Apparatus and method for producing carbon nanofibers from light hydrocarbons
AssigneeCarbonova Corp.
InventorsMina ZARABIAN, Pedro PEREIRA ALMAO
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Abstract
A process and apparatus for producing carbon nanofibers. The process comprises two stages. The first stage involves oxidizing light hydrocarbon with carbon dioxide or water, or oxygen, or a combination thereof to a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The second stage involves converting the produced hydrogen and the carbon monoxide to carbon nanofibers and steam. In this way, greenhouse gases may be reduced by using carbon dioxide and methane (and/or other light hydrocarbons) as reactants; and useful products may be produced, such as Carbon NanoFibers (CNF).
Claims21
-37. (canceled)
A process for producing carbon nanofibers, the process comprising:
- in a first reactor, reacting a light hydrocarbon stream with an oxidizing agent to perform reforming reaction to produce an intermediate gas stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide;
- and
- in a subsequent second reactor, converting the produced hydrogen and the carbon monoxide selectively to carbon nanofibers that build up inside the second reactor, and steam which exits the second reactor.
An apparatus for the production of carbon nanofibers comprising:
- a first reactor, the first reactor configured to receive a light hydrocarbon stream and a carbon dioxide stream and to subject the received light hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide streams to a process of conversion to produce an intermediate gas stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide;
- and
- a second reactor, the second reactor configured to converting the produced hydrogen and the carbon monoxide to carbon nanofibers that build up on a support with support surfaces inside the second reactor, and steam which exits the second reactor.
A process of creating a catalyst for the conversion of hydrogen and carbon monoxide into carbon nanofibers and water, the method comprising:
- heat treating an iron-aluminum alloy to enable formation of Al2O3 whiskers on the surface thereby forming a support surface;
- impregnating the support surface with nanoparticles of transition metal oxides comprising at least one of Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Co, Mg, Mn and Mo;
- and
- reducing the nanoparticles of transition metal oxides.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.