Title: Transport of heat as chemical energy

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Abstract: At a heat source, such as a nuclear reactor, methane and carbon dioxide are reacted (at about 800.degree.-900.degree.C) to form a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. This mixture of gases is cooled by heat exchange with incoming cold CH.sub.4 and CO.sub.2 and is then pumped through a first pipeline at ambient temperature to an energy use area. At the energy use end of the first pipeline the gas mixture is heated (to about 350.degree.-500.degree.C) in the presence of steam and a catalyst. The CO and H.sub.2 react exothermically to form CH.sub.4 and CO.sub.2. The heat evolved from this reaction is released across a heat exchanger for use as process heat or for conversion to electricity. Water is condensed and separated from the mixture of gaseous reactants and the dried, cooled CH.sub.4 /CO.sub.2 mixture is returned to the heat source end via a second pipeline for repetition of the closed loop process described.


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