Methods and apparatus for continuous removal of carbon dioxide from a mixture of reacting gases
AssigneeRange Fuels, Inc.
InventorJesse E. Hensley
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Abstract
The disclosed invention provides methods and apparatus for producing one or more C1-C4 alcohols (such as ethanol) from syngas, while simultaneously removing CO2, thereby providing low CO2 yields. The present invention provides reactors for producing one or more C1-C4 alcohols from syngas, the reactors containing a first composition capable of catalyzing the conversion of syngas to C1-C4 alcohols under reaction conditions and a second composition capable of (a) adsorbing CO2 under the reaction conditions and then (b) releasing at least some of the CO2 under different regeneration conditions.
Claims26
A method for producing one or more C1-C4 alcohols from syngas, said method comprising:
- (i) converting a portion of said syngas into one or more C1-C4 alcohols using a first composition that can catalyze the conversion of syngas to C1-C4 alcohols under reaction conditions in a reactor;
- (ii) capturing a portion of the carbon dioxide produced or present using a second composition that is capable of adsorbing carbon dioxide in-situ under said reaction conditions, wherein said second composition is substantially chemically inert under said reaction conditions;
- and
- (iii) releasing at least some of said carbon dioxide from said second composition under regeneration conditions,
- wherein said first composition and said second composition are both contained in said reactor, each of said first and second compositions being present in solid form, and
- wherein said reaction conditions are different from said regeneration conditions.
A method for producing ethanol from syngas, said method comprising:
- (i) converting a portion of said syngas into ethanol using a catalyst composition that can catalyze the conversion of syngas to ethanol under reaction conditions in a reactor;
- (ii) capturing a portion of the carbon dioxide produced or present using an adsorbent composition contained in said reactor, wherein said adsorbent composition is capable of adsorbing carbon dioxide in-situ under said reaction conditions and is substantially chemically inert under said reactor conditions;
- and
- (iii) releasing at least some of said carbon dioxide from said second composition under regeneration conditions comprising a lower pressure and/or a higher temperature than said reaction conditions,
- wherein each of said catalyst composition and adsorbent composition is present in solid form.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.