System and method for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere and global thermostat using the same

Abstract

A system for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere to reduce global warming including an air extraction system that collects carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through a medium and removes carbon dioxide from the medium; a sequestration system that isolates the removed carbon dioxide to a location for at least one of storage and generation of a renewable carbon fuel; and one or more power supplying units that supply heat to the air extraction system to remove the carbon dioxide from the medium, at least one of the one or more power supplying units being a fossil fuel plant.

1 . A system for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere to reduce global warming and increase availability of renewable energy, comprising:
 an air extraction system that collects carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through a medium and removes carbon dioxide from the medium;   a sequestration system that isolates the removed carbon dioxide to a location for at least one of storage and generation of a renewable carbon fuel; and   one or more power supplying units that supply heat to the air extraction system to remove the carbon dioxide from the medium, at least one of the one or more power supplying units being a fossil fuel plant.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the air extraction system comprises an air contactor that includes the medium to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the air contactor is selected from the group of air contactors consisting of: convection towers, absorption pools and packed scrubbing towers. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the medium is selected from the group of mediums consisting of: a liquid, a porous solid, a gas and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the medium is an NaOH solution. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the medium comprises an amine. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the air extraction system collects carbon dioxide and the sequestration system isolates the removed carbon dioxide using the heat supplied by the one or more power supplying units. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the location of the isolated carbon dioxide is underground. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the location is at a remote site upwind from one or more other components of the system. 
   
   
       10 . A method for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere to reduce global warming and increase availability of renewable energy, comprising:
 collecting air from the atmosphere;   removing carbon dioxide from the collected air;   isolating the removed carbon dioxide to a location for at least one of storage and generation of a renewable carbon fuel,   wherein at least one of the collecting, removing and isolating steps is performed using process heat generated by a fossil fuel plant.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the step of removing comprises absorbing the carbon dioxide using an absorber. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the absorber is an NaOH solution. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the absorber comprises an amine. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the step of isolating comprises at least one of mineral sequestration and injection into geologic formations. 
   
   
       15 . A global thermostat for controlling average temperature of a planet's atmosphere, comprising:
 one or more first systems for extracting greenhouse gases from the atmosphere at a rate slower than the greenhouse gases are increasing in the atmosphere and at least one of storing the greenhouse gases and generating a renewable carbon fuel using the greenhouse gases;   one or more second systems for extracting greenhouse gases from the atmosphere at a rate faster than the greenhouse gases are increasing in the atmosphere and at least one of storing the greenhouse gases and generating a renewable carbon fuel using the greenhouse gases;   one or more third systems for extracting greenhouse gases from the atmosphere at the same rate as the greenhouse gases are increasing or decreasing in the atmosphere and at least one of storing the greenhouse gases and generating a renewable carbon fuel using the greenhouse gases; and   a fossil fuel plant for providing heat to at least one of the first, second and third systems.   
   
   
       16 . The global thermostat of  claim 27 , wherein the greenhouse gases comprises carbon dioxide, and the at least one of the first, second and third systems comprises:
 an air extraction system that collects carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through a medium and removes carbon dioxide from the medium; and   a sequestration system that isolates the removed carbon dioxide to a location for at least one of storage and generation of a renewable carbon fuel,   
     wherein the heat provided by the fossil fuel plant is used by the air extraction system to remove the carbon dioxide from the medium. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the air extraction system comprises an air contactor that includes the medium to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the air contactor is selected from the group of air contactors consisting of: convection towers, absorption pools and packed scrubbing towers. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the medium is selected from the group of mediums consisting of: a liquid, a porous solid, a gas and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the medium is an NaOH solution. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the medium comprises an amine. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the air extraction system collects carbon dioxide and the sequestration system isolates the removed carbon dioxide using the heat supplied by the fossil fuel plant. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the location is underground. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the location is at a remote site upwind from one or more other components of the system. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the air extraction system comprises a source of process heat for removing carbon dioxide from the medium. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of removing carbon dioxide from the collected air includes the use of process heat to remove carbon dioxide from the collected air. 
   
   
       27 . The global thermostat of  claim 15 , including a source of process heat for providing heat to at least one of the first, second and third systems.