Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISSOCIATING CARBON DIOXIDE

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to an apparatus and method for the dissociation of large volumes of carbon dioxide. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus and a method for converting carbon dioxide into solid carbon material and oxygen while capturing energy from the process to create electrical power to supplement the system power demand. BACKGROUND ART

Global warming from greenhouse gases is one of the primary environmental problems facing mankind today. Carbon dioxide is the most abundant of all greenhouse gases. An alarming amount of carbon dioxide is produced today from the operation of automobiles and the burning of fossil fuels for power generation and other industrial processes. Over the previous 650,000 years, the amount of carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) in the atmosphere has never exceeded approximately 300 parts per million (ppm). Today, CO2 levels are measured at 375 to 400 ppm, an increase of nearly 33%. At the current pace, the levels of CO2 will double in less than 50 years. The northern polar ice cap thickness has decreased 40% since 1970. At that rate, the ice cap will be gone in approximately 70 years. The top ten hottest years in recorded global temperature have occurred in the last 14 years of man's history on this planet. The debate continues concerning how much effect industrialization has had on the current global warming trend. Regardless of the total net effect from industrialization, the important point is not how much effect has modern man had in causing this problem. The primary and virtually only practical way for mankind to help reduce this trend is large scale reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, namely carbon dioxide.

The trend cannot continue. Either mankind needs to help fix it, to the greatest extent possible, or the planet eco-system will adjust itself, with clearly documented consequences.

Some groups have pointed out that such a strategy would dramatically reduce economic growth and eliminate jobs. Most large scale CO2 reduction programs to date involve collection of CO2 for deep well or oceanic injection. These approaches simply temporarily hide and delay the problem. A more advanced approach would be the cost-effective conversion of CO2 into useable industrial by-products and energy.

Current methods for converting carbon dioxide and hazardous effluents into useable by-products or energy fall into the following categories: improvement of combustion processes that enhance the production of cleaner exhaust emissions followed by the collection and liquification of the CO2 for industrial sale, and treating the off gas from an industrial process using a direct current (DC) powered plasma torch employing a working gas mixture of CO2 and oxygen. The result is an output gas which is ejected to the atmosphere but has no useable by-products.

In the first approach, the modifications needed to improve existing combustion processes would still involve exhaust scrubbing and would be cost prohibitive in most known cases. Total conversion to a new, improved combustion process would decrease toxic emissions but would also increase CO2 emissions. The amount of CO2 to then be collected and liquefied would not be commercially cost effective.

In the second approach, there are no useable by-products, making commercially viable economic operation virtually impossible. In addition, less efficient DC plasma systems result in the creation of "other output gases" whose environmental impact must be assessed.

What is needed is a more cost effective means of CO2 disposal which efficiently dissociates the CO2 into useable carbon material (for the tire and rubber industries) and clean, pure oxygen (for numerous industrial uses). This system must also effectively capture a notable amount of energy produced in the process and covert it to electrical power to supplement the system power consumption and drive the cost per ton to process CO ₂ down to economically feasible levels.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a system and process for high temperature, high speed, energy efficient carbon dioxide dissociation and energy recovery. This system and process is designed to efficiently dissociate commercial scale volumes of CO ₂ to support up to a 98% reduction of CO ₂ emissions at a typical industrial plant operation. As an example of a commercial scale flow of CO ₂ , a mid-sized coal to steam power production plant generates approximately 720 tons per hour of CO ₂ in the production of a net 474 megawatts. The integrated system and process is designed for the conversion of such high volumes of carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) into carbon solids such as carbon particulate and carbon black, oxygen (O ₂ ) and carbon monoxide (CO). The system and process is also configured for capturing energy produced during the CO ₂ conversion and recycling that energy in the form of electrical power to support the system power demand. This is accomplished by using a plasma gas dissociation technique integrated with commercial scale CO ₂ gas capture techniques, high speed gas conditioning, energy recovery and multi-stage re-cycling processes using optimal control techniques.

