CO2 conversion via coupled plasma-electrolysis process

Surplus renewable electricity used to convert CO2 into CO, the building block of liquid fuels, advances the energy transition by enabling large-scale, long-term energy storage and the synthesis of fuel for long-haul transportation. Among the various technologies developed, renewable electricity driven conversion of CO2 by high-temperature electrolysis and by plasmolysis offer a tantalising potential. High-temperature electrolysis is characterized by high-yield and energy-efficiency and the direct separation of the CO2 dissociation products CO and O2. However, the difficulty to break the carbon-oxygen double bond poses challenging requirements on electrode materials. CO2 plasmolysis on the other hand, offers a similar energy efficiency, does not employ scarce materials, is easy to upscale, but requires efficient gas separation and recuperation because the produced CO remains mixed with O2 and residual CO2. Here, we demonstrate that the coupling of the two processes leads to a renewable-electricity-driven route for producing CO from CO2, overcoming the main bottleneck of CO2 plasmolysis. A simulated CO2 plasmolysis gas mixture is supplied to a high-temperature electrolyser to separate the product gases electrochemically. Our results show that the product stream of the coupled-process contains 91% less oxygen and 138% more CO compared with the bare plasmolysis process. Apart from upgrading the produced gas mixture, this coupled approach benefits from material stability. Durability tests (~100 h) show better stability in coupled operation when compared with conventional CO2 electrolysis. Synergy between plasmolysis and electrolysis opens up a novel route to efficient CO2 conversion into valuable CO feedstock for the synthesis of long-chain hydrocarbons

CO

Mimicking the biogeochemical cycle of System Earth, synthetic hydrocarbon fuels are produced from recycled CO2 and H2O powered by renewable energy. Recapturing CO2 after use closes the carbon cycle, rendering the fuel cycle CO2 neutral. Non-equilibrium molecular CO2 vibrations are key to high energy efficiency

CO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e-neutral fuels

\u3cp\u3eMimicking the biogeochemical cycle of System Earth, synthetic hydrocarbon fuels are produced from recycled CO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e and H\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eO powered by renewable energy. Recapturing CO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e after use closes the carbon cycle, rendering the fuel cycle CO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e neutral. Non-equilibrium molecular CO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e vibrations are key to high energy efficiency.\u3c/p\u3

Energy and Environment - The Intimate Link

In 2008 two EPS Environmental Physics Division workshops took place on the topic Energy and Environment, one in March together with the DPG Frühjahrstagung in Darmstadt, the other in June together with the EPS-SFP Energy conference in Les Houches. Contributions are synthesised in this report

Production of solar fuels by CO2 plasmolysis

A storage scheme for Renewable Energy (RE) based on the plasmolysis of CO2into CO and O2 has been experimentally investigated, demonstrating high energy efficiency (>50%) combined with high energy density, rapid start-stop and no use of scarce materials. The key parameter controlling energy efficiency has been identified as the reduced electric field. Basic plasma parameters including density and temperature are derived from a simple particle and energy balance model, allowing parameter specification of an upscale 100 kW reactor. With RE powered plasmolysis as the critical element, a CO2 neutral energy system becomes feasible when complemented by effective capture of CO2 at the input and separation of CO from the output gas stream followed by downstream chemical processing into hydrocarbon fuels