Methods, processes and apparatus of sequestering and environmentally coverting oxide(s) of carbon and nitrogen

• US 20090087898A1
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ClearValue Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Clearvalue Incorporated
• Inventors: Haase, Richard Alan, Haase, Candice Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/231,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20090087898A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/262.500
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/95 Specific microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/302 Sulfur oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/404 Nitrogen oxides other than dinitrogen oxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/84 Biological processes
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/06 Tubular C12M23/08, C12M23/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 31/08 by conducting or reflecting elements located inside the reactor or in its structure
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 43/04 Bioreactors or fermenters combined with combustion devices or plants, e.g. for carbon dioxide removal C12M43/06 takes precedence; recovery of carbon dioxide C12F3/02
• 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: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/59 Biological synthesis; Biological purification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

The instant invention presents improved means for sequestering CO_X and/or NO_X in the aqueous phase of a gas scrubber. The instant invention presents means for the scrubbing of CO_X and/or NO_X gas by chemically assimilating at least one of CO_X and NO_X. The instant invention presents means for concentrating the CO_X and/or the NO_X in the aqueous phase by creating a metal salt comprising the CO_X and/or the NO_X. To control salt deposition, the instant invention presents means of chemical dispersion so that salt deposition can be controlled and the aqueous phase can become an efficient and effective carrier of the CO_X and/or the NO_X. Means of controlling sulfide and sulfate emissions are presented incorporating sulfur consuming bacteria.

Claims

1. A method of adsorbing into water CO_X and/or NO_X gas, said method comprising,

contacting the CO_X and/or NO_X gas with water, wherein

the water comprises a metal salt, such that

in the water is formed a final metal salt along with an aqueous phase comprising the metal salt, and wherein

the final metal salt comprises at least one selected from the list consisting of the:

metal-CO₃, metal-NO₂, metal-NO₃, and any combination therein.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

a. said CO_X and/or NO_X gas is from a combustion source,

b. said contacting is performed in a gas scrubber,

c. said metal salt comprises a Group IA or IIA metal,

d. said metal salt comprises at least one selected from the list consisting of;

potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and any combination therein,

e. said metal salt comprises at least one selected from the list consisting of;

oxide, hydroxide, sulfite, sulfate, and any combination therein.

f. said aqueous phase comprises at least one strain of a sulfur consuming bacteria,

g. said CO_X and/or NO_X gas is contacted with a metal catalyst comprising Platinum or Platinum with Rhodium, and

h. said CO_X and/or NO_X gas is cooled prior to contacting with water.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a dispersant in said aqueous phase.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said dispersant comprises at least one of

a. carboxyl or sulfoxy moiety, and

b. at least one selected from the list consisting of:

acrylic polymers, acrylic acid, polymers of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, itaconic acid, crotonic acid, cinnamic acid, vinyl benzoic acid, any polymers of these acids, and any combination therein.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising reacting said aqueous phase with additional metal salt to form an additional amount of said final metal salt.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of:

a. said additional metal salt comprises a Group IA or IIA metal, and

b. said additional metal salt comprises at least one selected from the list consisting of;

potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and any combination therein.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least partially separating said aqueous phase from said final metal salt.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising at least partially separating said aqueous phase from said final metal salt.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising at least one of:

centrifugation, clarification, thickening and pressing to perform said separating.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring said final metal salt to a greenhouse and/or reactor, wherein at least a portion of said final metal salt is reacted with an acid to form CO₂ gas, and wherein

plant life in the greenhouse and/or reactor converts at least a portion of the CO₂ gas into O₂ gas.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of:

a. said acid is sulfuric acid, and

b. said plant life comprises algae.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the flowing of said aqueous phase to a facultative biological reactor, wherein

said NO₂ or NO₃ in the aqueous phase is at least partially converted to N₂ gas.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

a. to said aqueous phase in said facultative biological reactor is added at least one of;

the genera Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Achromobacter, facultative strains of Thiobacillus, and Thiobacillus denitrificanus.

b. a source of carbon is added to said facultative biological reactor such that the COD;

N ratio of the aqueous phase in said denitrifying reactor is about 6;

1 to 3;

1, and

c. wastewater is added to said facultative biological reactor such that the COD;

N ratio of the aqueous phase in said denitrifying reactor is about 6;

1 to 3;

1.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the addition to said aqueous phase of at least one of:

gram-negative bacteria from the beta or gamma subgroup of Proteobacteria, obligate autotrophs, Thioalkalovibrio, strain LMD 96.55, Thioalkalobacter, alkaliphilic heterotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas strain ChG 3, Rhodococcus erythropolis, Rhodococcus rhodochrous, Rhodococcus sp., Nocardia erythropolis, Nocardia corrolina, Nocardia sp., Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas oleovorans, Pseudomonas sp., Ardirobacter globiformis, Arthobacter Nocardia paraffinae, Arthrobacter paraffineus, Arthrobacter citreus, Artirobacter luteus, Arthrobacter sp., Mycobacterium vaccae JOB, Mycobacterium sp., Acinetobacter sp., Corynebacterium sp., Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Thiobacillus intermedia, Thiobacillus Shewanella sp., Micrococcus cinneabareus, Micrococcus sp., Bacillus sulfasportare, bacillus sp., Fungi, White wood rot fungi sp., Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Phanerochaete sordida, Trametes trogii, Tyromyces palustris, Streptomyces fradiae, Streptomyces globisporus, Streptomyces sp., Saccharomyces cerrevisiae, Candida sp., Cryptococcus albidus, Algae, sp. of the genus Thiobacillus, such as Thiobacillus denitrificans, and any combination therein.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the using of said final metal salt(s) as at least one of a:

a. soil stabilizer.

b. building material, and

c. pH buffer.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising transporting said aqueous phase to at least one of:

the ocean,

an alkaline water, and

underground.

41. The method of claim 7, further comprising transferring said final metal salt to a greenhouse and/or reactor, wherein at least a portion of said final metal salt is reacted with an acid to form CO₂ gas, and wherein plant life in the greenhouse and/or reactor converts at least a portion of the CO₂ gas into O₂gas.

42. The method of claim 8, comprising at least one of:

centrifugation, clarification, thickening and pressing to perform said separating.

43. The method of claim 8, further comprising transferring said final metal salt to a greenhouse and/or reactor, wherein at least a portion of said final metal salt is reacted with an acid to form CO₂ gas, and wherein

plant life in the greenhouse and/or reactor converts at least a portion of the CO₂ gas into O₂ gas.

44. The method of claim 10, further comprising the flowing of said aqueous phase to a facultative biological reactor, wherein

said NO₂ or NO₃ in the aqueous phase is at least partially converted to N₂ gas.

17-40. -40. (canceled)