In one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of dissociating a flow of carbon dioxide containing greater than 99 % by weight carbon dioxide into

carbon solids, oxygen, residual carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide by exposing the flow of carbon dioxide to an electrical discharge of a first alternating current plasma torch and generating temperatures greater than about 5,000 degrees centigrade. Dissociation is followed by quenching the carbon solids, the oxygen and the carbon monoxide to a temperature below 604.4 degrees centigrade in a first processing chamber operatively coupled with the first plasma torch in order to preclude the large scale reformation of the carbon solids, the oxygen and the carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide. Thereafter, the carbon solids, the oxygen, the residual carbon dioxide and the carbon monoxide are separated from one another. The residual carbon dioxide is collected and combined with the flow of carbon dioxide. The carbon monoxide is collected to form a carbon monoxide flow containing greater than 95% by weight carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide flow is subsequently dissociated into carbon solids and oxygen by exposing the flow of carbon monoxide to an electrical discharge of a second alternating current plasma torch and generating temperatures greater than about 5,000 degrees centigrade.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for dissociating commercial scale volumes of carbon dioxide including a carbon dioxide source configured for providing a flow of carbon dioxide, a first plasma torch configured for creating a first plasma plume from the flow of carbon dioxide, a first processing chamber configured for receiving the first plasma plume, the chamber including a first quenching system configured for quenching the first plasma plume, a gas filtration system operatively connected with the first processing chamber, the gas filtration system being configured for separating gasses created from the plasma plume, a carbon monoxide source that is supplied with carbon monoxide from the gas filtration system, the carbon monoxide source being configured for providing a flow

of carbon monoxide, a second plasma torch configured for creating a second plasma plume from the flow of carbon monoxide, and a second processing chamber configured for receiving the second plasma plume, the second processing chamber including a second quenching system configured for quenching the second plasma plume. Preferably, the apparatus includes a residual carbon dioxide recirculation system operatively coupled with the carbon dioxide source and configured for delivering residual carbon dioxide collected from the first processing chamber to the first plasma torch for reprocessing. In addition, the apparatus preferably includes a carbon solids recovering system operatively coupled to the first processing chamber and configured for removing carbon solids from a flow of liquid from the first quenching system.

Thus, the present invention provides the following key features: efficient, high temperature plasma dissociation of CO ₂ and CO at commercial scale; rapid, efficient water quench to capture carbon black and carbon particulates while cooling the residual gases below their combustion temperature to avoid the reformation of CO ₂ ; advanced gas conditioning, compression and separation to achieve the necessary gas throughput and purity; heat recovery steam generation for a supplemental electrical power generation; efficient recovery of carbon material; conversion of residual gases (primarily CO and O ₂ ) into carbon material and useable energy sources; capture and re-cycling of any trace amounts of CO ₂ not dissociated, and commercial scale CO2 gas capturing techniques using solvent adsorption techniques.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart depicting the system functional flow of the present system for dissociating carbon dioxide.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting a carbon dioxide conditioning and delivery system of the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3a is a diagram of an alternating current plasma distribution system and carbon dioxide conditioning and delivery system for operating a single chamber 5 alternating current plasma torch.

FIG. 3b is a diagram of an alternating current plasma distribution system and carbon dioxide conditioning and delivery system for operating a multiple chamber alternating current plasma torch.

FIG. 3c is a sectional view of the plasma torch FIG. 3b having longitudinal io discharge volumes.

FIG. 3d is a sectional view of the plasma torch FIG. 3b having transverse discharge volumes.

FIG. 3e is a sectional view of the plasma torch FIG. 3b having longitudinal and transverse discharge volumes. i5 FIG. 3f is a sectional view of the plasma torch FIG. 3b showing symmetric cyclonic gas flow there through.

