Carbon dioxide sequestration involving two-salt-based thermolytic processes

• US 9,359,221 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2011
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carbonfree Chemicals Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Skyonic Corp.
• Inventors: Jones, Joe David, Yablonsky, Al
• Primary Examiner(s): Hendrickson, Stuart
• Application Number:
  US13/179,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20120034144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/402 of magnesium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/404 of calcium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0283 Flue gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/60 Preparation of carbonates or bicarbonates in general of percarbonates C01B15/10; of specific carbonates or bicarbonates according to the cation C01B-C01G
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 11/18 Carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 5/24 Magnesium carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/32 Direct CO2 mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2

Abstract

The present invention relates to an energy efficient carbon dioxide sequestration processes whereby Group 2 silicate minerals and CO₂ are converted into limestone and sand using a two-salt thermolytic process that allows for the cycling of heat and chemicals from one step to another.

Claims

1. A method of sequestering carbon dioxide produced by a source, comprising:

(a) heating a first halide or hydrate thereof with water to form a first hydroxide, oxide and/or hydroxychloride and HCl, and removing the HCl;

(b) admixing some or all of the first hydroxide, oxide, and/or hydroxychloride with a second halide or hydrate thereof and carbon dioxide to form a first halide or hydrate thereof, a carbonate salt, and water; and

(c) separating some or all of the carbonate salt from step b, whereby the carbon dioxide is sequestered into a mineral product form.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first halide, or hydrate thereof of step (a) is a first chloride.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first halide or hydrate thereof of step (b) is a first chloride or hydrate thereof.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first chloride or hydrate thereof of step (a) is MgCl₂.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first chloride or hydrate thereof of step (a) is a hydrated form of MgCl₂.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first chloride or hydrate thereof of step (a) is MgCl₂.6H₂O.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first hydroxide of step (a) is Mg(OH)₂.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first hydroxychloride of step (a) is Mg(OH)Cl.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first step (a) product comprises predominantly Mg(OH)Cl.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first step (a) product comprises greater than 90% by weight Mg(OH)Cl.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first step (a) product is Mg(OH)Cl.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first oxide of step (a) is MgO.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second halide or hydrate thereof of step (b) is a second chloride or hydrate thereof.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second chloride or hydrate thereof is CaCl₂.

15. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first chloride of step (b) is MgCl₂.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first chloride of step (b) is a hydrated form of MgCl₂.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first chloride of step (b) is MgCl₂.6H₂O.

18. The method according to claim 1, where some or all of the water in step (a) is present in the form of steam or supercritical water.

19. The method according to claim 1, where some or all of the water of step (a) is obtained from the water of step (b).

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises admixing sodium hydroxide.

21. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) admixing a Group 2 silicate mineral with HCl to form a Group 2 chloride, water, and silicon dioxide.

22. The method of claim 21, where some or all of the HCl in step (d) is obtained from step (a).

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the HCl of step (d) further comprises agitating the Group 2 silicate mineral with HCl.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein some or all of the heat generated in step (d) is recovered.

25. The method according to claim 21, where some or all of the second chloride of step (b) is the Group 2 chloride of step (d).

26. The method according to claim 21, further comprising a separation step, wherein the silicon dioxide is removed from the Group 2 chloride formed in step (d).

27. The method according to claim 21, where some or all of the water of step (a) is obtained from the water of step (d).

28. The method according to claim 21, wherein the Group 2 silicate mineral of step (d) comprises a Group 2 inosilicate.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein the Group 2 silicate mineral of step (d) comprises CaSiO₃.

30. The method according to claim 21, wherein the Group 2 silicate mineral of step (d) comprises MgSiO₃.

31. The method according to claim 21, wherein the Group 2 silicate mineral of step (d) comprises olivine (Mg₂[SiO₄]).

32. The method according to claim 21, wherein the Group 2 silicate mineral of step (d) comprises serpentine (Mg₆[OH]₈[Si₄O₁₀]).

33. The method according to claim 21, wherein the Group 2 silicate mineral of step (d) comprises sepiolite (Mg₄[(OH)₂Si₆O₁₅].6H₂O), enstatite (Mg₂[Si₂O₆]), diopside (CaMg[Si₂O₆]), and/or tremolite Ca₂Mg₅{[OH]Si₄O₁₁}₂.

34. The method according to claim 21, wherein the Group 2 silicate further comprises iron and or manganese silicates.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the iron silicate is fayalite (Fe₂[SiO₄]).

36. The method according to claim 3, wherein some or all of the first chloride formed in step (b) is the first chloride used in step (a).

37. The method according to claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide is in the form of flue gas, wherein the flue gas further comprises N₂ and H₂O.

38. The method according to claim 1, wherein suitable reacting conditions of step (a) comprise a temperature from about 200°

C. to about 500°

C.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the temperature is from about 230°

C. to about 260°

C.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the temperature is about 250°

C.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the temperature is from about 200°

C. to about 250°

C.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the temperature is about 240°

C.

43. The method according to claim 1, wherein suitable reacting conditions of step (a) comprise a temperature from about 50°

C. to about 200°

C.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the temperature is from about 90°

C. to about 260°

C.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the temperature is from about 90°

C. to about 230°

C.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the temperature is about 130°

C.

47. The method according to claim 1, wherein suitable reacting conditions of step (a) comprise a temperature from about 400°

C. to about 550°

C.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the temperature is from about 450°

C. to about 500°

C.

49. The method according to claim 1, wherein suitable reacting conditions of step (b) comprise a temperature from about 20°

C. to about 100°

C.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the temperature is from about 25°

C. to about 95°

C.

51. The method according to claim 21, wherein suitable reacting conditions of step (d) comprise a temperature from about 50°

C. to about 200°

C.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the temperature is from about 90°

C. to about 150°

C.