METHODS OF SEQUESTERING CO2

• US 20090169452A1
• Filed: 12/24/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arelac, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Calera Corporation
• Inventors: Omelon, Sidney, Way, J. Douglas, Farsad, Kasra, Tuet, Philip Brian, Youngs, Andrew, Decker, Valentin, Kirk, Donald W., Bard, Allen J., Gilliam, Ryan J., Constantz, Brent R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,887,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 423/230
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/402 of magnesium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/404 of calcium
• 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 2257/602 Mercury or mercury compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1425 Regeneration of liquid absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1493 Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/77 Liquid phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/60 Preparation of carbonates or bicarbonates in general of percarbonates C01B15/10; of specific carbonates or bicarbonates according to the cation C01B-C01G
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 11/18 Carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 5/24 Magnesium carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/03 obtained by SEM
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/66 by neutralisation; pH adjustment for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/683 by addition of complex-forming compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 7/367 Avoiding or minimising carbon dioxide emissions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 : Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 : Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/18 : Carbon capture and storage [CCS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/33 : using wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 : using solar energy

Abstract

Methods of sequestering carbon dioxide (CO₂) are provided. Aspects of the methods include precipitating a storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product from an alkaline-earth-metal-containing water and then disposing of the product, e.g., by placing the product in a disposal location or using the product as a component of a manufactured composition. Also provided are systems for practicing methods of the invention.

Claims

1. A process comprising forming a stable CO₂-containing precipitate from a human-produced gaseous source of CO₂, wherein the formation of the precipitate utilizes a process for removing protons from an aqueous solution in which a portion or all of the CO₂ of said gaseous source of CO₂ is dissolved, and wherein the CO₂ produced by said process of removing protons is less than 70% of the CO₂ removed from the gaseous source of CO₂ by said formation of precipitate.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process for removing protons comprises a process that removes protons without the use of base.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein the process for removing protons comprises a process that removes protons without the use of hydroxide.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process for removing protons comprises a process that removes protons by the use of base.

5. The process according to claim 4, wherein the process for removing protons comprises a process that removes protons by the use of hydroxide.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process for removing protons comprises a first process that comprises a process that removes protons without the use of base and a second process that removes protons by the use of base.

7. A method of sequestering gaseous CO₂ from an industrial source comprising precipitating a portion or substantially all of the CO₂ in the form of a stable solid precipitate from aqueous solution, wherein the precipitation occurs with a yield of 10 g/L or more of stable solids in a single precipitation step.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the precipitation occurs with a yield of 20 g/L or more of stable solids in a single precipitation step.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the precipitation occurs with a yield of 50 g/L or more of stable solids in a single precipitation step.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the method removes 5% or more of the carbon dioxide from the industrial source.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method removes 10% or more of the carbon dioxide from the industrial source.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method removes 25% or more of the carbon dioxide from the industrial source.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein the industrial source comprises one or more of NOx, SOx, VOC, mercury and particulates and the method results in fixation of one or more of the NOx, SOx, VOC, mercury and particulates in the precipitated storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product.

8. (canceled)

15. A method of sequestering CO₂ produced by a power plant, comprising sequestering 30% or more of the CO₂ produced by the power plant in a process that consumes less than 50% of the energy of the power plant, wherein the percent of energy consumed is determined without reference to the use of renewable energy and without reference to the use of byproducts of the process to produce energy.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the method comprises sequestering 40% or more of the CO₂ produced by the power plant in a process that consumes less than 50% of the energy of the power plant.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the method comprises sequestering 60% or more of the CO₂ produced by the power plant in a process that consumes less than 50% of the energy of the power plant.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the method comprises sequestering 70% or more of the CO₂ produced by the power plant in a process that consumes less than 50% of the energy of the power plant.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the method comprises sequestering 80% or more of the CO₂ produced by the power plant in a process that consumes less than 50% of the energy of the power plant.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the power plant produces one or more of NOx, SOx, VOC, mercury and particulates and the method results in fixation of one or more of the NOx, SOx, VOC, Mercury and particulates in a precipitated storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product.

21. A method of sequestering carbon dioxide, the method comprising:

contacting an alkaline-earth-metal-ion-containing water with CO₂ from an industrial waste stream;

subjecting the alkaline-earth-metal-ion-containing water to carbonate compound precipitation conditions to produce a man-made precipitated storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product, wherein the precipitation conditions produce at least 10 g/L of precipitate in a single precipitation step; and

disposing of the precipitated storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product to sequester carbon dioxide.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the alkaline-earth-metal-ion-containing water is neutral or acidic when contacted with the CO₂ from an industrial waste stream.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the alkaline-earth-metal-ion-containing water is basic when contacted with the CO₂ from an industrial waste stream, where the pH of the water is insufficient to cause precipitation of the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the pH of the water is maintained at a substantially constant value during contact with the CO₂ from an industrial waste stream.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the pH of the water is maintained at the substantially constant value by adding a base to the water during contact with the CO₂ from an industrial waste stream.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the pH of the water is electrochemically maintained at the substantially constant value.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein after contacting the water with the CO₂ from an industrial waste stream the method comprises increasing the pH of the water to a value that causes precipitation of the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the method comprises increasing the pH of the water to 10 or higher.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the pH of the water is increased by adding a base to the water.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein the pH of the water is increased by using an electrochemical protocol.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the electrochemical protocol produces no chlorine gas.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the electrochemical protocol produces no oxygen gas.

