Chemical Conversion of Carbon Dioxide and Water to Hydrocarbon Fuels

Carbon dioxide is hydrogenated by water at elevated temperature in an inorganic sulfate fortified sulfuric acid medium, in the presence of a transition metal catalyst and the absence of a sacrificial metal or hydrogen gas. The reaction sequence forms formaldehyde, immediately forming glycolaldehyde then concatenating to longer hydrocarbon chains possessing at least one alcohol group to maintain solubility in the reaction medium. As products of sufficient molecular weight are attained the alcohol group becomes hydrogenated and the hydrocarbons vaporize. Water's hydrogen is sacrificed as the byproduct oxygen reacts with sulfuric acid forming monoperoxysulfuric acid (Caro's acid) that decomposes at elevated temperatures. Products are removed under partial vacuum to preclude partial oxidation of the hydrocarbon fuels facilitating a continuous process.