Air, water, nuclear power make gasoline. [Nuclear power to remove CO/sub 2/ from air or oceans and H/sub 2/ from water; put together to form methanol]

Journal Article · Wed Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1975 · Energy (Stamford, Conn.); (United States)

OSTI ID:7325164

Steinberg, M ^[1]; Baron, S

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1. Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY

An investment in nuclear synthetic transportation fuel makes more economic sense because it is a renewable resource and the investment would be 31% less than the current capital outflow to the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries. Nuclear energy can be used to remove carbon dioxide (CO/sub 2/) from the atmosphere or the oceans and hydrogen from water and combine the two to make gasoline. Nuclear generating plants can be used to produce synthetic gasoline in the off-peak hours. The basic process uses thermal and electrolytic decomposition of water. Hydrogen and CO/sub 2/ are combined thermocatalytically to make methanol, which is then dehydrated. Various methods for extracting CO/sub 2/ have been tried with the most economic atmospheric process by absorption/stripping in carbonate solution. The atmosphere allows more flexibility in plant sites, but is less economical than the sea as a CO/sub 2/ source. High-temperature electrolytic cells promise to be the most economical way of extracting hydrogen. Of the synthetic carbonaceous fuel types, methanol is the most convenient and specific fuel to form by combining CO/sub 2/ and H. Relative merits of methanol are outlined and tables project capital and production costs. (DCK)

• OSTI ID: 7325164
• Journal Information: Energy (Stamford, Conn.); (United States), Journal Name: Energy (Stamford, Conn.); (United States) Vol. 1:4; ISSN ENGYD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALCOHOLS
CAPITAL
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COST
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ENERGY DEPENDENCE
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FUELS
GASOLINE
HYDROGEN
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
INVESTMENT
METHANOL
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR ENERGY
NUCLEAR POWER
OPEC
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POWER
PROCESS HEAT REACTORS
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
REACTORS
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
SYNTHETIC FUELS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USES