METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR TREATING INDUSTRIAL WASTE GASES

• US 20110091955A1
• Filed: 10/19/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Calera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Calera Corporation
• Inventors: Bresson, James, Chandra, Divyam, CONSTANTZ, BRENT R.
• Application Number:
  US12/907,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20110091955A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/168
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/304 of sodium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/402 of magnesium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/404 of calcium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/602 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/604 Hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/606 Carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/602 Activators, promoting agents, catalytic agents or enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/70 Non-metallic catalysts, additives or dopants
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0283 Flue gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/229 Integrated processes (Diffusion and at least one other process, e.g. adsorption, absorption)
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/80 Semi-solid phase processes, i.e. by using slurries
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 3/00 Preparation of elements or inorganic compounds except carbon dioxide recovery of carbon dioxides as by-products C12F3/02
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 15/04 using washing fluids scrubbers for removing solids only F23J15/022
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2215/50 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2219/10 Catalytic reduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2219/40 Sorption with wet devices, e.g. scrubbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/32 Direct CO2 mitigation
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for lowering levels of carbon dioxide and other atmospheric pollutants are provided. Economically viable systems and methods capable of removing vast quantities of carbon dioxide and other atmospheric pollutants from gaseous waste streams and sequestering them in storage stable forms are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

(i) contacting a gaseous stream comprising CO₂ with a catalyst to form a solution comprising hydrated CO₂; and

(ii) treating the solution to produce a composition comprising a metastable carbonate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metastable carbonate is more stable in salt water than in fresh water.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metastable carbonate is selected from the group consisting of vaterite, aragonite, amorphous calcium carbonate, and combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the solution comprises treating the solution comprising hydrated CO₂ with an aqueous solution comprising divalent cations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium magnesium carbonate, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition is further treated to produce a dry particulate composition.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the dry particulate composition has an average particle size of 0.1 to 100 microns.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the dry particulate composition is incorporated into a cement or concrete composition.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the concrete composition further comprises ordinary Portland cement, aggregate, admixture, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the cement or concrete composition upon combination with water, setting, and hardening has a compressive strength in a range of 20-70 MPa.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaseous stream comprises a waste stream or product from an industrial plant selected from power plant, chemical processing plant, or other industrial plant that produces CO₂ as a byproduct.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is an enzyme.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the solution to produce a composition comprising a metastable carbonate comprises treating the solution with a proton-removing agent.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein treating the solution to produce a composition comprising a metastable carbonate comprises separating the catalyst from the solution.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a building material from the composition comprising the metastable carbonate.

16. A method, comprising:

(i) contacting a gaseous stream comprising CO₂ with a catalyst to form a solution comprising hydrated CO₂;

(ii) treating the solution with a proton-removing agent; and

(ii) injecting the solution underground.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the catalyst is a biocatalyst.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the biocatalyst is carbonic anhydrase.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein treating the solution with a proton-removing agent comprises treating the solution with an electrochemically produced proton-removing agent.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the proton-removing agent is sodium hydroxide.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sodium hydroxide is electrochemically produced without producing chlorine gas at the anode.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the sodium hydroxide is electrochemically produced without producing oxygen gas at the anode.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein injecting the solution underground comprises injecting the solution into a saline aquifer, a petroleum reservoir, a deep coal seem, a sub-oceanic formation, or some combination thereof.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein injecting the solution underground comprises injecting the solution into a saline aquifer.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the capacity of the saline aquifer is increased prior to injecting the solution into the saline aquifer, wherein increasing the capacity of the saline aquifer comprises removing aquifer water.

26. (canceled)

27. A composition, comprising an immobilized catalyst on immobilization material, a substrate of the catalyst, a product of the catalyst, and water.

28. The composition of claim 27, wherein the catalyst is carbonic anhydrase, the substrate is dissolved CO₂, and the product is bicarbonate.

29. The composition of claim 28, wherein the immobilization material selected from alumina;

bentonite;

a biopolymers;

calcium carbonate;

calcium phosphate;

carbon;

a ceramic support;

a clay;

a porous metal structure;

collagen;

glass;

hydroxyapatite;

an ion-exchange resin;

kaolin;

a polymer mesh;

a polysaccharide;

a phenolic polymer;

polyaminostyrene;

polyacrylamide;

poly(acryloyl morpholine);

polypropylene;

a polymer hydrogel;

sephadex;

sepharose;

a treated silicon oxide;

silica gel; and

PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).

30. The composition of claim 29, further comprising dissolved SOx, dissolved NOx, one or more dissolved mercury salts, or some combination thereof.

31. The composition of claim 30, wherein the dissolved SOx comprises sulfite, sulfate, or a combination thereof.

32. The composition of claim 30, wherein the dissolved NOx comprises nitrite, nitrate, or a combination thereof.

33. A system comprising:

a) a source of CO₂;

b) a processor comprising a catalyst adapted to produce a solution comprising hydrated CO₂, wherein the processor is operably connected to the source of CO₂; and

c) a reactor configured to produce a composition comprising a metastable carbonate.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising a source of divalent cations operably connected to the processor and/or the reactor.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the catalyst is immobilized in the processor.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the catalyst is part of an immobilization material selected from alumina;

bentonite;

a biopolymers;

calcium carbonate;

calcium phosphate;

carbon;

a ceramic support;

a clay;

a porous metal structure;

collagen;

glass;

hydroxyapatite;

an ion-exchange resin;

kaolin;

a polymer mesh;

a polysaccharide;

a phenolic polymer;

polyaminostyrene;

polyacrylamide;

poly(acryloyl morpholine);

polypropylene;

a polymer hydrogel;

sephadex;

sepharose;

a treated silicon oxide;

silica gel; and

PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor comprises a gas-liquid contactor.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor comprises a gas-liquid-solid contactor.