Chemical processes and reactors for efficiently producing hydrogen fuels and structural materials, and associated systems and methods

• US 8,318,131 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Langel, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): IQBAL, SYED TAHA
• Application Number:
  US13/027,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20110226988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 481/275, 481/97.R, 481/981, 423/644, 423/648.1, 423/650, 423/445.R, 423/351, 423/298, 423/348.1, 423/567.1, 252/373, 588/240, 588/242, 422/186, 422/186.3, 201/7, 201/21, 201/30, 202/96, 202/117, 202/118, 753/30
• US Class Current: 423/648.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/127 Sunlight; Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/2415 Tubular reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00135 Electric resistance heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00157 by means of a burner
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00159 controlling multiple zones along the direction of flow, e.g. pre-heating and after-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00162 controlling the pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00164 controlling the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 4/002 Nozzle-type elements nozzle-type reactors B01J19/26
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0277 containing a catalytic decomposition step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0805 Methods of heating the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1241 Natural gas or methane
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/0021 Carbon, e.g. active carbon, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes; Treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/047 Decomposition of ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/24 of hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/22 a condensation chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 5/02 the devices using heat
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/125 Direct injection in the combustion chamber for spark ignition engines, i.e. not in pre-combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0206 Non-hydrocarbon fuels, e.g. hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0227 Means to treat or clean gaseous fuels or fuel systems, e.g. removal of tar, cracking, reforming or enriching
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 27/02 : by catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0671 : the armature having an elongated valve body attached thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 57/06 : the devices being sparking plugs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 : Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/129 : Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 : Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 : Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

Chemical processes and reactors for efficiently producing hydrogen fuels and structural materials and associated systems and methods. A representative process includes dissociating a hydrogen donor into dissociation products by adding energy to the hydrogen donor, wherein the energy includes waste heat generated by a process other than dissociating the hydrogen donor. The process can further include providing, from the dissociation products, a structural building block and/or a hydrogen-based fuel, with the structural building block based on carbon, nitrogen, boron, silicon, sulfur, and/or a transition metal.

Claims

1. A method for processing a hydrogen donor, comprising:

dissociating a hydrogen donor into dissociation products by adding energy to the hydrogen donor in a reactor vessel, wherein the energy includes waste heat generated by a combustion process carried out in a combustion chamber; and

from the dissociation products, providing;

(a) a structural building block based on at least one member selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, boron, silicon, sulfur and a transition metal; and

(b) a hydrogen-based fuel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising supplementing the waste heat with heat obtained from a sustainable, renewable energy source.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein supplementing the waste heat includes supplementing the waste heat with solar energy.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrogen donor has a first energy and the hydrogen-based fuel has a second energy greater than the first.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first energy includes a first dissociation energy and wherein the second energy includes a second dissociation energy.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the structural building block and the hydrogen-based fuel from the dissociation products.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an architectural construct from the structural building block.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein forming the architectural construct includes forming a graphene construct from dissociated carbon, and wherein the process further comprises:

adsorbing hydrogen to the graphene construct;

releasing the hydrogen from the graphene construct; and

combusting the hydrogen to provide energy for a subsequent process of dissociating a hydrogen donor into dissociation products.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrogen donor includes ammonia.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrogen donor includes a hydrocarbon.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding steam to the hydrogen donor.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein dissociating a hydrogen donor includes,

dissociating a first hydrogen donor mass into first dissociation products;

from the first dissociation products, providing;

(a) the structural building block based on at least one member selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, boron, silicon, sulfur and a transition metal; and

(b) the hydrogen-based fuel; and

wherein the method further comprises;

transferring heat from at least one component selected from the group consisting of the structural building block, the dissociation products, and the hydrogen-based fuel to a second hydrogen donor mass; and

dissociating the second hydrogen donor mass into second dissociation products.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein dissociating a first hydrogen donor mass includes dissociating a first hydrocarbon mass.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein dissociating a first hydrocarbon donor mass includes dissociating a first methane mass.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the first hydrogen donor mass has a first dissociation energy and the hydrogen-based fuel has a second dissociation energy greater than the first.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the first hydrogen donor mass includes a first mass of diesel fuel, and the second hydrogen donor mass includes a second mass of diesel fuel and wherein the method further comprises adding hydrogen obtained from dissociating the first mass of diesel fuel to the second mass of diesel fuel to aid in dissociating the second mass of diesel fuel.

17. A method for processing a hydrocarbon, comprising:

in a reactor vessel, dissociating a first hydrocarbon mass into first dissociation products by adding energy to the hydrocarbon mass, wherein the energy includes;

(a) waste heat generated by a combustion process carried out in a combustion chamber; and

(b) energy from a sustainable energy source, and wherein the first hydrocarbon mass has a first dissociation energy;

from the first dissociation products, providing;

(a) a carbon-based structural building block; and

(b) a hydrogen-based fuel having a second dissociation energy greater than the first dissociation energy;

transferring heat from at least one component selected from the group consisting of the structural building block, the hydrogen-based fuel, and the dissociation products to a second hydrocarbon mass; and

dissociating the second hydrocarbon mass into second dissociation products.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein:

dissociating a first hydrocarbon mass includes dissociating a first mass of methane;

dissociating a second hydrocarbon mass includes dissociating a second mass of methane; and

providing a hydrogen-based fuel includes providing hydrogen released by dissociating the first mass of methane; and

wherein the method further comprises

forming graphene from carbon released by dissociating the first mass of methane.