METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS-SUPPORTED EXHAUST GAS DISPOSAL, PARTICULARLY CO2

• US 20110195473A1
• Filed: 10/07/2009
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Maria Rogmans
• Original Assignee: Maria Rogmans
• Inventors: Wilhelm, Hermann-Josef
• Application Number:
  US13/123,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20110195473A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/168
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/18 Greenhouses for treating plants with carbon dioxide or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/84 Biological processes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/18 from the purification of gaseous effluents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/32 characterised by the animals or plants used, e.g. algae
• 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: Y02P 20/151 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/20 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/30 Wastewater or sewage treatment systems using renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/33 using wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and to a device for photosynthesis-supported exhaust gas disposal, particularly CO₂ disposal. In order to compensate, even locally, for CO₂ produced by energy generation or by processing energy carriers, the invention proposes that exhaust gases from combustion processes or chemical processes act as a CO₂ source, wherein the exhaust gas is fed directly, or under pressure in water, forming carbon dioxide dissolved in water, into an at least partially closed system, in which rapidly growing photosynthetically active biomasses are cultivated, and that the biomass is harvested cyclically, and that further biomass reproduces automatically from the remaining biomass.

Claims

1. A method for the biological and ecologically compatible processing of CO₂ into carbon and oxygen, wherein exhaust gases from combustion processes or chemical processes act as a source of CO₂, wherein the exhaust gas is fed directly, or under pressure in water, forming carbon dioxide dissolved in water in an at least partially closed system where rapidly growing photosynthesis-active is cultivated, and the biomass is harvested cyclically, and further biomass reproduces either automatically from remaining biomass, or is cyclically refilled.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the harvested biomass for the generation of energy (biogas, dry fuel, bioethanol, biodiesel) is recycled into the said exhaust-producing energy generation process.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the carbonated water enriched from exhaust gases is fed in according to demand in order to supply water to the biomass, wherein a filling level is monitored at the feed-in point such that exactly the same quantity of treated water is supplied as is absorbed and metabolized by the biomass.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the biomass comprises duckweed, which floats in shallow tubs on said fed-in treated water.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the biomass comprises wheat or similar germinating seeds, which float in shallow tubs on said fed-in treated water.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the biomass comprises cress, which floats in shallow tubs on said fed-in treated water.

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein harvesting of the biomass is carried out such that the increasing population of the biomass in the respective tubs, which are spatially limited, causes a lateral dropping out of excess biomass over a lowered rim of the tubs, which in this process drops onto a conveying system in a controlled manner and is transported away for processing.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein several tiers of tubs are stacked on top of one another, provided that sufficient incident of light allowing photosynthesis is guaranteed.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein light, particularly UV-light, is supplied to the plants in order to artificially extend the supply of daylight in dark phases.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein after additional or alternative water supply with said treated carbonated water, same is fed into said at least partially closed system by means of cold fogging.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method is applied underground in mines or underground caverns by collecting exhaust gas or CO₂ there, which had been fed in or come into existence underground, and fed into the containers filled with biomass and artificially illuminated in the manner described for photosynthesis-supported CO₂ metabolization.

12. A device for the biological processing of CO₂ into carbon and oxygen for the carrying out of the method according to claim 1, wherein a partially closed system in form of a greenhouse comprising several tiers is formed, wherein rapidly growing photosynthesis-active biomass is cultivated in shallow containers, and that exhaust gases from combustion processes or chemical processes act as a CO₂ source, wherein the exhaust gas can be fed directly, or under pressure in water, forming carbon dioxide dissolved in water, and that said water can be fed into said shallow containers via a control device in the amount of the water absorbed by the biomass.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein the tubs in the tiers are arranged in an at least partially offset relationship for an improved constant supply of light.

14. A device according to claim 12, wherein the partially closed system comprises one or more valve or flap devices, by means of which excess gas—

oxygen and non-metabolized gas—

can be discharged in a controlled manner.

15. A device according to claim 12, wherein the roof and/or all lateral walls are embodied as pyramid or pyramidal body.

16. A device according to claim 12, wherein an additional illumination device is provided, by means of which light, particularly UV-rich light, can be supplied also at night time.

17. A device according to claim 12, wherein the illumination device is fed from an accumulator with electricity obtained from solar power or from the exploitation of residual heat.

18. A device according to claim 1, wherein the partially closed system is embodied as a transportable container, comprising light-permeable, particularly UV-light permeable, material at least on the roof side.