FIG. 3g is a sectional view of the plasma torch FIG. 3b showing opposing cyclonic gas flow there through.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart depicting the system of FIG. 1 with a sectional view of0 the carbon dioxide processing chamber of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart detailing dissociated gasses separation and carbon monoxide processing of the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a torch electric controller of the system of FIG. 1. 5 FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a torch PMW controller of the system of FIG. 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT INVENTION

A schematic layout of the integrated system and process with associated equipment is shown in Figure 1. The greenhouse gas to be treated for this discussion is CO ₂ . CO ₂ is first captured by using an induced draft fan to pull exhaust gas from the industrial plant flue stack. The flue gas is then exposed to a variety of adsorption solvents which adsorbs the CO ₂ gas. From Figure 1, the CO ₂ then enters a gas conditioning, pressurization and delivery system (item). This system includes a drier and compressor (item ) which dries and pressurizes the CO ₂ to achieve the necessary flow volumes and conditions for the plasma system gas dissociation to be optimized (item ). The compressed and conditioned CO ₂ is injected as the plasma system working gas which is utilized to create the plasma and hot gas stream or plume. By using the CO ₂ as the system working gas, the necessary gas volumes for commercial scale deployments can be achieved. As the gas is injected an ignition takes place resulting in the CO ₂ being exposed to a high temperature electrical discharge. The temperatures within this plume reach 6,000 degrees centigrade. This high energy discharge creates a highly ionized gas or plasma reaction of the CO ₂ . This reaction results in dissociation of CO ₂ creating plasma from the CO ₂ , in the presence of O ₂ and CO with small amounts of atomic oxygen (O). Carbon black and carbon particulates, together referred to as carbon material, are also discharged into the flow stream as a result of this reaction. Carbon black is distinguished from carbon particulate in that carbon black is typically of a smaller average particle size than carbon particulate. The flow stream of O ₂ , CO and carbon material is captured in the Processing Chamber (item ). This flow stream is immediately quenched (cooled) by a series of high pressure water cooling rings (item ) within the Processing Chamber. Since this rapid cooling involves temperatures dropping from 6000 degrees centigrade to

roughly 50 degrees centigrade, the reformation of CO ₂ downstream of the plasma flow in the Processing Chamber is precluded. The Process Chamber also works as a separation unit as it also separates the carbon material from the flow stream for recovery. The Processing Chamber is an inclined bed system whereby the water and carbon solution falls to the bottom of the Chamber. There it is sluiced out and fed through a water-carbon separation unit (item ). The water is also re-conditioned for re-use by the water injection system (item ). The resulting gaseous residuals, primarily CO, O ₂ and trace amounts of CO ₂ are sent to a heat recovery and gas drying system (item ). The resulting steam is extracted from the heat recovery system and sent to a steam conditioning/steam turbine power generator to produce energy to reduce the system power consumption (items - ). After the remaining residual gases are dried and filtered (polished) to remove any remaining solid particulates (item ), they are then sent to a gas separation unit (item ) where the CO, O ₂ and CO ₂ are selectively separated by an advanced processes, including molecular sieves and distillation separation. The CO is sent through another dissociation process (item ) to extract the remaining carbon material, , and separate the O ₂ and potential trace CO ₂ . Any trace amounts of CO ₂ are circulated back to the CO ₂ conditioning and delivery system (item ). The carbon material and O ₂ is captured for a variety of industrial uses, including the production of tires, asphalt, etc. In some instances, the O ₂ is utilized at the plant site in other processes.

The system and process consists of several major systems operated by an integrated, real time optimal control system. Devices important to this process include an alternating current (AC) Plasma Gas Dissociation System, an inclined bed Processing Chamber, rapid, opposing flow water quenching rings, heat recovery steam generation and drying equipment, specially designed filtration and gas

separation units, a gas re-circulating system and unique instrumentation and control equipment and software.

