SBIR-STTR Award

The chemical utilization of CO2 is a crucial step for the recycling of carbon resource. In recent years, studies on the conversion of CO2 into a wide variety of important chemicals and fuels such as methanol has received considerable attention. Since CO2 is thermodynamically and kinetically inert, the effective activation of CO2 molecule for the selective transformation to target products remains a challenge. CO2 hydrogenation to methanol offers a promising route to reduce CO2 emissions. Despite a well commercialized route for CO hydrogenation to methanol, the use of CO2 as a feedstock for methanol production remains a challenge as it requires high reaction pressure usually 50-300 atm. In addressing this challenge, this proposal aims to develop the carbon utilization technology to convert CO2 from flue gases to methanol. The novel plasma catalysis proposed here are anticipated of having a high methanol yield and selectivity. In this project, Advanced Energy Materials, LLC (ADEM) proposes to develop high-performance bimetallic catalysts and a scalable process for applying the catalysts for methanol production in synergism with plasma. Phase I of the proposed project involves three major components: (1) demonstrate the CO2 hydrogenation with H2 using MW plasma and nanowire morphological bimetallic catalysts, optimize the process conditions to improve the yield and selectivity; (2) demonstrate the feasibility of the CO2 conversion using H2O as hydrogen source continuously, and their integration with industrial facilities; (3) techno-economic analysis for a cost- effective production of methanol, and perform technical validation.Fossil fuels currently supply more than 85% of world's energy supply, approximately 40% of which is produced in power plants. The abundant use of fossil fuels has become a significant concern due to their adverse effects on the environment, particularly related to the emission of CO2, a major anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG). The development of CO2 utilization technologies is attracting considerable attention in recent years due to new government policies. The global market for methanol is rapidly growing. In addition to power plants, methanol production from CO2 and H2O using plasma catalysis technology can be promising for CO2 capture and conversion in other carbon intensive industrial processes, such as cement plants, steel mills and hydrogen plants. This unique plasma-catalytic process will open a new route for the conversion of low value feedstock (CO2 and H2O) to commodity liquid fuels and platform chemicals such as methanol at atmospheric pressure with reduced energy consumption. It has significant potential to deliver a step change in future for CO2 utilization and radically transform the chemical and energy industry. It is crucial for all full-scale industrial facilities in the US and the state of KY in reducing CO2 emissions towards globally competitive technologies.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization offers an economical solution to the global challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in creating a new circular economy for recycling CO2. CO2 to methanol conversion offers a promising route to reduce emissions, but its use as a feedstock remains a challenge. Advanced Energy Materials, LLC (ADEM) proposes to demonstrate a plasma catalytic technology (PlasCatTM) for economical and energy efficient conversion of CO2 to CO and methanol. Phase I studies have shown the techno-economic feasibility of the PlasCat™ technology to convert CO2 in two major pathways: First, a plasma catalysis scheme is demonstrated for CO2 to CO conversion using hydrogen. Second, a plasma catalytic process exhibited synergistic effect with efficient conversion of tri- reforming reaction involving CO2, H2O and CH4 to produce syngas at a desired H2/CO ratio ~2.2. ADEM also demonstrated a bimetallic catalyst for syngas to methanol at low pressures of 20 bar with much higher conversion than the state of art, commercial catalyst. Plasma catalytic studies involving CO2 with higher amounts of hydrogen exhibited 3% methanol yield and overall CO2 conversion around 60% at atmospheric pressure. Based on the Phase I results, ADEM proposes to optimize and scale up the processes using a unique Plasma flame integrated with a fluidized bed catalytic reactor. Phase II studies will be focused further on developing two mini-GTL solutions: (i) Customize the process to produce pure CO using an appropriate H2/CO2 ratio and offer as an on-site and on-demand production of CO or customize to produce methanol by adding additional hydrogen. (ii) Develop a mini Gas -to-Liquids (GTL) process involving tri-reforming of CO2, H2O, CH4 and O2 in a plasma catalytic reactor to produce syngas along with methanol and further process the syngas into methanol. The proposed mini GTL technology offers to use vastly available methane and water for the required hydrogen. Major objectives of Phase II include optimization and demonstration of the scalability of both solutions and detailed techno-economic competitiveness and C-footprint based life cycle analysis for a mini-GTL plant to produce ~5000 tons/yr of methanol. PlasCat™ technology allows economical routes for conversion of CO2 to value-added fuels/chemicals such as methanol and CO at low pressures. Also, the technology can be implemented at mini GTL scale by directly using CO2 rich exhausts from certain industry segments. CO production on demand and on-site can be beneficial to customers as the supply, transportation and storage can be uncertain and costly due to toxicity. Life cycle analysis suggests that the PlasCatTM technology can result in negative GHG emissions for production of both CO and methanol.