Removing carbon dioxide from waste streams through co-generation of carbonate and/or bicarbonate minerals

• US 9,205,375 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carbonfree Chemicals Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Skyonic Corp.
• Inventors: Jones, Joe David, St. Angelo, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayes, Melvin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, SHENG HAN
• Application Number:
  US12/235,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20090127127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,633 Days
• Field of Search: 210/767, 210/912, 210/913, 210/914, 210/800, 210/807, 210/702, 210/704, 210/705, 210/719, 210/721, 210/723, 210/724, 210/749, 210/757, 210/758
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/304 of sodium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/502 Hydrochloric acid
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/604 Hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/302 Sulfur oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/404 Nitrogen oxides other than dinitrogen oxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/602 Mercury or mercury compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/73 After-treatment of removed components
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/75 Multi-step processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/965 including an electrochemical process step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 11/062 Hypochlorites of alkali metals
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 7/01 Chlorine; Hydrogen chloride
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 7/03 Preparation from chlorides
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 7/035 Preparation of hydrogen chloride from chlorides
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 7/04 Preparation of chlorine from hydrogen chloride
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 9/02 Chlorides
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 11/24 Chlorides
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/129 Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 : Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 : using solar energy

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for removing carbon dioxide and other pollutants including heavy metals from a gas stream are provided. The methods include obtaining a water-condensate from the flue-gas stream; obtaining a chloride salt; admixing the salt with water, steam, or both to produce a solution; electrolyzing the solution to produce a hydroxide and chlorine gas; admixing a portion of the hydroxide with the flue-gas stream to produce carbonate products, bicarbonate products, or a mixture of carbonate and bicarbonate products in an admixture; separating said carbonate and/or bicarbonate products from the admixture, thereby removing carbon dioxide from the flue-gas stream; adding a portion of the hydroxide to the water-condensate to change the pH of the water-condensate from acidic to basic, resulting in precipitation of the heavy metals; and passing the water-condensate through a filtering medium.

Claims

1. A method of separating heavy metals and carbon dioxide from an incoming flue-gas stream, comprising:

obtaining a water-condensate containing heavy metals from the incoming flue-gas stream, thereby producing a dry flue-gas stream;

obtaining a chloride salt;

admixing the salt with water, steam, or both to produce a solution;

electrolyzing the solution to produce a hydroxide and chlorine gas;

admixing a portion of the hydroxide with the dry flue-gas stream to produce carbonate products, bicarbonate products, or a mixture of carbonate and bicarbonate products in an admixture;

separating said carbonate and/or bicarbonate products from the admixture, thereby removing carbon dioxide from the incoming flue-gas stream;

adding to the water-condensate a precipitation agent comprising a portion of the hydroxide to change the pH of the water-condensate from acidic to basic,

resulting in precipitation of the heavy metals; and

passing the water-condensate through a filtering medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtering medium comprises activated charcoal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the condensate is gravity-fed through the filtering medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the condensate is actively pumped through the filtering medium.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the precipitation agent consists of the portion of the hydroxide.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the heavy metals comprise mercury and one or more heavy metals selected from a group consisting of selenium, chromium, arsenic, lead, germanium, and vanadium.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining a water-condensate from the incoming flue-gas stream comprises separating the water condensate from the incoming flue-gas stream.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydroxide used as the precipitation agent is formed solely from the electrolyzing step.