This is a multi-parameter, electro-fluid dynamic problem. It is a non-linear optimization of: type of gas to dissociate; mass flow rate of gas; mass flow concentration in peak discharge area; turbulence in peak discharge area; gap between electrodes; electrode feed rate and gap control; residence time of gas in peak discharge volume; time duration of peak discharge; voltage of peak discharge. These parameters must be controlled and balanced to maximize the amount of gas dissociation for the minimum energy consumption. It is intended to make the minimum heat value plasma and dissociated gas stream from CO ₂ . It is not intended to make the best plasma stream in usual mode for plasma systems where stable, high energy, high temperature plasma is the goal. We must combine or match-up mass flow region with the peak discharge region and sufficient energy and residence time to barely complete the CO ₂ dissociation. This region must then be evacuated in time for the next available set of discharges. This involves a balancing of gas flow rate with efficiency and completeness of the reaction at the minimum required discharge energy and residence time. Simultaneously, electrode gap is maintained to optimize the size of the discharge region versus the residence time of the discharge, the mass flow rate and the voltage of the discharge. In this instance, it becomes a matter of the amount of electrode gap and residence time versus discharge voltage.

By designing the plasma gas dissociation system (item ) with these features, an increased amount of carbon material can be retrieved from the initial commercial scale levels of CO ₂ dissociation for the minimum expenditure of power. These same plasma gas dissociation systems can be used in the plasma system CO dissociation

process (item of Figure 5) to achieve the same maximum extraction of carbon material for minimum energy consumption.

All these parameters are balanced to achieve this increased efficiency process by utilizing advanced electronic and fluid dynamic devices and techniques with real time optimal feedback and control. This involves the implementation of controlled opposing flow design between electric field direction and fluid flow direction. Two unique embodiments of a plasma gas dissociation system are proposed to achieve this goal.

In the first embodiment of the plasma gas dissociation system, a transferred arc, AC plasma torch with an integrated set of electrodes and a single gas discharge dissociation chamber is used (Figure 3a). In this approach, the CO ₂ (or CO) gas is injected longitudinally through an initiator or igniter (item ) into the single discharge chamber (item ). CO ₂ (or CO) is also injected laterally into the discharge chamber from the perimeter of the chamber inside wall (item ). This perimeter injection can be in an opposing flow direction, creating a turbulent flow pattern or in a tangential direction, creating a cyclonic flow pattern, all within the discharge chamber. The selection of a particular flow pattern depends upon the required throughput and the number and arrangement of electrodes, within the context of the design optimization previously discussed. The number of perimeter flow injection points is determined by the throughput levels and the dissociation reaction desired. Four inward flow injection points are shown in Figure 3a as an example.

This first embodiment is a plasma torch system comprising a torch head and an electric torch controller. The torch head is a water-cooled unit that houses a minimum of three electrodes. The electrodes are powered by the torch controller. The torch controller consists of three inductive reactors that are used to limit the current in

the arc. The controller is powered from a standard 3 phase, 40 volts, 60 or 50 Hertz source, as shown in Figure 6. This power is applied to the electrodes through the three reactors. The arc generated between the electrodes will rotate with the 3 phase rotation of the power. The arc will therefore cycle between the electrodes and are made to rotate in a direction counter to the flow of the gas being injected into the torch head. The power to the torch head is controlled by the inductance of the reactor in the system. The reactors are made with taps to adjust the inductance and thereby the power to the torch. The power to the torch controls the amount of gas that can be efficiently dissociated. An alternative method of controlling the power to the torch without the use of tapped inductive reactors, is the use of a Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) power system, as shown in Figure 7. In the PWM, the 480 volts, 3 phase, 60 or 50 Hertz input voltage is rectified to produce a direct current (DC) voltage which is filtered by input capacitors. The DC output voltage is then connected to an output power module which is controlled by a microprocessor. The microprocessor controls the transistors in the power module producing the PWM signal which will give a sinusoidal wave form to be applied to the electrodes. The output module consists of six power transistors (two per phase) that will simulate a three phase output voltage 120 degrees apart. The 3 phase output power is generated by first applying the PWM signal to the up transistor while the lower transistor is off, and then for the next half cycle, the up transistor is turned off while the PWM signal is applied to the lower transistor. This process is repeated for the other phases only 120 degrees apart. The power to the electrodes can then be controlled by changing the width of the pulses in the PWM. The PWM power system is under full control of the system controller. Utilization of

this PWM power system eliminates the need for bulky, inefficient inductive reactors and notably improves power efficiency.

