High Energy Electron Beam CO2 Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for managing carbon dioxide emissions and waste gases from industrial and bio-digesting processes are costly and inefficient, with concerns about carbon dioxide leakage during storage and the need for effective on-site conversion of these gases into useful materials.
Innovation Solution
The use of high energy electron beams to initiate chemical and physical reactions between carbon dioxide and reactants in aqueous solutions or waste materials, converting CO2 into products like carbonates, bicarbonates, ethanol, and oxygen, and treating waste materials by reacting methane and ammonia with CO2 to form sodium bicarbonate and ammonium chloride.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If carbon dioxide is stored in underground or underwater storage sites, then carbon dioxide emissions can be disposed of, but there is no guarantee that the carbon dioxide will not leak back to the atmosphere
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts carbon dioxide from a harmful emission into a useful resource by using electron beam irradiation to transform it into valuable chemicals such as formic acid, methanol, and other carbon-containing compounds. This eliminates the need for storage and prevents leakage while creating economic value from what was previously waste.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If carbon dioxide is captured and transported from power plants, then emissions can be reduced, but costs and operating demands of equipment, manpower and logistics increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables power plants to convert their own carbon dioxide emissions into useful chemicals on-site using electron beam irradiation. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external capture and transport infrastructure, reducing system complexity and operational costs while still achieving emission reduction through chemical conversion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical capture and transport systems with a direct chemical conversion process using electron beam irradiation. Instead of mechanically capturing and transporting CO2, the system directly transforms the gas into valuable chemicals through radiolytic reactions, simplifying the overall system architecture.
3Ease of manufacture
If waste material is bio-digesting to treat organic waste, then waste can be processed, but waste gases such as methane and ammonia are emitted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts harmful waste gases (methane and ammonia) produced during bio-digestion into useful chemicals through electron beam irradiation. The electron beam triggers chemical reactions that transform these emissions into valuable products, eliminating the harmful effect while creating economic value.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the waste treatment process with chemical conversion by using electron beam irradiation to simultaneously treat organic waste and convert waste gases into useful chemicals. This integration eliminates the need for separate treatment systems and maximizes resource utilization.
4Productivity
If high energy electron beams are used to convert carbon dioxide, then carbon dioxide can be transformed into useful materials, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the energy parameters of the electron beam irradiation process to achieve efficient carbon dioxide conversion. By carefully controlling beam energy, irradiation time, and reaction conditions, the system maximizes productivity while minimizing energy consumption per unit of product generated.
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 transforms carbon dioxide emissions into income-producing assets and effectively treats waste materials on-site, reducing storage concerns and operational costs while producing valuable industrial chemicals.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the aqueous reaction mixture to a high energy beam that can initiate a reaction between carbon dioxide and the reactant to produce a reaction product
Implementation Method 2
initiating a reaction with an electron beam between carbon dioxide and the base to form a carbonate, a bicarbonate, or a combination thereof
Implementation Method 3
initiating a reaction with an electron beam between carbon dioxide and the reactant in the waste material
Implementation Method 4
The methods and apparatuses in accordance with the present invention use high energy electron beams ('EB') as a main activator, trigger and energy source for the chemical and physical reactions
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses for converting carbon dioxide and treating waste material using a high energy electron beam are disclosed. For example, carbon dioxide and an aqueous reaction solution having a reactant can be combined to form an aqueous reaction mixture, and the aqueous reaction mixture can then be subjected to a high energy electron beam that initiates a reaction between carbon dioxide and the reactant to form a reaction product. Solid or liquid waste material can be treated by, for example, combining carbon dioxide and a solid or liquid waste material having a reactant and then subjecting the carbon dioxide and solid or liquid waste material having a reactant to a high energy electron beam to initiate a reaction between the carbon dioxide and the reactant to form a reaction product.