System and process for producing fuel with a methane thermochemical cycle
A thermochemical process and system for producing fuel are provided. The thermochemical process includes reducing an oxygenated-hydrocarbon to form an alkane and using the alkane in a reforming reaction as a reducing agent for water, a reducing agent for carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof. Another thermochemical process includes reducing a metal oxide to form a reduced metal oxide, reducing an oxygenated-hydrocarbon with the reduced metal oxide to form an alkane, and using the alkane in a reforming reaction as a reducing agent for water, a reducing agent for carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof. The system includes a reformer configured to perform a thermochemical process.
1. A thermochemical process, comprising:
reducing an oxygenated-hydrocarbon with reduced metal oxide to form an alkane; and
using the alkane in a reforming reaction as a reducing agent for water, a reducing agent for carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof;
wherein the process is devoid of metal sulfate.
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the reducing of the oxygenated-hydrocarbon produces a re-oxidized metal oxide.
3. The process of claim 1 , further comprising producing carbon monoxide and hydrogen from the alkane, the water, the carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof.
4. The process of claim 3 , further comprising producing a synthesized oxygenated-hydrocarbon from at least a portion of the carbon monoxide and the hydrogen.
5. The process of claim 4 , further comprising using the synthesized oxygenated-hydrocarbon for further re-oxidation a reduced metal oxide.
6. The process of claim 3 , wherein the producing of the carbon monoxide and the hydrogen is at a temperature of less than 1000° C.
7. The process of claim 3 , wherein the producing of the carbon monoxide or the hydrogen is at a temperature of less than 1000° C.
8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process is devoid of SO 2 .
9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process is devoid of dopants.
10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process is devoid of catalysts.
11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process includes at least three steps.
12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process includes at least four steps.
13. The process of claim 1 , further comprising promoting splitting of one or both of the water and the carbon dioxide by one or both of photochemical and electrochemical stimulus.
14. The process of claim 13 , wherein the promoting of the splitting is at a temperature of less than 1000° C.
15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the alkane is methane.
16. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process produces fuel.
17. The process of claim 1 , wherein the fuel is hydrogen, carbon monoxide, syngas, methanol, ethanol, butanol, propanol, or a combination thereof.
18. A thermochemical process, comprising:
reducing a metal oxide to form a reduced metal oxide;
reducing an oxygenated-hydrocarbon with the reduced metal oxide to form an alkane; and
using the alkane in a reforming reaction as a reducing agent for water, a reducing agent for carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof.