Carbon sequestration methods and systems, and compositions produced thereby
Aspects of the invention include methods of removing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from a CO 2 containing gas. In some instances, the methods include contacting CO 2 containing gas with a bicarbonate buffered aqueous medium under conditions sufficient to produce a bicarbonate rich product. Where desired, the resultant bicarbonate rich product or a component thereof may then be stored or further processed, e.g., combined with a divalent alkaline earth metal cation, under conditions sufficient to produce a solid carbonate composition. Aspects of the invention further include systems for practicing the methods, as well as products produced by the methods.
1. A system for removing CO 2 from a CO 2 containing gas, the system comprising:
a source of the CO 2 containing gas, wherein the source of the CO 2 containing gas is an industrial plant;
an aqueous medium source;
an alkaline earth metal cation source that is distinct from the aqueous medium source; and
a single reactor configured to:
contact the CO 2 containing gas with the aqueous medium under conditions sufficient to produce a bicarbonate rich product; and
contact the bicarbonate rich product with alkaline earth metal cations from the alkaline earth metal cation source to produce a solid carbonate from the bicarbonate rich product and the alkaline earth metal cations in a continuous process.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the reactor comprises a catalyst that mediates the conversion of CO 2 to bicarbonate.
3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the catalyst is an enzyme.
4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the enzyme is a carbonic anhydrase.
5. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the catalyst is a synthetic catalyst.
6. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the catalyst is a metal colloid catalyst.
7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the source of the CO 2 containing gas is flue gas.
8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the industrial plant is a power plant.
9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous medium is sea water or brine water.
10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to produce a building material from the solid carbonate composition.
11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is co-located with an industrial plant.
12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the industrial plant is a power plant.
13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the industrial plant is a cement plant.
14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the single reactor comprises the bicarbonate rich product.
15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the bicarbonate rich product comprises droplets of a liquid condensed phase (LCP) in a bulk medium.
16. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the bicarbonate rich product comprises an amine.
17. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a container containing an amount of the solid carbonate composition.
18. A system for removing CO 2 from a CO 2 containing gas, the system consisting of:
a source of the CO 2 containing gas, wherein the source of the CO 2 containing gas is an industrial plant;
an aqueous medium source;
an alkaline earth metal cation source that is distinct from the aqueous medium source;
a single reactor configured to:
contact the CO 2 containing gas with the aqueous medium under conditions sufficient to produce a bicarbonate rich product; and
contact the bicarbonate rich product with alkaline earth metal cations from the alkaline earth metal cation source to produce a solid carbonate composition from the bicarbonate rich product and the alkaline earth metal cations in a continuous process; and
a container containing an amount of the solid carbonate composition.