IP Library Granted Patent US 9,682,344
Granted Patent B1
US 9,682,344 · App. 15/131,408 · Granted Jun 20, 2017

Negative carbon dioxide output vehicle

Inventors: David R. Hall (Provo, UT); Stephen R. Hall (Draper, UT)
B01D53/18A23L2/54B01D53/1475B60K15/03F02M21/0221F02M37/0088A23V2002/00B60K2015/03328
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,682,344
App. No.
15/131,408
Granted
Jun 20, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

A fuel tank and a motor vehicle equipped to recapture, store and recycle atmospheric carbon dioxide is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a vehicle includes a fuel tank which stores carbon dioxide in a same area with the combustible fuel of the vehicle. The fuel tank may include one or more pistons, baffles, bladders, or fixed dividers to separate carbon dioxide storage from fuel storage within a fuel tank area. The fuel tank may share volumetric space between carbon dioxide and fuel within the fuel tank. The fuel tank may be integrally formed into a carbon fiber vehicle body. The fuel tank may be integrally formed into a frame of a vehicle.

Claims (27)

1. An air cleaning vehicle comprising:

a first air intake which mixes with a combustible fuel to power the vehicle;

a second air intake which provides an input to an air scrubber system, wherein the scrubber system produces carbon dioxide obtained from the second air intake and from an exhaust resulting from burning the combustible fuel;

a compressor system which compresses the carbon dioxide produced by the scrubber; and

a heat exchange system which uses at least some of the air of the second air intake to provide cooling for the air scrubber system, the compressor system, and/or a condenser system.

2. The air cleaning vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a fuel tank with a storage area for storing the combustible fuel and the carbon dioxide, wherein the combustible fuel and the carbon dioxide share volumetric space within the fuel tank.

3. The air cleaning vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising a piston, baffle, membrane, or bladder which separates the combustible fuel from the carbon dioxide within the shared volumetric space.

4. The air cleaning vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the shared volumetric space is defined by an inner area of an enclosed space.

5. The air cleaning vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the enclosed space is at least partially made of at least one of a plastic, carbon fiber, nylon, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyethylene, metal, or a metal alloy.

6. The air cleaning vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the enclosed space is integrally formed into a body structure of a vehicle.

7. The air cleaning vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the enclosed space is integrally formed into a frame structure of a vehicle.

8. The air cleaning vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the inner area of the enclosed space is lined with one or more membranes.

9. The air cleaning vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the carbon dioxide stored in the fuel tank is a mixture of environmental carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide resulting from combustion of the combustible fuel.

10. The air cleaning vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the combustible fuel is chosen from one or more of: nitrous oxide, gasoline, diesel fuel, liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, compressed natural gas, alcohol, butane, or hydrogen.

11. A method of removing carbon dioxide from an environment comprising:

running a combustion engine of a vehicle in the environment to remove the carbon dioxide from the environment and from an exhaust produced by combustion of the vehicle engine, a net carbon dioxide removal being more than is produced by the combustion of the vehicle engine;

storing the net carbon dioxide removal in a fuel tank of the vehicle, the fuel tank also providing combustion fuel for the combustion engine; and

recycling the carbon dioxide stored in the fuel tank.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising one or more pistons, baffles, membranes, fixed dividers or bladders which separate the combustion fuel and the carbon dioxide within the fuel tank.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the recycled carbon dioxide is consumed in a beverage.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the recycled carbon dioxide is dispensed within the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the carbon dioxide within the fuel tank is transferable to one or more portable tanks.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the recycled carbon dioxide is transferred from the fuel tank when the fuel tank is refueled.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the recycled carbon dioxide is transferred out of the fuel tank and combustion fuel is transferred into the fuel tank at the same time.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the recycled carbon dioxide is transferred out of the fuel tank and combustion fuel is transferred into the fuel tank by a single dual-nozzle-connection.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the scrubber system has a clean air output which feeds into a space of the vehicle with occupants.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the fuel is chosen from one or more of: nitrous oxide, gasoline, diesel fuel, liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, compressed natural gas, alcohol, butane, or hydrogen.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: VANDERHALL MOTOR WORKS, INC.; VANDERHALL, INC.; VANDERHALL NORTH AMERICA, LLC
To: KEYSTONE PRIVATE INCOME FUND
Reel/Frame 073080/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 24, 2020
From: HALL LABS LLC
To: VANDERHALL MOTOR WORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053031/0578 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2018
From: HALL, DAVID R.
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 047132/0022 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2018
From: HALL, DAVID R.
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 047058/0053 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2018
From: HALL, STEPHEN
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 046221/0164 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 21, 2018
From: HALL, STEPHEN
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 046168/0199 →