Carbon sequestration and production of hydrogen and hydride

• US 8,012,453 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Surendra Saxena
• Original Assignee: Surendra Saxena
• Inventors: Saxena, Surendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayes; Melvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vaden; Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US12/258,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20090202413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 423/652
• US Class Current: 423/652
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0465 Composition of the impurity
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0475 the impurity being carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/86 Carbon dioxide sequestration
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/02 Production of hydrogen or of gaseous mixtures containing a substantial proportion of hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/50 Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification C01B3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 6/04 Hydrides of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, beryllium or magnesium; Addition complexes thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C01D 7/07 Preparation from the hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/00 Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry

Abstract

This invention describes a complete sequestration of carbon (CO₂ and CO) from coal burning plants. In this process, hydrogen can be generated which in turn permits the reduction in the cost of hydride synthesis. The hydrides store hydrogen for on-board application for automobiles and fuel cells. Hydrogen generation and synthesis of hydrides is accomplished by using an integrated approach in which coal is used as a fuel and carbon is sequestered in the process. The CO and or CO₂ produced in coal burning power plants and the heat is used when available for producing hydrogen and hydrides. Carbon is used both as a reactant and as a fuel. Economically hydrogen production cost is comparable to or less than the current price of hydrogen produced from fossil-fuel with the added benefit of carbon sequestration and reducing global warming. Specific processes for synthesizing important hydrogen storage materials, hydrides are described. A hydrogen based automobile becomes viable as the cost of the hydrogen production and hydride synthesis is reduced. Although coal-burning power plant is specified here, any power plant, coal- or natural gas-burning, can be subjected to similar treatment.

Claims

1. A process to synthesize metal hydride comprising:

a) reacting a metal hydroxide selected from sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide with a carbon reaction group at about 400K to 1100K in the presence of a silicon dioxide catalyst to obtain hydrogen and a carbonate compound,

wherein the carbonate compound is sodium carbonate when sodium hydroxide is used and wherein the carbonate compound is potassium carbonate when potassium hydroxide is used,

wherein the carbon reaction group is selected from the group consisting of;

carbon monoxide;

carbon dioxide and elemental carbon; and

elemental carbon and water;

b) recycling the carbonate compound of the hydrogen production reaction by reacting the carbonate compound with elemental carbon to produce sodium and carbon monoxide where the carbonate compound is sodium carbonate, and to produce potassium and carbon monoxide where the carbonate compound is potassium carbonate;

c) reacting said hydrogen with a hydride reaction group to obtain a metal hydride, wherein said hydride reaction group is selected from the group consisting of;

magnesium metal powder to produce magnesium hydride;

magnesium metal powder and water to produce magnesium hydride;

sodium metaborate and magnesium metal powder to produce sodium borohydride;

sodium metaborate, water, and magnesium metal powder to produce sodium borohydride;

lithium metaborate, water, and magnesium metal powder to produce lithium borohydride; and

lithium metaborate and magnesium metal powder to produce lithium borohydride,

wherein the reaction temperature in Step 1c for reactions involving magnesium metal powder to produce magnesium hydride is about 400K, wherein the reaction temperature in Step 1c for reactions involving sodium metaborate ranges from about 300K to 800K, and wherein the reaction temperature in Step 1c for reactions involving lithium metaborate ranges from about 300K to 600K.

2. The process according to claim 1, further comprising the preliminary step of obtaining the carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide of step 1a from a coal-burning plant.

3. The process according to claim 1, further comprising the step of obtaining hot air from a coal-burning plant to provide heat required to facilitate the chemical reaction of Step 1a and Step 1b.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the metal hydroxide of Step 1a is sodium hydroxide.

5. The process according to claim 1 further comprising wherein the metal hydroxide of Step 1a is potassium hydroxide.