19. A device according to claim 18, wherein the container or at least the light-permeable wall and roof components are folding/collapsible in the form of a folding transport container for the purpose of transport of same and are unfolding on-site for their intended use.

20. A device according to claim 18, wherein also the device for the production of energy, or the device for the production of bioethanol, and one or more pressure accumulators are each housed in transportable containers.

21. A device according to claim 12, wherein the partially closed system is arranged in a stationary, light-permeable, particularly, UV-light permeable, room of the type of a mobile or stationary greenhouse.

22. A device according to claim 12, wherein the partially closed system, i.e. the device, is lowered into a dug hollow in an agricultural field and covered from above with a light-permeable, particularly, UV-light permeable, roof, or a light-permeable, particularly UV-light permeable, foil.

23. A device according to claim 12, wherein the roof is embodied pyramidally.

24. A device according to claim 12, wherein the device for the disposal of CO₂ or of exhaust gases containing CO₂ is located in an underground cavern or in a mine.

25. A device according to claim 12, wherein the tubs are embodied as bodies with a polygonal cross-section, which are rotatable around an axis and which can be opened, and that the biomass, for example, duckweed, can be collected with a scraper.

26. A device according to claim 12, wherein the tubs are equipped with a light sensor on the inside such that it is possible to record the achievement of a surface closed by biomass or duckweed, respectively, and harvesting can be commenced.

27. A device according to claim 12, wherein the device comprises the greenhouse (4) with planting tubs or planting containers, which are planted with aquatic or marsh plants as biomass, and that for purposes of water supply, a supply of water from thermal springs and/or industrial waste water and/or sewage water and/or mining water is provided.

28. A device according to claim 27, wherein the planting tubs or planting containers are arranged in a multitude of tiers in a shelving or rack system.

29. A device according to claim 27, wherein the greenhouse comprises a cored factory building, or a cored skyscraper, or a cored cooling tower or a power station, or a cored water tower, which are equipped with glass or light-permeable foil.

30. A device according to claim 27, wherein the greenhouse comprises a cylindrical construction, or a construction having a polygonal cross-section, which is equipped with light-permeable foil or glass, and which surrounds the tower of a wind turbine.

31. A device according to claim 27, wherein the device is located in direct proximity of a thermal spring, or an industrial plant, or a sewage treatment plant or a mine.

32. A device according to claim 27, wherein the greenhouse is embodied as a pyramid or a pyramidal body or a cuboid.

33. A device according to any of the claim 1, wherein scraping elements, or an air-jet arrangement referred to as “

air broom”

is provided for the automatic harvesting of the biomass, which scrapes the biomass off the tubs or planting containers, or expels it by specific application of compressed air in order to transport the biomass to a conveyor system.

34. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a device for the production of biogas, or a device for the production of bioethanol, or a device for the production of hydrogen, wherein energy carriers are obtainable from the harvested biomass, and the exhaust gases and/or the waste waters and/or the waste heat can be fed back into the greenhouse.

35. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device for the production of biogas and/or bioethanol is directly integrated or implemented in the device for the production of biomass.

36. A device according to claim 34, wherein the exhaust gases of the device for the production of biogas and/or bioethanol can be fed into the greenhouse in addition to the CO₂-rich aerial fertilization of the biomass by means of a device for feeding back the exhaust gas.

37. A device according to claim 1, wherein one or more fish breeding tanks are arranged within the greenhouse, into which the water/waste water can be fed, which was firstly transported through the planting tubs or planting containers, and vice versa.

38. A device for carrying out a method according to claim 1, for the biological processing of CO₂ into carbon and oxygen for the carrying out of the method wherein a partially closed system in form of a greenhouse comprising several tiers is formed, wherein rapidly growing photosynthesis-active biomass is cultivated in shallow containers, and exhaust gases from combustion processes or chemical processes act as a CO₂ source, wherein the exhaust gas can be fed directly, or under pressure in water, forming carbon dioxide dissolved in water, and that said water can be fed into said shallow containers via a control device in the amount of the water absorbed by the biomass are applied for the operation of a clarifier of a sewage treatment plant.

39. A device for carrying out a method according to claim 1 wherein the device is applied for the discharge of CO₂ from a mine, particularly a coal mine, wherein the obtained exhaust gas containing CO₂ is collected and fed into water forming carbonic acid under pressure, and the carbonated water is used as a fertilizer.

40. A device for carrying out a method according to claim 1, wherein the method and/or the device is used when exhaust gas containing CO₂ is obtained in the heating systems of residential buildings such that the exhaust gas is fed into water forming carbonic acid under pressure, and transported away for further use by means of pressure pipelines.