System and method for atmospheric carbon sequestration

• US 8,308,911 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2010
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cool Planet Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cool Planet Biofuels, Inc. (Cool Planet Energy Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cheiky, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhat, Nina
• Application Number:
  US12/651,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20100257775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 201/7, 201/21, 201/33, 585/240, 445/51, 445/63, 445/68, 445/89, 445/99
• US Class Current: 201/7
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/02 of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/44 on vegetable substances
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel

Abstract

This invention relates to systems and methods for converting biomass into highly inert carbon. Specifically, some embodiments densify the carbon into anthracite-style carbon aggregations and store it in geologically stable underground deposits. The use of certain embodiments yield a net effect of removing atmospheric carbon via the process of photosynthesis and converting it into hard coal, which can be stored in underground beds that mimic existing coal deposits which are known to be stable for thousands of years.

Claims

1. A method for preparing carbon aggregates for underground storage, comprising:

providing biomass to a pyrolyzing system, wherein the pyrolyzing system generates biochar and filtrate carbon;

collecting the biochar and the filtrate carbon;

subjecting the biochar and filtrate carbon to a neutral atmosphere at or above temperatures of 250°

C. for a predetermined time interval; and

combining the resulting biochar and filtrate carbon to form dense carbon aggregates.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising compressing the carbon aggregates into pellets.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said compressing comprises compressing with a peak pressure ranging approximately from 4,000 to 20,000 psi.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein prior to compression, the carbon aggregates are mixed with a water-based starch binder having a starch concentration ranging approximately from 1% to 10%.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein prior to compression, the carbon aggregates are mixed with a water-based starch binder having a starch concentration of approximately 4%;

and

the method further comprises drying the compressed pellets in open air at a temperature ranging approximately from 200°

C. to 250°

C. for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes; and

applying a starch solution with a starch concentration of approximately 6 to 8% to all surfaces of the compressed pellets at the end of the drying.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the peak pressure is approximately 10,000 psi.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising drying the compressed pellets in open air at a temperature ranging approximately from 200°

C. to 250°

C. for approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising applying a starch solution with a starch concentration of approximately 6 to 8% to all surfaces of the compressed pellets at the end of the drying.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein said peak pressure is approximately 10,000 psi.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising drying compressed pellets in open air at a temperature of approximately 230°

C. for approximately 30 minutes.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising drying compressed pellets in open air at a temperature of approximately 300°

C. for approximately 15 minutes in an inert atmosphere of CO₂ nitrogen and water vapor, wherein the CO₂ and nitrogen comprises 70% or more vapor pressure.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprising applying a biodegradable water repellant to each pellet.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said biodegradable water repellant comprises pine rosin, and said applying comprises spraying molten pine rosin on all surfaces of the pellets.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said pine rosin is applied such that the resulting pellets have a surface coating of pine rosin 0.02 mils to 0.08 mils thick.

15. A method for the underground storage of inactive carbon, said method comprising:

providing pellets made according to the method of claim 2; and

transporting the pellets to a long-term underground storage location.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the long-term underground storage location utilized is a reclaimed surface mine.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the long-term underground storage location comprises an underground storage facility in which the pellets are stored in layers ranging approximately from 10 to 50 feet deep.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the pellets are tightly compacted with an overburden material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein material originally removed to create the long-term underground storage location is used as the overburden material.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the top layer material scraped away to create the long-term underground storage location is used as the overburden material.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the overburden material is approximately the same thickness as the underground storage facility'"'"'s storage seam depth.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the underground storage facility has a storage packing structure in which the pellets are intermixed with an inert fill material.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the underground storage facility has a storage packing structure in which groups of pellets are compartmentalized with sections of inert fill material.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the pellets stored by the underground storage facility further comprise a starch binder, a biodegradable water repellant, or both.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the pellets further comprise a starch binder.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the pellets further comprise a biodegradable water repellant.

27. The method of claim 2, wherein said compressing comprises compressing such that the resulting pellets have a density equivalent to anthracite coal.