35. The method according to claim 32, wherein the electrochemical protocol produces no net gas.

36. The method according to claim 32, wherein the electrochemical protocol is one that operates at 2V or less.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the electrochemical protocol is one that operates at 1V or less.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the electrochemical protocol is one that operates at 0.2V or less.

40. The method according to claim 21, wherein the precipitation conditions produce 10 g or more of the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product for every liter of water.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the precipitation conditions produce 50 g or more of the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product for every liter of water.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the precipitation conditions produce 100 g or more of the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product for every liter of water.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the precipitation conditions produce 200 g or more of the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product for every liter of water.

44. The method according to claim 21, wherein the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product comprises from 1% to 50% (w/w) carbon.

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product comprises from 6 to 11% (w/w) carbon.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product comprises from 7 to 10% (w/w) carbon.

47. The method according to claim 44, wherein 10 to 100% of the carbon present in the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product is from the carbon dioxide containing gaseous stream.

48. The method according to claim 47, wherein 50 to 100% of the carbon present in the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product is from the carbon dioxide containing gaseous stream.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein 90 to 100% of the carbon present in the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product is from the carbon dioxide containing gaseous stream.

50. The method according to claim 49, wherein 95 to 100% of the carbon present in the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product is from the carbon dioxide containing gaseous stream.

51. The method according to claim 21, wherein the storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product comprises carbonates.

52. The method according to claim 51, wherein the carbonates are magnesium carbonates and calcium carbonates.

53. The method according to claim 52, wherein the weight ratio of magnesium to calcium carbonates in the product ranges from 2-3/1.

55. The method according to claim 21, wherein the industrial waste stream is a gaseous waste stream produced by one of a power plant, a foundry, a cement plant, a refinery, and a smelter.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein the industrial gaseous waste stream is power plant flue gas produced by combustion of a fossil fuel.

57. The method according to claim 56, wherein the method removes 5% or more of the carbon dioxide from the flue gas with a parasitic energy requirement of 50% or less.

58. The method according to claim 57, wherein the method removes 10% or more of the carbon dioxide from the flue gas with a parasitic energy requirement of 30% or less.

59. The method according to claim 58, wherein the method removes 25% or more of the carbon dioxide from the flue gas with a parasitic energy requirement of 25% or less.

60. The method according to claim 56, wherein the gaseous waste stream comprises one or more of NOx, SOx, VOC, mercury and particulates and the method results in fixation of one or more of the NOx, SOx, VOC, mercury and particulates in the precipitated storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product.

61. The method according to claim 21, wherein the alkaline-earth-metal-ion-containing water comprises calcium and magnesium.

62. The method according to claim 61, wherein the water is saltwater.

63. The method according to claim 61, wherein the water is fresh water.

64. The method according to claim 61, wherein the method comprises producing the alkaline-earth-metal-ion containing water by contacting a precursor water with a source of at least one of calcium ions and magnesium ions.

65. The method according to claim 21, wherein the disposing comprises placing the product at a disposal location.

66. The method according to claim 61, wherein the disposing comprises employing the product as a component of a manufactured composition.

67. The method according to claim 66, wherein the manufactured composition is a building material.

68. The method according to claim 67, wherein the building material is a component of concrete.

69. The method according to claim 68, wherein the component of concrete is chosen from cement, aggregate and supplementary cementitious material.

70. The method according to claim 67, wherein the building material is a preformed building material.

71. The method according to claim 66, wherein the manufactured composition is a non-cementitious composition.

22-23. -23. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

54. (canceled)

72-75. -75. (canceled)

76. A system for sequestering carbon dioxide, the system comprising:

(a) a source of a carbon dioxide containing industrial gaseous waste stream;

(b) a source of an alkaline-earth-metal-ion-containing water;

(c) a charging element for contacting the source of carbon dioxide with the water; and

(d) a reactor for subjecting the water to carbonate compound precipitation conditions to produce a precipitated storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product, wherein said precipitation conditions cause precipitation of at least 10 g/L of precipitated storage-stable carbon dioxide sequestering product.

77. The system according to claim 76, wherein the source of a carbon dioxide containing industrial gaseous waste stream is a gaseous conveyer coupled to an industrial plant chosen from a power plant, a foundry, a cement plant, a refinery and a smelter.

78. The system according to claim 77, wherein the industrial gaseous waste stream is flue gas.

79. An industrial plant comprising a gaseous waste stream output in fluid communication with a gaseous waste stream input of a system comprising:

(a) a source of an alkaline-earth-metal-ion-containing water;

(b) a charging element for contacting a gaseous waste stream from the gaseous waste stream input with the water; and

(c) a reactor for subjecting the water to carbonate compound precipitation conditions to produce a precipitated storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product, wherein said precipitation conditions cause precipitation of at least 10 g/L of precipitated storage-stable carbon dioxide sequestering product.

80. The industrial plant according to claim 79, wherein the gaseous waste stream output is a flue.

81. The industrial plant according to claim 79, wherein industrial plant is a power plant.

82. The industrial plant according to claim 79, wherein the industrial plant is a cement plant.