The Boudouard Process for Synthesis Gas

| Abc of Alternative Energies | Bio Energy | Geothermal Heat | Solar Energy | Water Power Plants | Wind Energy | Your Energy Savings |

You are here:> Alternative Energy Technologies > Bio-Energy - Biogas - Biomass > Boudouard Process for Synthesis Gas

I. Introduction: The Boudouard Process for Synthesis Gas

The Boudouard Reaction¹ was discovered in 1905 by French chemist Octave Leopold Boudouard and the water-gas shift reaction² was discovered by Italian physicist Felice Fontana in 1780.

The Boudouard Reaction is used to gasify coal^3,4 with carbon dioxide in order to obtain carbon monoxide and the water-gas shift reaction is used by synthesis gas producers to produce additional hydrogen in order to adjust the hydrogen to carbon monoxide ration in synthesis gas.

The purpose of this discussion is to show recovery of carbon dioxide and water from atmospheric air and to show production of synthesis gas with variable hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratios.

II. Summary

The Boudouard Process is used to make synthesis gas from carbon dioxide and water for applications such as homologation⁵ to higher molecular weight alcohols and use of the Fischer-Tropsch Reaction⁶ to make hydrocarbons.

III. The Boudouard Process for synthesis gas

The Boudouard Reaction and the water-gas shift reaction are the basis for the process described in Fig. 1. An ideal application for the process is to make synthesis gas without excessive carbon dioxide emissions and without groundwater consumption.

Fig.1 Boudouard Process for Synthesis Gas Flow Diagram

The Boudouard Process for Synthesis Gas is described below. An ideal application for the process is to make synthesis gas without excessive carbon dioxide emissions and without groundwater consumption as described in Fig.2.

Fig 2. Boudouard Process for Synthesis Gas Datasheet

1. Reaction 1 is the standard Boudouard Reaction described by Dr, David G. Walker in US Patent 4,185,083 and his article entitled Coal and Carbon in the Post-Petroleum World and Reaction 2 is the standard water gas shift reaction described in Wikipedia.
2. Air Extraction devices are the device for removal of carbon dioxide from air developed by Peter Eisenberger⁷ and Global Thermostat⁸.
3. Water extraction can be provided by a atmospheric water generator as described in Wikipedia⁹. Air¹⁰ has a carbon dioxide content of 0.036% and a moisture content of 0-4%.
4. An ideal application for the Boudouard Process for Synthesis Gas is for producing higher alcohols such as ethanol and butanol from synthesis gas by homolgation. Another application is the production of hydrocarbons by means of the Fischer-Tropsch reaction.
5. Robinson, R. J., "Sabatier Process for Biogas Upgrade", this article may be located at:
   http://www.abc-alternative-energy.de/bioenergy/biogas-upgrade.html.