Carbon Dioxide Capture and Related Processes

• US 20100051859A1
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation)
• Original Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation)
• Inventors: House, Christopher H., House, Kurt Z., Schrag, Daniel Paul, Aziz, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US12/226,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20100051859A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/182.320
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/30 Alkali metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4558 for being employed as mobile cleaners for ambient air, i.e. the earth's atmosphere
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2

Abstract

Processes for capturing carbon dioxide are described. The carbon dioxide may be captured from the atmosphere and/or from the waste stream of a carbon dioxide point source (e.g., power plants, chemical plants, natural gas fields, oil fields, industrial sites, etc.). The processes can involve capturing carbon dioxide using alkaline solutions (e.g., NaOH). In some processes, the carbon dioxide may react with the alkaline solution to form a product (e.g., NaHCO₃). The alkaline solution may be made a number of different ways. In some of the processes, products produced during processing may be used to add value beyond carbon dioxide capture.

Claims

1. A process for capturing carbon dioxide comprising:

processing water to generate an acidic solution and an alkaline solution;

neutralizing the acidic solution; and

capturing carbon dioxide from a source of carbon dioxide with the alkaline solution.

76. The process of claim 1, wherein capturing the carbon dioxide comprises exposing the alkaline solution to a waste stream of carbon dioxide from a point source to form metal carbonate and/or metal bicarbonate.

79. The process of claim 1, wherein the water is provided from a body of water selected from the group consisting of an ocean, a sea, a lake, a river, an aquifer, or a combination of one or more thereof.

81. The process of claim 1, wherein the water is processed to form the alkaline solution using a process comprising an electrochemical step.

84. The process of claim 81, wherein the electrochemical step produces a metal hydroxide and an acidic solution.

86. The process of claim 81 wherein the electrochemical step does not produce chlorine gas.

91. The process of claim 81, wherein the alkaline solution comprises sodium hydroxide and the acidic solution comprises hydrochloric acid.

94. The process of claim 81 wherein the electrochemical step further produces a carbonate or bicarbonate species in solution or in solid form.

103. The process of claim 81, wherein the electrochemical step produces hydrogen gas, a halogen gas, and alkaline solution.

112. The process of claim 1, wherein neutralizing the acidic solution comprises reacting the acidic solution with a reactive species provided from a rock and/or mineral source.

113. The process of claim 112, wherein the rock and/or mineral source is selected from the group consisting of silicate rocks, silicate minerals, mafic minerals, magnetite, mafic rocks, ultramafic rocks, serpentinites, basalts, and iron ores.

2-75. -75. (canceled)

77-78. -78. (canceled)

80. (canceled)

82-83. -83. (canceled)

85. (canceled)

87-90. -90. (canceled)

92-93. -93. (canceled)

95-102. -102. (canceled)

104-111. -111. (canceled)

114-118. -118. (canceled)

119. A process for capturing carbon dioxide comprising:

adding ash to water to form an alkaline solution; and

capturing carbon dioxide from a source of carbon dioxide with the alkaline solution.

122. The process of claim 119, wherein the source of ash is from the oxidation of biomass.

123. The process of claim 119, wherein the alkaline solution contains one or more metal cations.

124. The process of claim 119, wherein capturing the carbon dioxide comprises exposing the alkaline solution to a waste stream of carbon dioxide from a point source to form metal carbonate and/or metal bicarbonate.

120-121. -121. (canceled)

125-128. -128. (canceled)

129. A carbonate composition comprising a metal ion and a carbonate, wherein the carbonate is formed from carbon dioxide captured from a gaseous source of carbon dioxide by dissolution of the carbon dioxide in an alkaline solution, and wherein said alkaline solution is produced by processing water to generate said alkaline solution and an acidic solution.

130. The composition of claim 129 wherein said carbon dioxide comprises carbon dioxide from a waste stream of carbon dioxide from a point source.

132. The composition of claim 129, wherein said alkaline and acidic solutions are produced by an electrochemical process.

131. (canceled)

133. (canceled)

134. The composition of claim 133, wherein the acid solution is neutralized by reaction with a reactive species provided from a rock and/or mineral source.

135. The composition of claim 133, wherein the rock and/or mineral source is selected from the group consisting of silicate rocks, silicate minerals, mafic minerals, magnetite, mafic rocks, ultramafic rocks, serpentinites, basalts, and iron ores.

136-137. -137. (canceled)