In this way, an expanded arc discharge volume is achieved with high energy in the presence of concentrated, high volume flow. The CO ₂ is broken down into carbon material, CO, O ₂ and trace amounts of ionized atomic oxygen (O). The plasma plume diffuser (item ) concentrates and directs the plasma and hot gases for injection into the first or second Processing Chamber (items and ). In the case of CO injection into the second processing chamber, it is broken down into carbon material and O ₂ . The desired dissociation reaction can be tuned by the size of the Discharge Chamber (item ), the number of perimeter injection lines (item ), the number of injection points per line and the operating power.

In the second embodiment of the plasma gas dissociation system, a transferred arc, AC plasma reaction tube with multiple electrode sets and multiple discharge volumes is used (Fig 3b). In this approach, the CO ₂ (or CO) is injected longitudinally (item ) into a series of discharge volumes within a reaction tube (item ). Each reaction volume is comprised of 2 AC electrodes operating from a specially designed inductive reactor or PWM system. Simultaneously, CO ₂ (or CO) is injected inward (item ) from the perimeter of the reaction tube, either in opposing directions to create turbulent flow or in a tangential directions to create cyclonic flow. Articulated electrode positioning or symmetric electrode positioning can be utilized as noted in Figure 3b. Multiple injection lines (item ) along the circumference of the reactor tube can be utilized. The number and position of electrode sets, injector lines, injection points and the flow velocities utilized are determined by the required throughput and the desired plasma dissociation results. In general, for CO ₂ the greater the number of electrode sets and perimeter injection points, the greater the amount of carbon material

produced and the less CO produced. For other greenhouse gases, additional reactions may be required which are more readily accomplished in this multiple discharge volume approach.

There are several important reasons why these design concepts for the plasma system gas dissociation unit result in large enough efficiency improvements to become cost effective for commercial scale CO ₂ flow rates.

The use of advanced, more efficient power storage and alternating current discharge technology in the inductive reactor. This includes improved power and voltage recovery capability. As an alternative, further improvement of the power efficiency by utilization of an advanced PWM system. Advanced electrode materials are utilized, including purified copper and rare earth alloys, to improve discharge efficiency and electrode life. Electrode surface shape and contour is optimized to facilitate rapid, efficient discharge with less abrasive arc separations.

Advanced materials for all high power transmission lines are utilized. In addition the system is configured for tight modules and minimum transmission line lengths.

Based upon the required gas flow rate and desired dissociation reaction, the initial electrode type, gap distance and discharge are set. As the electrodes wear down due to erosion from arc discharge energy, the discharge voltage and current draw are monitored to within plus or minus 2%. The control system advances the electrodes to maintain this tolerance and thus insures the largest available peak discharge region is sustained.

For the single discharge chamber design of the first embodiment, the primary design parameters are electrode shape, electrode material, number of electrodes, number of perimeter injection ports, and direction and velocity of perimeter gas

injections. The required gas throughput determines the size of the discharge chamber and the subsequent number of electrodes. Typically, three (3) or six (6) electrodes are employed to maintain the required density of discharge within the given discharge chamber volume. In a like manner, the number of perimeter injection ports is determined by maintaining the required gas flow density within the given discharge chamber volume. The direction of the perimeter gas injection is set to target the concentrated flow at the center of the respective discharge volumes between each electrode pair. Depending upon the size of the discharge chamber and the electrode number and arrangement, either an opposing turbulent flow or a cyclonic flow is required.

