CO2 Solution Inc. (Quebec, Canada) received United States patent, 7,596,952 for a process and a plant for recycling carbon dioxide emissions from power plants into useful carbonated species. The patent provides for exclusivity in the field of using the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, or an analog thereof, for the capture of CO2 from any fossil power plant, where captured CO2 is converted into a carbonated species. The company believes that the patent has potentially significant value for efficient carbon capture in coal and other fossil fuel power plants.
The process for recycling carbon dioxide emissions from a fossil-fuel power plant into useful carbonated species primarily consists of the steps: a) combustion of a fossil fuel, thereby generating heat and a hot exhaust gas containing CO2 and b) converting the heat into energy. The process is characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: c) cooling the exhaust gas; and d) biologically transforming at least a portion of the CO2 contained in the cooled exhaust gas into carbonated species, thereby obtaining a low CO2 exhaust gas and producing useful carbonated species. The low CO2 exhaust gas obtained in step d) can be released in the atmosphere without increasing the problem of greenhouse effect.
This patent is the fourth new patent received by CO2 Solution during 2009, in addition to the following:
U.S. Patent 7,514,056 ‐ Process and installation for the fractionation of air into specific gases; Protects the use of carbonic anhydrase for use in efficiently capturing CO2 from compressed air as part of an air‐separation unit for the production of oxygen. The Company believes that the patent can address the cost challenge that conventional air‐separation processes face due to ever increasing CO2 concentrations in ambient air. The specialty gas industry has shown interest in the patent and CO2 Solution intends to pursue possible commercialization opportunities therein.
U.S. Patent 7,521,217 ‐ Carbonic anhydrase having increased stability under high temperature conditions; Covers the Company’s proprietary enzyme ‘mutants’ which have increased thermal and industrial stability through genetic engineering.
Canadian Patent 2,443,222 ‐ A process and plant for the production of Portland cement clinker (equivalent U.S. Patent 6,908,507); Covers the use of the enzyme for the capture of CO2 from cement plant flue gas and the production of calcium carbonate for reuse in the cement making process, and has the potential to materially reduce overall carbon emissions from the cement production process.
Regarding the issuance of these four new patents, Mr. Glenn Kelly, President & CEO stated: “These patents build on our already broad intellectual property portfolio in enzymatic carbon capture, at a time when industry is increasingly searching for new ways to capture CO2 that are more efficient than conventional scrubbing technology. There has recently been heightened interest in the use of carbonic anhydrase in this context. As such, we believe these patents further solidify CO2 Solution’s technology leadership position in the field, and in the rapidly growing carbon capture space.”
