Method and system for forming carbon dioxide from carbon-containing materials in a molten bath of immiscible metals

A method for increasing conversion of atomic carbon, formed from a carbon-containing feed, to carbon dioxide in a molten metal bath, comprising the steps of:

• a) introducing the carbon-containing feed to a reactor containing a molten metal bath having:
• 1) a first molten metal phase, consisting essentially of metal having a free energy of oxidation, at the molten metal bath conditions, greater than that of oxidation of atomic carbon to form carbon monoxide;
• and
• 2) a second molten metal phase for increasing conversion of the atomic carbon to carbon dioxide in the molten metal bath compared to conversion to carbon dioxide in the first molten metal phase, the second molten metal phase being substantially immiscible in the first molten metal phase and in contact with the first molten metal phase, said second molten metal phase consisting essentially of metal having a free energy of oxidation, at the molten metal bath conditions, greater than that of oxidation of carbon monoxide to form carbon dioxide, in which the solubility of atomic carbon is significantly lower than in the first molten metal phase,
• whereby the molten metal bath in said reactor catalytically converts carbon in the carbon-containing feed to atomic carbon, and whereby atomic carbon formed in the second molten metal phase migrates to the first molten metal phase;
• and
• b) introducing oxygen to the molten metal bath, whereby atomic carbon in the first molten metal phase is oxidized to form carbon monoxide and whereby carbon monoxide migrates to the second molten metal phase wherein carbon monoxide is oxidized to form carbon dioxide thereby increasing conversion of the atomic carbon to carbon dioxide in the molten metal bath compared to conversion of atomic carbon to carbon dioxide in the first molten metal phase at the same molten metal bath conditions.