For the multiple discharge chamber design of the second embodiment, the key parameters are electrode type, electrode material, electrode shape, number of discharge volumes, placement of electrodes, placement of perimeter gas injection ports, direction of electric discharge and direction and velocity of perimeter gas injection. The required gas throughput determines the diameter of the discharge tube. The number of discharge volumes, and hence the number of electrode pairs, is determined by the level of CO ₂ dissociation required. This in turn will determine the spacing of the discharge volumes and the type of flow mixing required. Electrode pair gap, discharge volume spacing and the subsequent discharge area size, residence time and energy level will determine the use of opposed turbulent flow or cyclonic flow. In either case, the system is configured for the minimum power required to achieve the maximum level of gas dissociation. Typically, for smaller diameter tubes, greater longitudinal spacing of discharge volumes and cyclonic flow is preferred. For larger diameter tubes, tighter discharge volume spacing is usually required with either turbulent opposing perimeter injection or cyclonic perimeter flow. Cyclonic flow can

be in one rotational direction for the entire tube called symmetric cyclonic flow (Figure 3f) or it can be in opposing directions for each discharge volume and electrode pair, called opposing cyclonic flow (Figure 3g). Depending on tube diameter and electrode spacing, the direction of electrical discharge can be opposing the local perimeter flow pattern or parallel to the local flow. The electrical discharge direction and subsequent discharge volume location for a given electrode pair can be transverse, (across the tube diameter) or longitudinal (parallel to the tube centerline) as shown in Figures 3c and 3d. Multiple electrode pairs can be placed to facilitate both longitudinal electrical discharge and transverse electrical change in the same tube with properly articulated electrode positioning, spacing and poles. One example of this combined discharge configuration is shown in Figure 3e. This is preferred for larger tube diameters and higher gas flow rates.

With this design adaptability, the user can "tune" the gas dissociation reaction to suit the required throughput and the desired dissociation reaction results. In some configurations, both embodiments can be used in series.

Both AC plasma torch embodiments have automatic electrode feed and specially designed gas dynamics and cooling systems. Each plasma system is configured to be able of operating at a wide range of power under real time control. The plasma gas dissociating systems are electronically isolated from the rest of the system. Plasma system power operating ranges can vary from 250 Kilowatts (KW) to as high as 3 Megawatts (MW). The Plasma System Gas Dissociating units are designed to operate at peak efficiency for the dissociation of CO ₂ or CO. By utilizing the CO ₂ (or CO) as the actual working gas for the formation of plasma, maximum gas dissociation is achieved. In this process with these embodiments, the CO ₂ (or CO) is

consistently and efficiently exposed to temperatures from 4,000 of 6,000 degrees Centigrade.

There are two variations of Processing Chambers embodied in this system and process. The first Processing Chamber treats the output of the CO ₂ plasma dissociation ( item , Figure 1). The second Processing Chamber treats the output of the CO plasma dissociation (item , Figure5). The second dissociation for CO is used to optimize the recovery of carbon materials.

The first Processing Chamber receives the results of CO ₂ plasma dissociation which are primarily carbon material, CO and O ₂ . This Processing Chamber is an inclined bed, cylindrical chamber. The chamber inclination is downward toward the input (inlet) end of the chamber, opposing the plasma injection flow (see Figure 4). Beginning at this chamber inlet, there are a series of water injection rings surrounding the plasma plume. Additional water injection rings can also be placed downstream of the plasma plume termination. Flow direction from the water injection ports along the inside circumference of each injection ring can be inward toward the chamber centerline as well as at opposing angles and non-opposing angles to the longitudinal plasma flow direction. The number of injection rings, the number of injector ports per ring, the angle of opposing and non-opposing flow direction and the pressure and velocity of the water injection are determined by the throughput and temperature of the plasma gas stream.

For the first Processing Chamber (item ), these water quench design parameters are determined by the requirement to cool the plasma gas stream below the combustion temperature of CO as rapidly as possible. This precludes the reforming of CO ₂ from the CO and O ₂ present in the plasma and gas flow. In addition, this water quench process captures the carbon particulates in the plasma and

gas flow stream and extracts those carbon particulates through the water flow stream, which is sluiced out the low point of the inclined chamber (item ). The carbon particulate and water solution is then processed by standard techniques to separate and recover the carbon material and treat the discharge water for reuse by the water injection system (items and of Figure 4).

