Methods and systems for carbon nanofiber production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019039040-A1
Application number	US-201615292823-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2016
Priority date	Oct 13, 2015
Publication date	Feb 7, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for utilizing solar power to generate carbon nano-materials. A system for utilizing the carbon dioxide byproduct of a fossil fuel power generation process to drive an electrolysis reaction which produces carbon nano-materials, and methods of producing the same.

First claim

1 . A system to produce carbon nano-materials, the system comprising:
a solar powered heating and electrolysis chamber system, including, (a) a combined heating and electrolysis chamber, (b) carbonate material within the combined heating and electrolysis chamber, (c) a concentrator that receives sunlight, at least a part of the sunlight being used to heat the combined heating and electrolysis chamber to heat the carbonate material to produce molten carbonate, and (d) an anode and a cathode positioned within the heating and electrolysis chamber and electrically connected to a power source; a fossil fuel combustion chamber in fluid communication with the combined heating and electrolysis chamber via an exhaust conduit, wherein the fossil fuel combustion chamber provides a source of carbon dioxide to the combined heating and electrolysis chamber via the exhaust conduit.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the solar powered heating and electrolysis chamber system further comprises a filter that splits the sunlight received by the concentrator into infrared bands and visible bands.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the infrared bands are used to heat the combined heating and electrolysis chamber to melt the carbonate material.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the solar powered heating and electrolysis chamber system further comprises a photovoltaic cell that generates electricity from the visible bands of the sunlight.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the photovoltaic eell functions as the power source to supply electricity to the anode and the cathode.

6 . The system of claim 1 , where the solar powered heating and electrolysis chamber is at least partially heated by flue exhaust gas entering the electrolysis chamber via the exhaust conduit.

7 . (canceled)

8 . The system of claim, further comprising an inlet extending between and in fluid communication with the combined heating and electrolysis chamber and the fossil fuel combustion chamber wherein the oxygen is circulated to the fossil fuel combustion chamber via the inlet.

9 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the anode is formed of nickel, coba copper, manganese, carbon, iridium, metal carbon, or an alloy resistant to oxidation and sustaining oxygen generation at low overvoltage.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the carbonate is one of group of alkali and alkali earth carbonates.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nano-material is a carbon nano-fiber, a carbon nano-tube, or both.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the anode and the cathode electrolyze the carbonate material into oxygen and carbon nano-materials.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide is supplied to the combined heating and electrolysis chamber via the exhaust conduit, such that when a current is applied between the anode and the cathode, the carbonate material is electrolyzed into oxygen and carbon nano-materials.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the oxygen is produced at the anode and the carbon nano-materials is produced at the cathode.

18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide is provided in the form of flue gas that has as much as 15% by volume carbon dioxide.

19 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A method of producing carbon nano-materials, the method comprising:
(a) utilizing sunlight to heat a combined heating and electrolysis chamber containing carbonate material; (b) inserting an anode and a cathode into the carbonate material once melted; (c) injecting carbon dioxide into the carbonate material, wherein the carbon dioxide is supplied from a fossil fuel combustion chamber; and (d) generating an electrolysis reaction of the carbonate material between the anode and the cathode to form carbon nano-materials and oxygen.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the electrolysis reaction is performed at low current density for a first predetermined time period and then at a higher current density.

23 - 26 . (canceled)

27 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising the step of combusting a fossil fuel in the fossil fuel combustion chamber, such that carbon dioxide is generated and supplied to the combined heating and electrolysis chamber.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the carbon dioxide is supplied to the combined heating and electrolysis chamber bye being circulated through an exhaust conduit.

29 - 33 . (canceled)

34 . A system to produce carbon nano-materials, the system comprising:
an electrolysis chamber containing a carbonate material, said electrolysis chamber having an intake for receiving a source of carbon dioxide; and a concentrator that receives sunlight, at least a part of the sunlight being used to at least partially heat the electrolysis chamber to heat the carbonate material to produce molten carbonate to absorb the carbon dioxide.

35 . The system of claim 34 , further comprising:
an anode and a cathode positioned within the electrolysis chamber; a combustion chamber providing the source of carbon dioxide, said combustion chamber having an exhaust; an exhaust conduit coupled to the exhaust of the combustion chamber and the intake of the electrolysis chamber for providing the source of carbon dioxide from the combustion chamber to the electrolysis chamber.

36 . A system to produce carbon nano-materials, the system comprising:
an electrolysis chamber having a molten carbonate, said electrolysis chamber having an intake; a combustion chamber having carbon dioxide, said combustion chamber having an exhaust; and a conduit coupled to the exhaust of the combustion chamber and the intake of the electrolysis chamber to provide the carbon dioxide from the combustion chamber to the electrolysis chamber.

37 . The system of claim 36 , the electrolysis chamber having a heat source heating the carbonate to provide the molten carbonate.

38 . The system of claim 36 , further comprising an anode and a cathode positioned within the electrolysis chamber.

39 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising at least partially heating the solar powered heating and electrolysis chamber by flue exhaust gas entering the combined heating and electrolysis chamber via an exhaust conduit.

40 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the fossil fuel combustion chamber is a coal combustion chamber.

41 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the oxygen is mixed with atmospheric air in the inlet before being circulated to the fossil fuel combustion chamber.

42 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the cathode is formed of steel, iron, nickel, or carbon.

43 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the anode is formed of nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, carbon, iridium, metal carbon, or an alloy resistant to oxidation and sustaining oxygen generation at low overvoltage.

44 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the carbonate is one of a group of alkali and alkali earth carbonates.

45 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the carbon nano-material is a carbon naon-fiber, a carbon nano-tube, or both.

46 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising electrolyzing using the anode and the cathode, the carbonate material into oxygen and carbon nano-materials.

47 . Th

Assignees

• Clarion Energy Llc
• C2Cnt Llc

Inventors

• Licht Stuart

Classifications

• C25B15/02

  Process control or regulation · CPC title

• B01J2219/0869

  Feeding or evacuating the reactor · CPC title

• C25B1/00

  Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals · CPC title

• B01J2219/0884

  Gas-liquid · CPC title

• D01F9/12

  Carbon filaments; Apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture thereof · CPC title