CO2 to CO Conversion via Hydrocarbon Decomposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for converting CO2 into useful chemical products are inefficient and generate surplus CO2, and existing technologies for producing synthesis gas face challenges such as high energy consumption and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that decompose hydrocarbons into carbon and hydrogen using heat, then mix the carbon with CO2 at high temperatures to efficiently convert CO2 into CO, utilizing the heat from the decomposing step to minimize energy input and produce synthesis gas with a favorable CO to hydrogen ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If water-shift-reaction is used for hydrogen generation, then hydrogen production is achieved, but surplus CO2 is generated and emitted into the atmosphere
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful CO2 emissions from water-shift-reaction into a useful resource by reacting CO2 with carbon from hydrocarbon decomposition to produce CO. This transforms the waste CO2 stream into a valuable chemical feedstock, eliminating emissions while producing useful synthesis gas components.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding CO2 as waste from hydrogen production, the invention recovers it by introducing CO2 to the carbon-containing material stream, where it reacts to form CO. This recovery approach converts a discarded harmful substance into a beneficial product.
2Quantity of substance
If partial oxidation of methane is used for synthesis gas production, then H2:CO ratio of 2.0 is achieved, but pure oxygen must be used which is energy intensively produced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical reaction parameters by replacing oxygen-based oxidation with CO2-based carboxylation. Instead of using pure oxygen to achieve the desired H2:CO ratio, the process uses CO2 reacting with carbon at high temperatures, fundamentally changing the reaction mechanism while achieving similar synthesis gas composition goals without the energy-intensive oxygen production step.
3Quantity of substance
If CO2 is separated and stored in geological formations, then CO2 storage capacity is utilized, but the process is expensive, energy intensive and faces strong opposition
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than storing CO2 as a waste product through expensive and controversial CCS infrastructure, the invention converts CO2 into a valuable chemical feedstock for producing synthesis gas and subsequent chemical products. This creates economic value from what would otherwise be a harmful waste stream, eliminating the need for energy-intensive separation, compression, and geological storage infrastructure.
4Quantity of substance
If hydrocarbon is decomposed into carbon and hydrogen, then carbon is available for CO2 conversion, but high temperature is required for decomposition
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the hydrocarbon decomposition step with the CO2 conversion step into a single integrated process. The high-temperature decomposition of hydrocarbons to produce carbon and hydrogen is combined with the simultaneous reaction of CO2 with the generated carbon, allowing the exothermic CO2-carbon reaction to help sustain the high temperatures needed for decomposition, thereby reducing external energy input requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables efficient conversion of CO2 to CO with high energy efficiency, reducing the need for additional heat and minimizing CO2 emissions, while producing synthesis gas that can be used to generate chemical products.
Implementation Method 1
decomposing a hydrocarbon containing fluid into carbon and hydrogen by means of introduction of energy that is at least partially provided by heat
Implementation Method 2
at least a portion of the CO2 gas and a portion of the carbon generated by the decomposing step is converted to CO at a temperature of 800 to 1700° C.
Data Source
AI summary
A process and an apparatus for converting carbon dioxide CO2 into carbon monoxide CO using hydrocarbons are described. In further embodiments, processes and apparatuses for generating synthesis gas and processes and apparatuses for converting synthesis gas into synthetic functionalised and/or non-functionalised hydrocarbons using CO2 and hydrocarbons are described. The processes and apparatuses are adapted to convert CO2 emitted by industrial processes, and thus the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere may be reduced.