METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONVERTING WASTE INTO ENERGY

• US 20090049748A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eric Day
• Original Assignee: Eric Day
• Inventors: Day, Eric, Day, Andrew Eric
• Application Number:
  US12/201,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20090049748A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 48/77
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/95 Specific microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/84 Biological processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0283 containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0405 Purification by membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0445 Selective methanation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0475 the impurity being carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/062 Hydrocarbon production, e.g. Fischer-Tropsch process
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0861 by plasma
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1211 Organic compounds or organic mixtures used in the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1235 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/84 Energy production
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/86 Carbon dioxide sequestration
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/342 with the aid of electrical means, electromagnetic or mechanical vibrations, or particle radiations
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/348 by direct contact with heat accumulating liquids, e.g. molten metals, molten salts
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0946 Waste, e.g. MSW, tires, glass, tar sand, peat, paper, lignite, oil shale
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1238 by plasma
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1659 to liquid hydrocarbons Fischer-Tropsch process C10G2/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1671 with the production of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1681 : with biological plants, e.g. involving bacteria, algae, fungi
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1693 : with storage facilities for intermediate, feed and/or product
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1696 : with phase separation, e.g. after condensation
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1892 : with one stream being water/steam
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/48 : Apparatus; Plants
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/12 : Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor as new plants A01H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 : Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/18 : Integrated gasification combined cycle [IGCC], e.g. combined with carbon capture and storage [CCS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 : the feedstock being materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 : Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/59 : Biological synthesis; Biological purification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/00 : Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry

Abstract

Disclosed herein is system comprising a system comprising a high temperature gasifier; the high temperature gasifier being operative to function at temperatures of greater than or equal to about 450° F.; and a synthesizing reactor in fluid communication with the high temperature gasifier; the synthesizing reactor being operative to convert carbon dioxide into another form of carbon. Disclosed herein too a method comprising gasifying a waste stream to produce a composition that comprises syngas; the syngas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen; the gasifying being conducted in a high temperature gasifier; the high temperature gasifier being operative to function at temperatures of greater than or equal to about 450° F.; converting the carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide; and feeding the carbon dioxide to an synthesizing reactor to produce an oil rich algae.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a high temperature gasifier;

the high temperature gasifier being operative to function at temperatures of greater than or equal to about 450°

F.; and

a synthesizing reactor in fluid communication with the high temperature gasifier;

the synthesizing reactor being operative to convert carbon dioxide into another form of carbon.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the synthesizing reactor is an algae bioreactor, a photo plankton reactor, an enzyme reactor, a bacterial reactor or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing synthesizing reactors.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the synthesizing reactor is an algae bioreactor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the high temperature gasifier is a plasma gasifier.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plasma gasifiers heats up feedstock or liquidizes metal to transfer heat to the feedstock.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the high temperature gasifier uses water to provide oxygen and hydrogen.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the high temperature gasifier operates at a temperature of about 4000°

F. to about 50,000°

F.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the high temperature gasifier is effective to convert carbonaceous materials into carbon monoxide and hydrogen;

the carbonaceous materials comprising hydrocarbons, carbohydrates, coal, municipal solid waste from landfills, industrial waste streams or combinations thereof.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a carbon oxygenation reactor;

the carbon oxygenation reactor being in fluid communication with the high temperature gasifier;

the carbon oxygenation reactor being a syngas engine, a syngas engine electric generator, a syngas boiler, a syngas boiler electric generator, a water gas shift reactor, a catalytic converter, a methanation plant, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system comprises a carbon loop;

the carbon loop comprising the high temperature gasifier, the carbon oxygenation reactor and the synthesizing reactor.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the carbon loop is an open loop or a closed loop.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein an amount of carbon circulating in the carbon loop is substantially constant.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a hydrogen loop;

the hydrogen loop comprising a carbon oxygenation reactor and a hydrogen oxygenation reactor;

the hydrogen oxygenation reactor being a hydrogen engine, a hydrogen engine electric generator, a hydrogen boiler, a hydrogen boiler electric generator, a fuel cell, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing hydrogen oxygenation reactors.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the synthesizing reactor is located down stream of a carbon oxygenation reactor and is operative to produce an oil rich carbohydrate.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the carbon oxygenation reactor operates at temperatures of about 1800°

F. to about 2200°

F. to produce carbon dioxide.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hydrogen separator that is located downstream of the high temperature gasifier.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a carbon oxygenation reactor that is located downstream of the high temperature gasifier and upstream of a hydrogen oxygenation reactor.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the hydrogen loop is a closed loop and generates steam or electric power.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein no carbon dioxide is released out of the carbon loop.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein oil rich algae produced in the synthesizing reactor is gasified in the high temperature gasifier and wherein an average amount of carbon entering the carbon loop is equal to an average amount of carbon leaving the carbon loop.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the synthesizing reactor utilizes artificial lighting.

22. The system of claim 10, wherein the carbon loop comprises carbon, oxygen or hydrogen in various forms.

23. The system of claim 10, wherein the carbon loop is used for harvesting hydrogen and oxygen.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the synthesizing reactor is a source of oxygen for an energy generating device.

25. A power generation plant that uses the system of claim 1.

26. A method comprising:

gasifying a waste stream to produce a composition that comprises syngas;

the syngas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen;

the gasifying being conducted in a high temperature gasifier;

the high temperature gasifier being operative to function at temperatures of greater than or equal to about 450°

F.;

converting the carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide; and

feeding the carbon dioxide to an synthesizing reactor to produce an oil rich algae.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising recycling the oil rich algae to the high temperature gasifier to undergo gasification.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the carbon monoxide is converted to carbon dioxide in a carbon oxygenation reactor.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising separating the carbon monoxide from the hydrogen.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising igniting the syngas.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising generating energy.