Utilization of carbon dioxide emissions as a fuel source and related systems and methods

Abstract

Systems and methods of utilizing captured carbon dioxide emissions as a fuel source for the production of energy. The captured carbon dioxide emissions can be transformed into a carbon dioxide fluid having a higher energy state and stored as a fuel source, whereby the fuel source can be consumed at a desired time for the production of energy. The carbon dioxide fluid can be generated from a feedstock of the carbon dioxide emissions during periods of low energy demand, such as utilizing electricity during off-peak, which can then be used as a fuel source for energy production during periods of high energy demand. The electricity during off-peak preferably being from a renewable energy source, such as wind or solar power. The source of captured carbon dioxide emissions can be from an industrial source, such as the flue gas of a power plant, emissions from a cement plant, the emissions from a fermenter of an ethanol plant or brewery, or the combustion of fuels.

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A system for the capture and utilization of carbon dioxide emissions as a fuel source for the production of energy, the system comprising:
 a feedstock stream comprising captured carbon dioxide emissions;   a first device that is capable of transforming the captured carbon dioxide emissions of the feedstock stream into a carbon dioxide fluid, wherein the carbon dioxide fluid has a higher energy state than the captured carbon dioxide emissions;   a vessel for receiving and storing the carbon dioxide fluid as a fuel source;   a second device capable of using the fuel source to produce an output energy and a discharged carbon dioxide, the discharged carbon dioxide having a different physical form than the carbon dioxide fuel; and   an optional means for recapturing the discharged carbon dioxide.   
     
     
         4 . A method of capturing and utilizing captured carbon dioxide emissions as a fuel source for the production of energy, the method comprising:
 capturing carbon dioxide emissions from a source to provide a feedstock stream comprising captured carbon dioxide emissions;   feeding the feedstock stream to a compressor having an input energy source;   transforming the captured carbon dioxide emissions of the feedstock stream into a carbon dioxide fluid having stored potential energy, the carbon dioxide fluid having a different physical form than the carbon dioxide gas;   storing the carbon dioxide fluid as a fuel source in a usable state to maintain the stored potential energy of the carbon dioxide fuel source;   producing an output energy and a discharged carbon dioxide from the stored potential energy of the carbon dioxide fuel source, the discharged carbon dioxide having a different physical form than the carbon dioxide fuel source; and   optionally recapturing the discharged carbon dioxide.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein a source of at least a portion of the feedstock stream comprising captured carbon dioxide emissions provided from a fermenter from an ethanol plant or a brewery. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein a source of at least a portion of the feedstock stream comprising captured carbon dioxide emissions is provided as a biogenic waste stream from a biomass feedstock during fermentation of the biomass feedstock at an ethanol plant or a brewery. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the biomass feedstock is selected from the group consisting of corn, sugar cane, bagasse, miscanthus, sugar beet, sorghum, grain, switchgrass, barley, hemp, kenaf, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, sunflower, fruit, molasses, stover, wheat, straw, cotton and algae. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the biomass feedstock comprises corn kernels. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein a source of at least a portion of the feedstock stream comprising captured carbon dioxide emissions is provided combustion of one or more hydrocarbon fossil fuels and/or renewable fuels. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the feedstock stream is transformed into the carbon dioxide fluid via a compressor. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first device utilizes an energy input for transforming the captured carbon dioxide emissions of the feedstock stream into the carbon dioxide fluid, wherein at least a portion of the energy input is a renewable energy input from wind power, solar power, the output energy, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the carbon dioxide fluid comprises liquid carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein a turbine, a turboexpander, or a combination thereof, is capable of using the fuel source to produce an output energy and a discharged carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the discharged carbon dioxide comprises gaseous carbon dioxide, solid carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the output energy is in the form of electricity. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the output energy is in the form of electricity capable of being fed into an electrical power grid. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the output energy is produced by utilizing the higher second energy state of the carbon dioxide fuel source in a turbine to produce electricity, and the discharged carbon dioxide having a third energy state that is lower than the second energy state of the carbon dioxide fuel source. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein a source of heat is generated during the process of transforming the captured carbon dioxide emissions of the feedstock stream into the carbon dioxide fluid. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one heat exchanger, wherein the at least one heat exchanger is capable of utilizing the source of heat generated during the process of transforming the captured carbon dioxide emissions of the feedstock stream into the carbon dioxide fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one heat exchanger, wherein the at least one heat exchanger is capable of utilizing the source of heat generated during the process of transforming the captured carbon dioxide emissions of the feedstock stream into the carbon dioxide fluid, wherein the least one heat exchanger utilizes the source of heat in a different location within an ethanol plant or a brewery. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the fuel source is stored below its critical temperature and above its critical pressure,. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the fuel source is stored above its critical temperature and above its critical pressure, such that at least a portion of fuel source is stored in the form of a supercritical liquid, the fuel source preferably stored above a temperature of  31 ° C. and a pressure between about 73.8bar and about 125 bar. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the discharged carbon dioxide is recaptured as a commercial carbon dioxide source, wherein the commercial carbon dioxide source chosen from the group consisting of industrial grade carbon dioxide having a purity of at least 99.5%, medical grade carbon dioxide having a purity of at least 99.5%, bone dry grade carbon dioxide having a purity of at least 99.8%, food grade carbon dioxide having a purity of at least 99.9%, beverage grade carbon dioxide having a purity of at least 99.9%, anaerobic grade carbon dioxide having a purity of at least 99.95%, or research grade carbon dioxide having a purity of at least 99.999%. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the discharged carbon dioxide is recaptured and reused as a portion of the feedstock stream. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the captured carbon dioxide emissions of the feedstock stream is transformed into the carbon dioxide fuel having stored potential energy during a period of low energy demand and the fuel source is used for energy production during a period of high energy demand.