Method and system for forming carbon dioxide from carbon-containing materials in a molten bath of immiscible metals
First Claim
1. A method for increasing conversion of atomic carbon, formed from a carbon-containing feed, to carbon dioxide in a molten metal bath, comprising the steps of:
- a) introducing the carbon-containing feed to a reactor containing a molten metal bath having;
1) a first molten metal phase, consisting essentially of metal having a free energy of oxidation, at the molten metal bath conditions, greater than that of oxidation of atomic carbon to form carbon monoxide; and
2) a second molten metal phase for increasing conversion of the atomic carbon to carbon dioxide in the molten metal bath compared to conversion to carbon dioxide in the first molten metal phase, the second molten metal phase being substantially immiscible in the first molten metal phase and in contact with the first molten metal phase, said second molten metal phase consisting essentially of metal having a free energy of oxidation, at the molten metal bath conditions, greater than that of oxidation of carbon monoxide to form carbon dioxide, in which the solubility of atomic carbon is significantly lower than in the first molten metal phase,whereby the molten metal bath in said reactor catalytically converts carbon in the carbon-containing feed to atomic carbon, and whereby atomic carbon formed in the second molten metal phase migrates to the first molten metal phase; and
b) introducing oxygen to the molten metal bath, whereby atomic carbon in the first molten metal phase is oxidized to form carbon monoxide and whereby carbon monoxide migrates to the second molten metal phase wherein carbon monoxide is oxidized to form carbon dioxide thereby increasing conversion of the atomic carbon to carbon dioxide in the molten metal bath compared to conversion of atomic carbon to carbon dioxide in the first molten metal phase at the same molten metal bath conditions.
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Abstract
A method and a system for converting carbon-containing feed to atomic carbon and for oxidizing atomic carbon to carbon dioxide is disclosed. Carbon-containing feed, such as municipal garbage, low grade fuel oil and organic or inorganic sludge is introduced to a molten metal bath. The molten metal bath includes a first molten metal phase having a significant solubility of atomic carbon and a second molten metal phase, substantially immiscible in the first molten metal phase and having a solubility of atomic carbon less than that of the first molten metal phase. Carbon in the carbon-containing feed is catalytically converted to atomic carbon. The atomic carbon are oxidized in the first molten metal phase to carbon monoxide which is then directed to the second molten metal phase. Carbon monoxide in the second molten metal phase is oxidized to form carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere. Other atomic free radicals formed in the molten metal both are substantially converted to oxides and other stable compounds.
197 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for increasing conversion of atomic carbon, formed from a carbon-containing feed, to carbon dioxide in a molten metal bath, comprising the steps of:
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a) introducing the carbon-containing feed to a reactor containing a molten metal bath having; 1) a first molten metal phase, consisting essentially of metal having a free energy of oxidation, at the molten metal bath conditions, greater than that of oxidation of atomic carbon to form carbon monoxide; and 2) a second molten metal phase for increasing conversion of the atomic carbon to carbon dioxide in the molten metal bath compared to conversion to carbon dioxide in the first molten metal phase, the second molten metal phase being substantially immiscible in the first molten metal phase and in contact with the first molten metal phase, said second molten metal phase consisting essentially of metal having a free energy of oxidation, at the molten metal bath conditions, greater than that of oxidation of carbon monoxide to form carbon dioxide, in which the solubility of atomic carbon is significantly lower than in the first molten metal phase, whereby the molten metal bath in said reactor catalytically converts carbon in the carbon-containing feed to atomic carbon, and whereby atomic carbon formed in the second molten metal phase migrates to the first molten metal phase; and b) introducing oxygen to the molten metal bath, whereby atomic carbon in the first molten metal phase is oxidized to form carbon monoxide and whereby carbon monoxide migrates to the second molten metal phase wherein carbon monoxide is oxidized to form carbon dioxide thereby increasing conversion of the atomic carbon to carbon dioxide in the molten metal bath compared to conversion of atomic carbon to carbon dioxide in the first molten metal phase at the same molten metal bath conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In a method for catalytically converting carbon in a carbon-containing feed to atomic carbon in a molten metal bath, wherein carbon-containing feed and oxygen are introduced to the molten metal bath, and whereby the carbon-containing feed is exposed to conditions sufficient to allow the molten metal bath to catalytically convert carbon in carbon-containing feed to atomic carbon;
the improvement comprising introducing the carbon-containing feed into a reactor containing a molten metal bath having a first molten metal phase consisting essentially of metal having a free energy of oxidation, at the molten metal bath conditions, greater than that of oxidation of atomic carbon to form carbon monoxide, and a second molten metal phase, substantially immiscible in the first molten metal phase and in contact with the first molten metal phase, said second molten metal phase consisting essentially of metal having a free energy of oxidation, at the molten metal bath conditions, greater than that of oxidation of carbon monoxide to form carbon dioxide, in which the solubility of atomic carbon is significantly lower than in the first molten metal phase, whereby atomic carbon formed in the second molten metal phase migrate to the first molten metal phase, and whereby carbon monoxide formed in the first molten metal phase migrates to the second molten metal phase for reacting with oxygen, introduced to the molten metal bath, to form carbon dioxide, thereby increasing conversion of atomic carbon to carbon dioxide in the molten metal bath compared to the conversion of atomic carbon to carbon dioxide in the first molten metal phase at the same molten metal bath conditions.
Specification