Sequestration of carbon dioxide

• US 7,132,090 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2003
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Gorski, Robert A, Dziedzic, Daniel, Gross, Kenneth B, Johnson, John T
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooke, Colleen P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stadler, Rebecca M.
• Application Number:
  US10/428,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20040219090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 423/430, 423/230
• US Class Current: 423/230
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/229 Integrated processes (Diffusion and at least one other process, e.g. adsorption, absorption)
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/73 After-treatment of removed components
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/864 Removing carbon monoxide or hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/60 Preparation of carbonates or bicarbonates in general of percarbonates C01B15/10; of specific carbonates or bicarbonates according to the cation C01B-C01G
• CPC Class Codes: C01D 7/00 Carbonates of sodium, potassium or alkali metals in general
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 11/181 Preparation of calcium carbonate by carbonation of aqueous solutions and characterised by control of the carbonation conditions
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 5/24 Magnesium carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2

Abstract

A process for selectively removing carbon dioxide from a gaseous stream by converting the carbon dioxide to a solid, stable form is provided. In a sequestration process, carbon dioxide enriched air is passed through a gas diffusion membrane to transfer the carbon dioxide to a fluid medium. The carbon dioxide rich fluid is then passed through a matrix containing a catalyst specific for carbon dioxide, which accelerates the conversion of the carbon dioxide to carbonic acid. In the final step, a mineral ion is added to the reaction so that a precipitate of carbonate salt is formed. This solid mineral precipitate can be safely stored for extended periods of time, such as by burying the precipitate in the ground or depositing the precipitate into storage sites either on land or into a body of water. An apparatus for removing carbon dioxide from a gaseous stream is also provided.

Claims

1. A process for removing carbon dioxide from a gaseous stream comprising:

diffusing gaseous carbon dioxide into water by passing the gaseous carbon dioxide through a gas diffusion membrane and a catalyst specific for carbon dioxide to accelerate a conversion of the carbon dioxide to carbonic acid supported by a matrix, wherein the matrix to which the catalyst is affixed comprises the gas diffusion membrane; and

adding a mineral ion to form a precipitate of a salt of the carbonic acid.

2. The process according to claim 1, further comprising:

forming bicarbonate ions from the carbonic acid.

3. The process according to claim 2, further comprising:

adding a base to the bicarbonate ions to form carbonate ions.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the mineral ion is selected from the group consisting of sodium cations, calcium cations and magnesium cations.

5. The process according to claim 4, wherein the catalyst is carbonic anhydrase and the precipitate is selected from the group consisting of a carbonate salt and a bicarbonate salt.

6. A process for removing carbon dioxide from a gaseous stream comprising:

placing the carbon dioxide into solution by passing the gaseous stream through a gas diffusion membrane;

accelerating a conversion of carbon dioxide to carbonic acid by passing the carbon dioxide solution over a matrix that contains carbonic anhydrase, wherein the matrix comprises the gas diffusion membrane; and

adding a mineral ion to form a precipitate of a salt of the carbonic acid.

7. The process according to claim 6, wherein the mineral ion is selected from the group consisting of calcium cations and magnesium cations.

8. The process according to claim 6 wherein the precipitate is a carbonate or a bicarbonate salt of a member selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, and sodium.

9. A process for removing carbon dioxide from a gaseous stream comprising:

obtaining gaseous carbon dioxide from a hydrocarbon reforming process;

diffusing the gaseous carbon dioxide into water by passing the gaseous carbon dioxide through a gas diffusion membrane and a catalyst specific for carbon dioxide to accelerate a conversion of the carbon dioxide to carbonic acid supported by a matrix, wherein the matrix to which the catalyst is affixed comprises gas diffusion membrane; and

adding a mineral ion to form a precipitate of a salt of the carbonic acid.

10. The process according to claim 9, further comprising:

forming bicarbonate ions from the carbonic acid.

11. The process according to claim 10, further comprising:

adding a base to the bicarbonate ions to form carbonate ions.

12. The process according to claim 9, wherein the mineral ion is selected from the group consisting of sodium cations, calcium cations and magnesium cations.

13. The process according to claim 9, wherein the catalyst is affixed to a porous membrane.

14. A process for removing carbon dioxide from a gaseous stream comprising:

placing the carbon dioxide into solution by passing the gaseous stream through a gas diffusion membrane that contains a catalyst, the catalyst accelerating the conversion of the carbon dioxide to carbonic acid; and

adding a mineral ion to form a precipitate of a salt of the carbonic acid.

15. The process of claim 14, further comprising:

forming bicarbonate ions from the carbonic acid.

16. The process of claim 15, further comprising:

adding a base to the bicarbonate ions to form carbonate ions.

17. The process according to claim 14, wherein the mineral ion is selected from the group consisting of sodium cations, calcium cations and magnesium cations.

18. The process according to claim 14, wherein the catalyst is carbonic anhydrase and the precipitate is selected from the group consisting of a carbonate and a bicarbonate salt.