Partners Wanted – Electrochemical Reduction of Captured CO2

Stites & Associates, LLC, (SALLC) has patented an improved process for the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ in a water solution.  It is based on an existing technology that suffered from passivation due to the buildup of metal oxides on the electrode.  We believe we have found a method to keep the electrodes active.  We also have numerous ideas on how to construct the electrodes to yield high surface area and good activity. 

SALLC is embarking on a research program to work out details and head toward commercialization of the process.  Essentially the process would allow CO₂ that has been captured from many sources (but especially coal fired power plants) to be reduced to methanol using locally generated low voltage electricity.  The basic scheme is shown below:

 
 

By firing the plant with oxygen instead of air, the flue gas will have high CO₂ content making carbon capture much more efficient.  The SALLC electrochemical cell uses low voltage from local solar panels to reduce the CO₂ to methanol and to produce oxygen to be used in the plant.  The methanol could be used as fuel, but if used to make plastics, the CO₂would be permanently sequestered in useful products.  This would dramatically reduce the CO₂ footprint of the coal fired power plant.

The advantages are enormous.  This would allow electricity generated by solar panels to be used locally and avoid the energy loses from conversion to high voltage AC.  It would also have the ability to respond to the inevitable interruptions encountered with solar energy due to nightfall and weather.  Because the oxygen from the electrochemical process is “supplemental’ it can be replaced by additional oxygen from the oxygen plant.  Hence, when electrochemical oxygen is not available (at night, cloudy days, maintenance, etc.), the power plant can still operate on oxygen from the oxygen plant.  It may even be practical to switch to air instead of oxygen when the solar generated oxygen is not available for extended periods.  This kind of flexibility is crucial for making solar energy useful for industrial applications.  Furthermore, this is one of the few carbon capture schemes that can actually upgrade the value of the captured CO₂.

There are three main thrusts of the research work being pursued by SALLC:

1. Develop detailed engineering data to validate commercial potential,
2. Develop improved electrodes that have high surface area, long life and are cost effective to produce and
3. Develop process designs.

We are still quite early in this exciting project and are looking for long-term investment partners.  We have much of the equipment and expertise needed to develop this technology, but it will take money to bring this to fruition.

If you are interested in learning more about this exciting opportunity call or write Ron Stites at (912) 247-6120 or ron@tek-dev.net.