Method and Apparatus for Reducing CO2 in a Stream by Conversion to a Syngas for Production of Energy

Abstract

A system and method for producing Syngas from the CO 2 in a gaseous stream, such as an exhaust stream, from a power plant or industrial plant, like a cement kiln, is disclosed. A preferred embodiment includes providing the gaseous stream to pyrolysis reactor along with a carbon source such as coke. The CO 2 and carbon are heated to about 1330° C. and at about one atmosphere with reactants such as steam such that a reaction takes place that produces Syngas, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and hydrogen (H 2 ). The Syngas is then cleaned and provided to a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reactor to produce Ethanol or Bio-catalytic synthesis reactor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for producing syngas that reduces an amount of carbon dioxide in a gaseous stream, the apparatus comprising:
 a reaction chamber, said reaction chamber selected to be one of a pyrolysis reactor, a conventional gasifier or a plasma arc gasifier;   a source of carbonaceous material provided to said reaction chamber;   a source of H 2 O provided to said reaction chamber;   a gaseous stream source containing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) provided to said reaction chamber;   said reaction chamber having a temperature of between 400° C. and 5000° C. and a pressure of about one bar or greater to react materials in said reaction chamber, the reacting materials consisting essentially of said carbonaceous material, said H 2 O and said carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in said gaseous stream to form syngas comprising carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H 2 ), and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and wherein an amount of said CO 2  in said syngas is at least 53% less than an amount of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) that was contained in said gaseous stream; and   means for discharging said formed syngas.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said source of H 2 O provided as a reactant into said reaction chamber is steam. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the reaction chamber is maintained at a temperature of between 400° C. and 2000° C. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said reaction chamber is maintained at a temperature of about 1330° C. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the reaction of said materials that react in said reaction chamber comprises a Boudouard reaction. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a bio-catalytic reactor for receiving said discharged formed syngas to produce Ethanol. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said bio-catalytic reactor is a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reactor. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a water-gas shift reactor for receiving said formed syngas adjusting the carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H 2 ) molar ratio to between 0.2 to 5.0 molecules of carbon monoxide (CO) and 5.0 to 0.2 molecules of (H 2 ). 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising means for returning said CO 2  in said formed syngas to said reaction chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an emission control system for receiving and cleaning said discharged formed syngas. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising means for returning said CO 2  removed from said formed syngas by said emission control system to said reaction chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said gaseous stream source is from an industrial plant. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said gaseous stream source is from a power plant. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for producing syngas that reduces an amount of carbon dioxide in a gaseous stream, the apparatus comprising:
 a reaction chamber;   a source of carbonaceous material provided to said reaction chamber;   a source of H 2 O provided to said reaction chamber;   a gaseous stream source provided to said reaction chamber, said gaseous stream containing carbon dioxide (CO 2 );   said reaction chamber having a temperature of between 400° C. and 5000° C. and a pressure of about one bar or greater, to react materials in said reaction chamber, said reacting materials consist essentially of said carbonaceous material, said H 2 O and said CO 2  from said gaseous stream to reduce said CO 2  and to form syngas comprising carbon monoxide (CO): hydrogen (H 2 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and wherein none of the carbonaceous material remains as un-reacted carbonaceous material in said syngas;   means for discharging said formed syngas;   means for returning any CO 2  present in said formed syngas to said reaction chamber; and   a water-gas shift reactor to receive said formed syngas comprising carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H 2 ) and to adjust the carbon monoxide and hydrogen molar ratio to between 0.2 to 5.0 molecules of CO and 5.0 to 0.2 molecules of H 2 .   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising means for returning said CO 2  removed from said formed syngas by said water-gas shift reactor to said reaction chamber. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for producing syngas that reduces an amount of carbon dioxide in a gaseous stream, the apparatus comprising:
 a reaction chamber having a temperature of between 400 degrees C. and 5000 degrees C., and a pressure of about one bar or greater;   a source of carbonaceous material provided to said reaction chamber;   a source of H 2 O provided to said reaction chamber;   a gaseous stream source provided to said reaction chamber, said gaseous stream containing carbon dioxide (CO 2 );   said reaction chamber reacting materials provided to said reaction chamber, wherein said reacting materials consisting essentially of said carbonaceous material, said H 2 O and said carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in said gaseous stream form a syngas output, said syngas output consisting essentially of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H 2 ); and   means for discharging said formed syngas output.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising means for returning any CO 2  present in said formed syngas to said reaction chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein none of the reacting carbonaceous material remains as unreacted carbonaceous material. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said reaction chamber is selected to be one of a pyrolysis reactor, a conventional gasifier or a plasma arc gasifier. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising an emission control system for receiving and cleaning said discharged formed syngas. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising means for returning any said CO 2  removed from said formed syngas by said emission control system to said reaction chamber. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising means for returning said CO 2  removed from said formed syngas by said emission control system to said reaction chamber. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said gaseous stream source is from an industrial plant. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for producing syngas that reduces an amount of carbon dioxide in a gaseous stream, the apparatus comprising:
 a reaction chamber, said reaction chamber selected to be one of a pyrolysis reactor, a conventional gasifier or a plasma arc gasifier;   a source of carbonaceous material provided to said reaction chamber;   a source of H 2 O provided to said reaction chamber;   a gaseous stream source containing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) provided to said reaction chamber;   said reaction chamber having a temperature of between 400° C. and 5000° C. and a pressure of about one bar or greater to react materials in said reaction chamber, the reacting materials consisting essentially of said carbonaceous material, said H 2 O and said carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in said gaseous stream to form syngas comprising carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H 2 ), and an amount of CO 2  that is less than the amount of CO 2  that was provided in said gaseous stream; and   means for discharging said formed syngas.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising means for returning any CO 2  present in said formed syngas to said reaction chamber. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein no particulate carbonaceous material remains as un-reacted carbonaceous material. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising an emission control system for receiving and cleaning said discharged formed syngas. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising means for returning any said CO 2  removed from said formed syngas by said emission control system to said reaction chamber.