Machine Converts CO2 and Sunlight into Petrol, Diesel, and Jet Fuel

Capt'n Midnight

http://phys.org/news178203219.html

Called the Counter-Rotating-Ring Receiver Reactor Recuperator (CR5), the cylindrical machine consists of two chambers on the sides and 14 rotating rings in the center. The outer edges of the rings are made of iron oxide. When the scientists heat the inside of one chamber to 1,500C with a solar concentrator, the iron oxide undergoes a thermo-chemical reaction where it gives up oxygen molecules. As the rings rotate (at one revolution per minute), the hot side approaches the opposite chamber and begins to cool down. When carbon dioxide is pumped into this chamber, the iron oxide retrieves oxygen molecules from the carbon dioxide, transforming it into carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide could then serve as a building block to create a liquid combustible fuel.



Diver originally designed the machine to generate hydrogen without using electrolysis. By substituting water for the carbon dioxide in the second chamber, the researchers can make the machine produce hydrogen. Also, by mixing the resulting hydrogen with carbon monoxide, they can produce syngas.

It will probably take 15-20 years before the technology is ready for the market, with the biggest challenge being to increase the system's efficiency. The researchers' goal is to achieve an efficiency of a few percent, which is about twice as efficient as photosynthesis' real-world efficiency of 1%. One way to increase efficiency is to develop new ceramic composites that release oxygen molecules at lower temperatures.

"Ultimately, we believe we have to get in the range of 10% sunlight-to-fuels, and we're a long way from doing that," said James Miller, a chemical engineer with Sandia's advanced materials laboratory.

Tzar Chasm

Did james may do a piece about that thing on Top Gear or one of his other shows?

Tzar Chasm

Did james may do a piece about that thing on Top Gear or one of his other shows?

Markcheese

There was something about these national geographic a few years ago, I thought it was flying car type futureology,kind of win win really..... I'm sure it'll be damn expensive but oil ain't getting any cheaper in the long term...

Cookie_Monster

Tzar Chasm wrote: »

Did james may do a piece about that thing on Top Gear or one of his other shows?

His big ideas show I think it was. CO2, water and salts at very high temps. Produced 3-4 gallons of petrol equiv a day iirc

Markcheese

Any idea how big these yokes are ( how many to the hectare) cos if they're big and expensive we'd be better off growing bio-fuel crops in temperate areas and a lot of the hot dessert areas are too politicaly unstable to make massive investment.... Back to square 1 ....

recedite

The solar concentrator is providing the power here.... surely it would be better to heat steam to generate electricity, and then go from there... if you want hydrogen; electrolysis of water.

Capt'n Midnight

recedite wrote: »

The solar concentrator is providing the power here.... surely it would be better to heat steam to generate electricity, and then go from there... if you want hydrogen; electrolysis of water.

if you can get photolysis then there are no moving parts

also a layer of catalyst may be cheaper to build and maintain than complex machinery. You have to use turbines since even triple expansion piston engines are inefficient , and turbines aren't that cheap nor are they efficient over a wide range of operating conditions

SeanW

There was a video about artificial photosynthesis posted here a while back. Good stuff I thought, we really need to hope this works.