A French researcher recovers CO2 from the exhaust gas to convert CO usable as fuel. With the key, reducing consumption and emissions of internal combustion engines. This process can be extended to boilers.

At a time when all manufacturers of internal combustion engines are trying to limit CO2 emissions, it may be a technology of the late nineteenth century, the gasifier, which will come to their rescue. But in the process developed by ReCO2, No bulky wood boiler and other scrubber the CO2 is collected in the exhaust gas, concentrated, converted to CO (gas to water our good old gasifiers) in a catalyst and sent to the air intake of the engine, whether a gasoline or diesel version. As a result, fuel consumption down 25% and CO2 emissions are reduced by 30%, while the engine output does fall by 3%. One can truly speak of CO2 recycling.

" It is not a miracle, but the clever application of high technology known elsewhere in the world petrochemical " Reassures Jacques Benzaria the inventor of the process, former researcher at the IFP which has a few patents to his credit, such as those related to recycling of PET bottles.

The combustion of one liter of fuel requires 10 m³ air. This amounts to produce nearly a cubic meter of exhaust per minute for a sedan consumes 6 l/100 km and traveling at 90 km / h. When the engines are well settled gases that contain: 70% nitrogen, 18% CO2, 9% water, the rest being shared between noble gases, including oxygen, and pollutants such as unburned hydrocarbons and solid particles.

Proven processes

" Faced with consistent flow to limit the size of our facilities so they are easily implanted in a vehicle even exists, we decided to set ourselves a target of 30% reduction in CO2 emissions . After collecting about 20% of the gas flow on the exhaust line, the separation and concentration of CO2 are using ceramic membranes combining hollow fibers and polimides (thermosets). " In fact, we do things known elsewhere, but in a different order .

The CO2 is then directed to a catalyst containing a metal complex nickel base, placed at the level of exhaust pipes of the engine. It was he who without further input of energy as heat from the exhaust CO2 transforms CO. " Nickel is a metal less noble than platinum or palladium traditionally used for their high features, but its cost can be used in larger quantities to compensate for its lower efficiency . Indeed, 500 g of nickel would also be effective in this process only 2 grams of palladium.

CO obtained is then directed to the air intake of the engine. Enrichment which reduces by 25% the amount of fuel used not see a noticeable loss of engine power. The results confirmed the initial trials conducted CemagrefWhich began to interest carmakers. A French and German are also in talks with ReCO2 to begin testing in their own laboratories.

But beyond the world of cars, they are all combustion appliances that are affected by this technology, with first gas boilers used in homes or factories.