphere.
17 A method according to claim 16, in which water desorbed from the material is used to generate hydrogen.
18 A method according to any one of claims 12 to 17, in which, In an adsorption stage, air is driven over the sorbent material by electrically driven pumps or fans.
19 A method according to any one of claims 12 to 18, in which, in a desorption stage, the sorbent material is heated under reduced pressure so that it gives up the adsorbed carbon dioxide, which is then drawn off.
20 A method according to claim 19, in which adsorbed water is also drawn off at this stage.
21 A method according to any one of claims 12 to 20, in which adsorption takes place at ambient temperature.
22 A method according to any one of claims 12 to 21, in which desorption takes place at a temperature in the range 80 - 130^C at vacuum pressures in the range 20 - 400mbarabs.
23 A method according to any one of claims 12 to 22, in which desorption takes place into steam.
24 A method according to any one of claims 12 to 24, in which power for moving, air generating any vacuum and drawing off carbon dioxide as well as pumping heat exchange fluid for the desorption stage comprises electrical power from the renewable source.
25 A method according to any one of claims 12 to 25, in which thermal energy heating the sorbent material comprises thermal energy recovered from the exothermic process.
26 A method according to claim 25, in which thermal energy from the exothermic process is supplemented by energy derived from the renewable energy source.
27 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 26, in which hydrogen is generated using energy from the renewable energy source.
28 A method according to claim 27, in which hydrogen is generated by electrolysis of water.
29 A method according to claim 28, in which water recovered from the atmosphere is used in the electrolysis.
30 A method according to claim 29, in which water is extracted from the atmosphere by cooling to below the dew point.
31 Apparatus for synthesising carbon compounds comprising: a renewable energy source electricity generator;
an atmospheric carbon dioxide recovery apparatus;
a hydrogen source; and an exothermic reaction apparatus adapted to synthesise carbon compounds from carbon dioxide from the recovery apparatus;
in which the carbon dioxide recovery apparatus is powered by electricity from the electricity generator and by thermal energy from the exothermic reaction.
32 Apparatus according to claim 31, in which the hydrogen source comprises a hydrogen production facility.
33 Apparatus according to claim 32, in which the hydrogen production facility comprises an electrolysis plant powered from the electricity generator.
34 Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 33, in which the exothermic reaction apparatus comprises a Fischer Tropsch plant in which hydrogen and carbon monoxide are reacted under heat and pressure in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydrocarbons.
35 Apparatus according to claim 34, in which the Fischer Tropsch plant is adapted also to reform carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide.
36 Apparatus according to claim 34 or claim 35, in which the catalyst comprises iron and/or cobalt and/or ruthenium, or copper.
37 Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 36, in which the carbon dioxide recovery apparatus comprises a sorbent material, flow means adapted to flow atmospheric air to the sorbent material, vacuum means adapted to reduce pressure around the sorbent material and heat exchange means adapted to heat the sorbent material under the reduced pressure to desorb adsorbed carbon dioxide using heat produced by the exothermic reaction apparatus.
38 Apparatus according to claim 37, in which the sorbent material comprises a weakly basic ion exchange resin
39 Apparatus according to claim 38, in which the resin has adsorbing amine groups
40 Apparatus according to claim 37, in which the sorbent material comprises an amine functionalised cellulose.
41 Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 40, in which the electricity generator comprises a solar power generator such as a photovoltaic array, a solar tower or a solar chimney.
42 Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 40, in which the electricity generator 5 comprises a nuclear generator.
43 Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 42, in which the components of the apparatus are grouped together in a single location.
44 Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 43, in which the production capacities of the components are matched, so that the electricity generator generates
10 enough electricity to provide enough carbon dioxide to feed the exothermic reaction apparatus and enough hydrogen to match the carbon dioxide.
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Application No: GB1611797.0 Examiner: Laura Goacher
GB1611797.0A 2016-07-07 2016-07-07 Synthesising carbon compounds Withdrawn GB2552010A (en)

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