Method for recycling carbon dioxide for enhancing plant growth

• US 5,682,709 A
• Filed: 08/14/1995
• Issued: 11/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AG Gas LP
• Original Assignee: The Agricultural Gas Company
• Inventors: Erickson, Stewart E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fox, David T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bell, Kent L.
• Application Number:
  US08/515,106
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 47/58, 47/1.4, 47/DIG. 10
• US Class Current: 47/58.10R
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/02 Treatment of plants with carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 5/00 Storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/20 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 47/10 Physical and chemical treatment of agricultural soils

Abstract

A method of recycling carbon dioxide for enhancing plant growth. The method comprising the steps of collecting carbon dioxide-containing gas, depositing the carbon dioxide-containing gas into an underground void which is substantially free of methane, storing the carbon dioxide-containing gas in the underground void until it cools to a less than ambient daytime temperature, and distributing the stored carbon dioxide-containing gas to plants within a contiguous tract of plants under field conditions.

Claims

1. A method of recycling carbon dioxide for enhancing plant growth comprising the steps of:

a) collecting carbon dioxide-containing gas;

b) depositing the carbon dioxide-containing gas in an underground void which is substantially free of methane and which has a temperature therein less than ambient daytime temperatures during a growing season;

c) storing the carbon dioxide-containing gas in the underground void at least until the deposited carbon dioxide-containing gas cools to a temperature of no more than about 68°

F.; and

d) subsequently distributing the stored carbon dioxide-containing gas to plants within a contiguous tract of plants under field conditions.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of encapsulating the carbon dioxide in a container.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the encapsulating step comprises putting the carbon dioxide into a tanker rail car.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the underground void is a mine, the step of depositing the recovered carbon dioxide into the underground void comprising pumping the captured carbon dioxide into the mine.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mine has a ventilation system, the carbon dioxide being pumped into the mine through the ventilation system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the underground void is an aquifer, the step of depositing the recovered carbon dioxide into the underground void comprising pumping the captured carbon dioxide into the aquifer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of distributing the carbon dioxide-containing gas comprises siphoning the stored carbon dioxide-containing gas from the underground void through a distribution system to a tract of plants.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of distributing the carbon dioxide-containing gas comprises pumping the carbon dioxide-containing gas from the underground void to a plurality of tracts of plants through hoses disposed in existing aqueducts, the hoses having branches extending to individual tracts of plants.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of distributing the carbon dioxide-containing gas comprises pumping the carbon dioxide from the underground void to a tract of plants through a hood positioned over existing aqueducts.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of distributing the carbon dioxide-containing gas further comprises extracting the carbon dioxide from the aquifer at a tract of plants located remotely from the location where the carbon dioxide is pumped into the aquifer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a dual use irrigation apparatus capable of distributing water and the carbon dioxide-containing gas is provided, the carbon dioxide-containing gas being distributed to the plants through the irrigation apparatus during daylight hours and water being distributed through the irrigation apparatus during non-daylight hours.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the carbon dioxide is pumped through the dual use irrigation apparatus when the ambient temperature is between about 70°

F. and about 90°

F.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of distributing the carbon dioxide-containing gas uses an irrigation apparatus having a shaft rotatably supported by a plurality of stanchions, a wheel attached to the shaft, and a hose having first and second ends, the first end of the hose being attached to the wheel and the second end of the hose being attached to a pull bar on the back of a tractor, further comprising deploying the hose in a field by moving the tractor generally away from the shaft, pumping carbon dioxide-containing gas through the hose during daylight hours, and retracting the hose by rotating the shaft to roll the hose on the wheel.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the carbon dioxide-containing gas comprises capturing said gas from a carbon dioxide producing source and delivering said gas to the underground void through a dedicated conduit therebetween.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of placing a carbon dioxide producing source in the underground void.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the carbon dioxide-containing gas is distributed to a plurality of tracts of plants through hoses disposed in aqueducts.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the irrigation apparatus includes a wheel attached to a shaft, and a hose attached to a pull bar on the back of a vehicle, further comprising deploying the hose in the field to deliver the carbon dioxide-containing gas by moving the vehicle generally away from the shaft and retracting the hose from the field after use by rotating the shaft to roll the hose on the wheel.