Methods and systems for capturing and storing carbon dioxide

• US 10,456,744 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Park, Ah-Hyung Alissa, Swanson, Edward J., Zhao, Huangjing, Gadikota, Greeshma, Brady, Patrick V., Patel, Tushar, Banta, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Hobbs, Michael L
• Application Number:
  US15/423,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20170333840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 4352891
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/402 of magnesium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/404 of calcium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/90 Chelants
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/902 EDTA
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/804 Enzymatic
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/84 Biological processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/86 Catalytic processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 11/183 the additive being an organic compound
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 5/24 Magnesium carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2

Abstract

Methods and systems for capturing and storing carbon dioxide are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods include the following: mixing materials including magnesium or calcium with one or more acids and chelating agents to form a magnesium or calcium-rich solvent; using the organic acids derived from biogenic wastes as acids or chelating agents; generating carbonate ions by reacting a gas including carbon dioxide with a carbonic anhydrase biocatalyst; reacting the solvent with the carbonate ions to form magnesium or calcium carbonates; recycling a solution containing the biocatalyst after forming magnesium or calcium carbonates for re-use in the generating step; using the magnesium and calcium carbonates as carbon neutral filler materials and using the silica product as green filler materials or inexpensive absorbents.

Claims

1. A method of capturing and storing carbon dioxide, said method comprising:

providing a dissolution reactor;

mixing materials including magnesium or calcium with one or more acids and catechol to form a magnesium or calcium-rich solvent in said dissolution reactor;

providing a combined biocatalyst and carbonation reactor in fluid communication with said dissolution reactor;

generating carbonate ions by reacting a gas including carbon dioxide with a biocatalyst in said biocatalyst and carbonation reactor;

providing the solvent to said biocatalyst and carbonation reactor; and

reacting said solvent with said carbonate ions to form magnesium or calcium carbonates in said biocatalyst and carbonation reactor.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

recycling a solution containing said biocatalyst after forming said magnesium or calcium carbonates for re-use in said generating step.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said biocatalyst is a carbonic anhydrase.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said carbonic anhydrase is one of the enzymes Cam or Cab.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said carbonic anhydrase is a whole cell that expresses one of the enzymes Cam or Cab.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said magnesium or calcium materials include at least one of magnesium or calcium bearing minerals and industrial wastes.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said magnesium or calcium carbonates are formed so as to mimic a particular structure of calcium carbonate.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said silica product is formed so as to mimic a particular structure of precipitated silica or fume silica.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more acids is produced from biogenic wastes.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein a pH in said biocatalyst and carbonation reactor is from about 7.5 to about 10.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein a solid silica material having surface area greater than 200 m/g remains after magnesium is extracted from said minerals to form said solvent.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said gas is one of a syngas produced from the gasification of carboneous fuel, a flue gas produced from combusting a carbonaceous fuel, a gas stream from steel manufacturing process, and a combination thereof.

13. A method of capturing and storing carbon dioxide, said method comprising:

providing a dissolution reactor;

mixing materials including magnesium or calcium with one or more acids and catechol to form a magnesium or calcium-rich solvent in said dissolution reactor;

providing a combined biocatalyst and carbonation reactor in fluid communication with said dissolution reactor;

generating carbonate ions by reacting a gas including carbon dioxide with a carbonic anhydrase biocatalyst in said biocatalyst and carbonation reactor;

reacting said solvent with said carbonate ions to form magnesium or calcium carbonates in said biocatalyst and carbonation reactor; and

recycling a solution containing said biocatalyst after forming magnesium or calcium carbonates for re-use in said dissolution reactor;

wherein said carbonic anhydrase biocatalyst is one of the enzymes Cam or Cab or a whole cell that expresses one of the enzymes Cam or Cab.