A method for calculating a dry ice block necessary to preserve a product during transport, includes calculating a surface area:weight ratio needed for the dry ice block to preserve the product in at least one of a chilled condition and a frozen condition, and forming the dry ice block into a shape having said surface area:weight ratio. A related apparatus is also provided.

A method for calculating a dry ice block necessary to preserve a product during transport, includes calculating a surface area:weight ratio needed for the dry ice block to preserve the product in at least one of a chilled condition and a frozen condition, and forming the dry ice block into a shape having said surface area:weight ratio. A related apparatus is also provided.

The present disclosure includes a method of producing solid inorganic carbonate compounds by capturing, converting, and storing carbon dioxide comprising providing one or more precursor compound; providing one or more carbon dioxide capture solvent or capture additive; and reacting said one or more precursor compound with said one or more carbon dioxide capture solvent or capture additive under conditions effective to produce one or more solid inorganic carbonate compound. Also disclosed is a method of producing solid inorganic bicarbonate compounds by capturing, converting, and storing carbon dioxide comprising providing one or more precursor compound; providing one or more carbon dioxide capture solvent or capture additive; and reacting said one or more precursor compound with said one or more carbon dioxide capture solvent or capture additive under conditions effective to produce one or more solid inorganic bicarbonate compound. Also disclosed herein are systems for producing solid inorganic carbonate and bicarbonate compounds.

A method for producing a synthetic fuel from hydrogen and carbon dioxide comprises extracting hydrogen molecules from hydrogen compounds in a hydrogen feedstock to produce a hydrogen-containing fluid stream; extracting carbon dioxide molecules from a dilute gaseous mixture in a carbon dioxide feedstock to produce a carbon dioxide containing fluid stream; and processing the hydrogen and carbon dioxide containing fluid streams to produce a synthetic fuel. At least some thermal energy and/or material used for at least one of the steps of extracting hydrogen molecules, extracting carbon dioxide molecules, and processing the hydrogen and carbon dioxide containing fluid streams is obtained from thermal energy and/or material produced by another one of the steps of extracting hydrogen molecules, extracting carbon dioxide molecules, and processing the hydrogen and carbon dioxide containing fluid streams.

Manual and automated methods of pre-charging an empty or partially empty insulated container with CO2 snow are provided. A first location such as a charging location charges CO2 liquid into a container to create a pre-charged container with CO2 snow. The charging location prepares the pre-charged container for delivery to a second location, either by itself, or through a third party. The second location may be a clinical site, which upon receipt of the pre-charged container, loads a perishable item such as a biological sample into the pre-charged container. A user receives the pre-charged container with perishable item and removes the perishable item from the pre-charger container for testing (e.g., biological testing). Depending on the level of depletion of the CO2 snow in the pre-charged container, the user returns the depleted container to the first location or the intermediate location.

Manual and automated methods of pre-charging an empty or partially empty insulated container with CO2 snow are provided. A first location such as a charging location charges CO2 liquid into a container to create a pre-charged container with CO2 snow. The charging location prepares the pre-charged container for delivery to a second location, either by itself, or through a third party. The second location may be a clinical site, which upon receipt of the pre-charged container, loads a perishable item such as a biological sample into the pre-charged container. A user receives the pre-charged container with perishable item and removes the perishable item from the pre-charger container for testing (e.g., biological testing). Depending on the level of depletion of the CO2 snow in the pre-charged container, the user returns the depleted container to the first location or the intermediate location.

A method for automatically dispensing and vending carbon dioxide (CO2) snow block is disclosed. The automatic dispensing system contains multiple containers of different volumes. A user can input the volume of CO2 snow block into a controller, such as a programmable logic controller (PLC). The controller uses the inputted volume and process information to determine which container to utilize for the automated filling process. The controller can configure the selected container into a filling orientation into which liquid CO2 can flow to generate CO2 snow block. Upon detection of the completion of the fill, the container is configured into a dispensing orientation from which the CO2 snow block is released into an access region from which the user can retrieve the CO2 snow block. The control methodology may also be used to auto charge a single container located within a charging station as disclosed herein.

A method for automatically dispensing and vending carbon dioxide (CO2) snow block is disclosed. The automatic dispensing system contains multiple containers of different volumes. A user can input the volume of CO2 snow block into a controller, such as a programmable logic controller (PLC). The controller uses the inputted volume and process information to determine which container to utilize for the automated filling process. The controller can configure the selected container into a filling orientation into which liquid CO2 can flow to generate CO2 snow block. Upon detection of the completion of the fill, the container is configured into a dispensing orientation from which the CO2 snow block is released into an access region from which the user can retrieve the CO2 snow block. The control methodology may also be used to auto charge a single container located within a charging station as disclosed herein.

Highly efficient and universal biomass conversion methods are described. Methods utilize a base-catalyzed decarboxylation reaction in a conversion process carried out in the presence of excess base to overcome carbonate formation from CO.sub.2. Methods can efficiently convert all components of a biomass feedstock to liquid hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide byproduct. The process has several versions: hydrolysis and alcoholysis, etc. The chemical process can be carried out with nearly 100% conversion for any type of biomass feedstock and requires no expensive or complicated pretreatment. The conversion reactions can be carried out at moderate temperatures of 170-300 C. and form a product that can include a mixture of hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons, including alcohols and phenol derivatives.

The present invention relates to a device for producing high-strength CO.sub.2 pellets from CO.sub.2 snow, in particular, for a cleaning device for blasting surfaces to be treated with a mixed-flow consisting of a compressed gas and CO.sub.2 pellets, including a main compressing device for compressing CO.sub.2 snow for forming CO.sub.2 pellets, further including a pre-compressing device for pre-compressing CO.sub.2 snow produced by expanding liquid CO.sub.2, wherein the pre-compressing device is in the form of a fluid-mechanical pre-compressing device, wherein the pre-compressing device includes an expansion device for producing CO.sub.2 snow from liquid or gaseous CO.sub.2 and a pre-compression chamber for receiving and pre-compressing the produced CO.sub.2 snow and wherein the expansion device and the pre-compression chamber are connected to one another in fluidic manner.