Fuel synthesis from an aqueous solution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017342004-A1
Application number	US-201615165357-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 26, 2016
Priority date	May 26, 2016
Publication date	Nov 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of synthesizing fuel from an aqueous solution includes pumping the aqueous solution, containing dissolved inorganic carbon, from a body of water into a carbon extraction unit. The method further includes extracting the dissolved inorganic carbon from the aqueous solution to create CO 2 by changing a pH of the aqueous solution in the carbon extraction unit. The CO 2 derived in the carbon extraction unit is received by a fuel synthesis unit, and the CO 2 is converted into fuel including at least one of a hydrocarbon, an ether, or an alcohol using the fuel synthesis unit.

First claim

1 . A method of synthesizing fuel from an aqueous solution, comprising:
pumping the aqueous solution containing dissolved inorganic carbon from a body of water into a carbon extraction unit; extracting the dissolved inorganic carbon from the aqueous solution to create CO 2 by changing a pH of the aqueous solution in the carbon extraction unit; receiving the CO 2 from the carbon extraction unit with a fuel synthesis unit; and converting the CO 2 into the fuel including at least one of a hydrocarbon, an alcohol, or an ether using the fuel synthesis unit.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein converting the CO 2 into the fuel includes reacting the CO 2 with hydrogen to produce the alcohol, and wherein the alcohol includes methanol.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising decomposing water into the hydrogen and oxygen, using at least one of alkaline electrolysis, polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis, or solid oxide electrolysis.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein reacting the CO 2 with the hydrogen includes decomposing water in the aqueous solution into the hydrogen and oxygen, and reacting the hydrogen and the CO 2 in the presence of a catalyst to produce the methanol.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising at least one of dehydrating the methanol to produce dimethyl ether, or dehydrating the methanol to produce the dimethyl ether and dehydrating the dimethyl ether to produce the hydrocarbon.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein reacting the CO 2 with the hydrogen includes:
reacting gaseous water and the CO 2 to produce CO, the hydrogen, and O 2 ; and reacting the CO and the hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to produce the methanol.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein converting the CO 2 into the fuel includes:
reacting gaseous water and the CO 2 to produce CO, hydrogen, and O 2 ; and using the CO and the hydrogen to perform a Fisher-Tropsch reaction to produce the hydrocarbon.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein reacting the gaseous water and the CO 2 includes feeding the gaseous water and the CO 2 into a solid oxide electrolysis cell.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein extracting the dissolved inorganic carbon includes:
increasing the pH of the aqueous solution to precipitate salts containing carbon, wherein the aqueous solution includes seawater; and applying acid to the salts to evolve CO 2 gas.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein increasing the pH includes adding aqueous NaOH to the aqueous solution, and wherein applying the acid to the salts includes applying aqueous HCl to the salts.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein extracting the dissolved inorganic carbon includes decreasing the pH of the aqueous solution to remove CO 2 gas from the aqueous solution, wherein the aqueous solution includes seawater.

12 - 22 . (canceled)

Assignees

• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Eisaman Matthew D

Classifications

• C10L1/02

  essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only · CPC title

• C07C29/152 Primary

  characterised by the reactor used · CPC title

• C10L1/04

  essentially based on blends of hydrocarbons · CPC title

• C10G2/30

  from carbon monoxide with hydrogen · CPC title

• C10L2290/42

  Fischer-Tropsch steps · CPC title