System and method for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere and global thermostat using the same

• US 8,894,747 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Thermostat Operations LLC
• Original Assignee: Graciela Chichilnisky, Peter Eisenberger
• Inventors: Eisenberger, Peter, Chichilnisky, Graciela
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US14/019,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20140004016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 951/39, 423/220
• US Class Current: 95/139
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/304 of sodium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/604 Hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0233 from cement factories
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/04 with stationary adsorbents B01D53/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1418 Recovery of products
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1425 Regeneration of liquid absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 15/02 of purifiers, e.g. for removing noxious material traps for solid residues F23J3/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/32 Direct CO2 mitigation

Abstract

A system for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere to reduce global warming including an air extraction system that collects carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through a medium and removes carbon dioxide from the medium; a sequestration system that isolates the removed carbon dioxide to a location for at least one of storage and which can increase availability of renewable energy or non-fuel products such as fertilizers and construction materials; and one or more energy sources that supply process heat to the air extraction system to remove the carbon dioxide from the medium and which can regenerate it for continued use.

Claims

1. A plurality of systems strategically placed across the globe, and coordinated so as to collectively function for extracting CO₂ from the atmosphere to reduce the ambient concentration of CO₂ in the planet'"'"'s atmosphere, the plurality of systems being in locations geographically dispersed around the planet each capable of producing a negative carbon dioxide effect on a planet'"'"'s atmosphere by extracting and collecting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere under ambient conditions, each system comprises an air contactor, wherein the air contactor comprises a porous solid pancake shaped substrate, on the surface of which is attached an amine, the substrate-supported amine being capable of absorbing carbon dioxide from the ambient atmosphere, a collector chamber, capable of receiving the substrate with the attached amine from the air contactor, and a source of steam, operatively connected to the collector chamber and heated from a source of process heat remaining from a primary process using a primary energy source, to provide steam at a temperature of less than about 120°

C. to the collector chamber, for extracting and collecting carbon dioxide from the sorbent medium and regenerating the sorbent medium, so that the plurality of systems together can effectively extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in an economically efficient manner.

2. The plurality of systems of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of systems further comprises:

a sequestration system that removes the carbon dioxide from the collector chamber and isolates the removed carbon dioxide to a location for at least one of sequestration, storage and generation of a renewable carbon fuel or non-fuel products such as fertilizers and construction materials.

3. The plurality of systems of claim 2 wherein the process heat is obtained from an adjacent source of carbon dioxide emissions.

4. The plurality of systems of claim 2 wherein the steam provided to the collector chamber is at a temperature of not greater than 100°

C.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the primary energy sources are selected from the group of primary energy sources consisting of:

fossil fuel, geothermal, nuclear, solar, biomass and other renewable energy sources and exothermic chemical processes whose use for a primary process can result in a supply of process heat.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the location of at least some of the systems is underground.