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CO2 molecule destroyer

decompose CO2 molecule into CO and O2
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We have already read about the experiment to use solar energy to split CO2 molecule, by concentrating sunlight by a parabolic mirror into high temperature focus where the CO2 molecules are highly energyzed, and splitted into CO and O2. My idea is to use resonant frequencies of vibrating atoms in CO2, instead of a wide spectar light, which would be much more energy efficient, and to energyze CO2 by a tunable infrared laser of a resonant wavelenght. There are 4 of resonant frequencies in CO2 molecule, and some of this frequency are infrared wavelenght, and can be produced by tunable infrared lasers of very large power. This light would make atoms in CO2 to oscillate wildly, in some enclosed space, and eventualy to brake the covalent connection, at list the outer electron shell, in the same time applying a high voltage field in that space, by two electrodes, the atoms would discharge, and the result would be a mixture of CO and O2 gas, which is a highly explosive mixture and can be used in combustion engines. In this way the solar energy could be used as a power supply of the equpment, not directly, because it would be much more efficient. It would be a fuel generator, working on solar energy and using CO2 gas, from air
lazarus, Sep 10 2013

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       Where does the extra oxygen come from?
Alterother, Sep 10 2013
  

       2 molecules of CO2 can yield 2 molecules of CO plus one molecule of O2. Carbon monoxide, however, is much more toxic than CO2, and is harder to store (freezes at much lower temperature, for example). I don't know what the plan is, to do with that particular stuff. Perhaps they intend to react it with something that can yield a solid final waste product?
Vernon, Sep 10 2013
  

       Ah, I see. The idea seemed to imply that a _single_ molecule of CO2 could somehow be manipulated to produce more than the sum of its parts.   

       If the idea is simply to build a machine that uses solar power to bust up CO2 and release oxygen, that already exists--I have a few in my back yard. Coincidentally, quite a few of their by-products can be used as combustible fuel, so while their mechanism may not match perfectly that of the posted idea, these remarkable and ubiquitous devices certainly serve the same end.
Alterother, Sep 10 2013
  

       // bust up CO2 and release oxygen // It looks like the main idea is to create CO to be used as a fuel, with O2 as somewhat of a side effect. Apparently, CO was a significant portion of the combustible fuel in coal gas, so using that as a fuel is not without precident, even if it is somewhat dangerous.   

       It seems to me that you would want some way to separate the CO from O2 for storage so it could be burned in an engine without risk of explosion in the fuel tank.   

       [Alterother] I assume the devices in your back yard are of the self-replicating variety. While I certainly appreciate those, and try to promote their self-replication around my house, this idea could be an interesting idea if it turned out to be a more efficient way of converting solar energy into chemical energy. That might be a good use for the sunshine currently being wasted to temperature cycle my roof.   

       I'd give it a bun except that this sounds to me like it would be highly inefficient: producing a lot more heat than usable CO. Also, even if it worked efficiently, CO seems like it would be as difficult to store as other gaseous fuels, more dangerous due to its toxicity, and less energy dense.
scad mientist, Sep 10 2013
  

       In rereading the main text, it appears that the idea has nothing to do with lowering CO2 levels; it is only a way to, basically, convert solar energy into fuel energy. The problem remains, though, that CO is harder to store than, say, gasoline. Hydrogen gas has a similar problem; you need a big tank to store as much "fuel energy" as is represented by an ordinary tank of gasoline. The "energy density" of either gaseous CO or gaseous H2 as a fuel is simply less than that of liquid gasoline.
Vernon, Sep 10 2013
  

       It's an interesting idea. The idea doesn't say anything about storage, although it's a valid criticism. However, because any machine operating on earth will be immersed in atmospheric carbon dioxide, perhaps it needn't store any CO and produce as much as it needs through the above process, much like a bussard ramscoop would for hydrogen in space if that were a practical invention. This is atleast as halfbaked as the ramjet so it earns a bun.
rcarty, Sep 10 2013
  

       Then use Fischer-Tropsch to make Diesel. Good idea +.
xkuntay, Sep 10 2013
  

       The place to park this would be as an adjunct to a petrochemical burning power plant in the desert. There would be a rich CO2 source handy, lots of sun, and the infrastructure to put to use a bit more power.   

       I am a little skeptical of the big LASER BEAM premise. Resonant frequencies etc. Is there precedent for using lasers to do this kind of thing?
bungston, Sep 10 2013
  

       Use the laser to split the C02, then mix with hydrogen, it should give you some quantity of C2H6O.   

       Device to include a laminated statement on a stick for you to present to ATF/Customs and Excise officers while you are lying on the floor, explaining you're trying to save the world, not just running a still.
not_morrison_rm, Sep 11 2013
  

       It's pure pedantry, and I've said it before, but plants bust up H2O and release oxygen, not CO2.
spidermother, Sep 11 2013
  

       Yes, this CO2 molecule is so tricky. You can produce it so easily, but it is so stabile, and hard to split. Would it not be logical, if we produce CO2 in such quntities, can not we make the reverse, and simply destroy it, make carbon and oxygene. The material is abundant. In each coal plant, we could sequestrate CO2, there are materials that absorb CO2, and can release it. But what to do with it, compress it into the holes in the ground, and than what...release a bactery that eats it, oh please no...we have seen such trials, thank you, but no... The best things are done by itself, the plants, yes they made by itself what we can not with all our technollogy. They made a way to insert an H atom, from water, and made the whole world. Problem is that CO2 is on low energy level, it needs energy to destroy, and it must be a solar energy, othervise it would release more CO2. This experiment with parabolic mirror is logical, make a hot soup, all the particles are excited and loose, than add some field . Ok, but it only released one atom, the other is even deeper in the structure, and it wont give up. I thought, maybe these resonant frequencies, if you hit it right into the structure....boom, and than a strong electric field , ha, no return. If you do it once, make CO, maybe it can be done again, and split CO the same way, on a different frequency .... This has been done before, lasers are used in infrared spectrometry, a fact is, that gases absorb energy on the right wave lenght, that is used on small scale, to analyse.
lazarus, Sep 11 2013
  

       I wonder how hot these vibrating O2 and CO would be after the LASER BEAM? Because hot O2 goes looking for a party and CO is always ready to party..
bungston, Sep 11 2013
  

       They will react, leading to more heat, which will ionize more CO2. Actually I calculated the amount of fuel you can produce from all cement kilns in the world is a few million barrels a year. Thats a drop in the bucket. Imagine they transport that in an hour thru hormus.
xkuntay, Sep 11 2013
  
      
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