CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE

• US 20110030957A1
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Calera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Calera Corporation
• Inventors: CONSTANTZ, BRENT, SELF, KYLE, FERNANDEZ, MIGUEL, SEEKER, WILLIAM RANDALL
• Application Number:
  US12/852,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20110030957A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/305.1
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00017 Aspects relating to the protection of the environment
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/106 Bicarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/10 Lime cements or magnesium oxide cements
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 7/364 Avoiding environmental pollution during cement-manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/18 Carbon capture and storage [CCS]

Abstract

Aspects of the invention include methods of contacting carbon dioxide with an aqueous mixture. In practicing methods according to certain embodiments, a subterranean brine may be contacted with carbon dioxide to produce a reaction product, which may or may not be further processed as desired. Also provided are methods in which a brine or minerals are contacted with an aqueous composition. Aspects of the invention further include compositions produced by methods of the invention as well as systems for practicing methods of the invention.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a. contacting carbon dioxide with an aqueous mixture to form a reaction product in the contacted aqueous mixture;

wherein the reaction product comprises water and dissolved carbon dioxide carbonic acid, carbonates, or bicarbonates or a combination thereof, and

b. sequestering at least a portion of the reaction product or derivative thereof in a first subterranean location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the carbon dioxide is a component of an industrial waste gas.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the carbon dioxide is supercritical carbon dioxide.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous mixture comprises divalent cations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous mixture is alkaline.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the divalent cations comprise cations of calcium, magnesium, or a combination of calcium and magnesium.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the molar ratio of calcium to magnesium is between 1:

1 and 1000;

1.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the reaction product contains less than 1% solids.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sequestering carbon dioxide further comprises precipitating a precipitation material comprising carbonates, bicarbonates, or a combination of carbonates and bicarbonates from the reaction product.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising concentrating the reaction product to form a concentrated mixture.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein contacting the aqueous mixture with the waste gas occurs at or above ground level.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the carbon in the reaction product has a δ

¹³C value less −

10‰

.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the waste gas further comprises SO_x, NO_x, industrial waste particulate, VOCs, heavy metals, heavy metal containing compounds, or a derivative of any of the forgoing or any combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reaction product further comprises SO_x, NO_x, industrial waste particulates, VOCs, metals, metal containing compounds, or any combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the subterranean location is between 100 and 1000 meters below ground.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the concentration of the carbon is at least 0.2472 g/cm³.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous mixture comprises solid material.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the solid material comprises mafic mineral particulate, solid waste from an industrial process, or any derivative or combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subterranean location is an aquifer, a petroleum reservoir, a deep coal seam, or a sub-oceanic location.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the subterranean location is a geological feature covered by rock with a porosity greater than 1%.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the subterranean location is a geological feature not covered by cap rock.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous mixture comprises fresh water, seawater, retentate from a desalination process, a subterranean brine, or a stream resulting from dissolution of mineral sources or any combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 2, wherein the waste gas comprising carbon dioxide is provided by an industrial process.

24. The method of claim 2, wherein the waste gas is provided by a power plant, a steam fossil fuel reformer, a liquefied natural gas plant, a cement plant, a smelter, or any combination thereof.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein producing the reaction product comprises removing protons from the aqueous solution before or after contacting the aqueous mixture with carbon dioxide.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein protons are removed by addition of a proton-removing agent.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the proton-removing agent comprises an industrial waste.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the industrial waste comprises fly ash, bottom ash, cement kiln dust, slag, red mud, mining waste, or any combination thereof.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the protons are removed by an electrochemical method.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the protons are removed by a combination of electrochemistry and the addition of a proton removing agent.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating an amount of water from the reaction product, producing a concentrated mixture and a supernatant.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein a portion of the concentrated mixture is transported to the subterranean location.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the concentrated mixture comprises greater than 30% solids by weight.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the supernatant is reused as a portion of the aqueous mixture.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the aqueous mixture from a second subterranean location prior to contacting the aqueous mixture with the waste gas comprising carbon dioxide or supercritical carbon dioxide.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first and second subterranean locations are the same location.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the first and second subterranean locations are the different locations.

38. A system comprising:

a. a processor configured for contacting an aqueous mixture with an industrial waste gas comprising carbon dioxide to produce a reaction product comprising water and dissolved carbon dioxide carbonic acid, carbonates, or bicarbonates or a combination thereof;

b. a first conduit;

c. a first subterranean location, wherein the conduit provides for transferring a portion of the reaction product or a derivative of the reaction product from the processor to the subterranean location.

39. The system of claim 38, further comprising d. a source for the industrial waste gas operably connected to the processor.

40. The system of claims 38 and 39, further comprising e. a second subterranean location operably connected to the processor.

41. The system of claim 40 further comprising a pump configured for transferring a subterranean brine from the second subterranean location to the processor.

42. The system of claims 40 and 41 wherein the first and second subterranean locations are the same location.

43. The system of claims 40 and 41 wherein the first and second subterranean locations are different locations.

44. The system of claims 38, 39 and 40, wherein the processor configured to contact an aqueous mixture that is a liquid or a slurry

45. The system of claims 38, 39 and 40, wherein the processor is configured to produce a reaction product comprising liquids and solids.

46. The system of claim 45, further comprising a liquid-solid separator for concentrating the reaction product mixture, wherein the liquid-solid separator is operably connected to the processor and the first conduit.

47. The system of claims 38, 39 and 40, wherein the system further comprises a first pump for pumping the product mixture to the first subterranean location.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the first pump is configured to provide no more than 2 bars of pressure.

49. The system of claims 38, 39 and 40, wherein the first subterranean location is a depleted petroleum reservoir, or a coal deposit.

50. The system of claims 38, 39 and 40, wherein the rock above the first subterranean location has a porosity greater that 1%.

51. The system of claims 38, 39 and 40, wherein the first subterranean location is a geological formation is a saline aquifer.

52. The system of claims 38, 39 and 40, wherein the industrial waste gas comprising carbon dioxide is provided by a power plant, a steam fossil fuel reformer, a cement plant, a smelter, or a liquefied natural gas plant.

53. A method comprising:

a. obtaining a reaction product comprising at least 0.0103 mol/cm³ of carbon;

from carbon dioxide and a first subterranean brine from a first subterranean location, and

b. sequestering some or all of the reaction product in a second subterranean location.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the reaction product comprises a liquid comprising water, carbonic acid, bicarbonate, or carbonate or a combination thereof.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the first and second subterranean location are the same location.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein the first and second subterranean location are less than 100 surface miles away from each other.

57. The method of claim 53, wherein the reaction product is a slurry comprising a liquid and a solid.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising separating some or all of the liquid from the solid.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein separating the liquid from the solid creates a slurry comprising between 15% and 50% solids by weight.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein separating the liquid from the solid creates a slurry comprising between 40% and 50% solids by weight