[Paradox]

A note to the Luddites, (maybe, just maybe), technology may have gotten us into this mess, but technology can get us out of it.

[monocle]

Hydrogen chloride and the potential byproduct chlorine are both highly toxic and corrosive and could be factors limiting commercialization. Also, the cost of producing hydrogen chloride must be factored in.

[boris]

Yawn. See: sabatier process. The hitch is probably that making hydrocarbon fuel from CO2 requires more energy than buring the fuel will supply! "Sabatier Process

The CO2 in the Martian Atmosphere will be used to produce methane by the so-called Sabatier process (discovered by the French chemist Paul Sabatier in the nineteenth century). The reaction converts carbon dioxide with hydrogen at elevated temperatures into methane and water (Stephen J. Hoffman, David I. Kaplan,1997):

4H2 + CO2 ---> CH4 + 2H2O

Since no hydrogen is found in the Martian atmosphere, the hydrogen has to be imported from Earth or from the Moon and NEOs. CH4/O2 rocket propellant only consists of 16% hydrogen by mass. Therefore, the reduction in mass that has to be brought from Earth to Mars is still substantial. A quick calculation shows that about 0.222 kg of H2 and 1.222 kg of CO2 are needed to produce 1 kg of water and 0.444 kg of CH4."

[madvlad]

A process involving the production of longer chain
hydrocarbons, including octane, from carbon dioxide and methanol was discovered in the 70s by Mobil I think.
It involved zeolite catalysts which produced long
chain hydrocarbons with each pass of carbon dioxide.

This technology is not new.

I will post the reference next week if anybody is interested.

Mad Vlad

[capt. norm]

"A way to turn carbon dioxide into hydrocarbons has caused a big stir "

Most of us remember from our biology courses that green plants (through photosynthesis) have been doing this for eons.

[sasquatch]

The heat and pressure are low enough, says Yamasaki, to make it feasible to scale up the reaction so it can run on a power station's waste heat

Global warming goes direct or are the first few laws suspended?

[Steely Tom]

There is a class of perpetual motion machines that violates the second law of thermodynamics, instead of the first. Is this an example?

If so, this professor will never live it down.

(steely)

[Movemout]

You need to put a manic midi on this thread with frequent jpegs of spinning plates on sticks.

[Bikers4Bush]

Bump for later reading.

[RJayneJ]

Essay Of The Week

Quote of the Day by by Libloather

[Zathras]

Cool!
We can connect a CO2 -> Propane converter to AlGore's mouth and solve two problems at once.

Capt. Planet finally has a purpose!

[RightWhale]

natural methane deposits might have formed chemically with the metal in rocks acting as a catalyst

Nice renewable-resources find!

[Rodney King]

Probably takes more energy to make then the resultant fuels produce - like ethanol. These scientists woudl be wise to start donating millions to both poltical parties.