The flow stream is now composed primarily of high temperature steam, CO and O ₂ . The steam is condensed in an advanced high efficiency heat recovery steam generator (item ). This provides steam energy for the generation of supplemental power (items and of Figure 1) and simultaneously separates, cools and dries the CO and O ₂ . The cooled, dried CO and O ₂ are then filtered (item ) to remove any remaining particulate. The cooled, dried CO and O ₂ are then sent to the Separation Unit (item ).

The second Processing Chamber (item Figure 5) is specifically designed to process the carbon material and O ₂ resulting from the CO dissociation. Due to the lower mass flow, this second chamber is somewhat smaller than the CO ₂ Processing Chamber, but shares a similar design approach. The CO Processing Chamber is a water cooled, inclined bed chamber. The same basic water ring quench system is used as described for item . The design criteria for the water ring injection system is based primarily upon maximum energy recovery and carbon particulate removal, as well as rapid temperature reduction. The CO Processing Chamber has a similar water sluicing system (item ) which retrieves the water carbon solution and sends it to the same liquid-solids separation process (item ). The water quench rings are located beginning at the CO Processing Chamber inlet, surrounding the plasma plume. Additional water ring injectors can also be placed downstream of the plasma plume termination point. Water injection from the inside circumference of each water ring is

inward toward the Chamber centerline as well as opposing and non-opposing angular injection with respect to the longitudinal plasma and gas stream flow. The number of injection rings, the number of injection ports per ring, the angle of opposing and non- opposing flow direction and the pressure and velocity of the water injection are determined by the throughput and temperature of the plasma and gas stream. These specific water quench design parameters, for a given size system, are determined by the requirement to simultaneously capture all the carbon particulate and to cool the plasma and gas stream to the optimum temperature for maximum energy recovery.

The CO Processing Chamber flow stream now contains steam and O ₂ . The steam is condensed through a separate advanced high efficiency heat recovery steam generator (item ). This provides additional steam for supplemental power through the same steam power generation loop (items and , Figure 1). It also provides drying for the O ₂ prior to industrial uses. In some cases, the O ₂ can be used on-site for other processes. Depending on the size of the system, heat recovery from the CO Chamber water cooling stream is also implemented when deemed cost-effective.

Both Processing Chambers can be water cooled with no internal refractory lining. Heat energy from this water cooling process can also be captured to support the supplemental power generation. With no refractory lining, the operation and maintenance cost for these Process Chambers is reduced. In some cases, it is desired to have a special refractory lining to support particular thermal reactions at varying temperatures.

The Separation Unit (item ) is designed to receive the cooler, dried flow stream from the CO ₂ Process Chamber and efficiently separate the CO. This can be accomplished by several existing technologies, including, but not limited to, a molecular sieve, a distillation system, a membrane filter, or other separation devices.

The primary objective is to capture, bind, or separate the O ₂ while allowing the CO to pass through the separation system at maximum efficiency.

As an option, there may be trace amounts of CO ₂ in the flow stream. CO ₂ is a larger molecule which can be easily isolated. Depending upon the amount of trace CO ₂ and the environmental requirements for the integrated system, the CO ₂ can also be separated and recycled to the CO ₂ plasma dissociation system (item ).

The System Controller (item ) is composed of numerous instrumentation devices monitoring critical process conditions and operating parameters throughout the System. This data is collected in a central processor to facilitate operational procedures and safety decisions made automatically by the System Controller or manually based upon data displays to the operators. In addition, certain key process conditions and operating parameters are used in system mathematical models and decision making algorithms to facilitate real time optimal feedback and control operation. The output of the decision making algorithms are utilized by the high speed central computer to adjust operating parameters in order to maintain the reactions and processes within the maximum range of efficiency. The process data conditions and operating parameters utilized include: Critical Operating Temperatures; Key Operating Pressures; Gas and Water Flow Rates; Particulate Mass Flow, and Gas Composition Analysis. This information is also utilized to facilitate standard shutdown and emergency shutdown procedures, as well as built-in-test procedures which can be executed during normal operations.

As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made within the scope of the aforesaid description. Such modifications being within the ability of one skilled in the art form a part of the present invention and are embraced by the claims below.