The Problem of CO 2 Solutions from the World of Chemistry Terry - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Problem of CO2

Solutions from the World of Chemistry

• Terry M. Gray, Ph.D.

Instructor, Colorado State University Instructor, Front Range Community College Co-author of Energy: What the World Needs Now

STARTING POINTS

One of the tasks of humanity is to steward God’s creation (Genesis 2:18). The earth is the Lord’s—not

• urs to do as we please. Yet we are called to use that

which we have been entrusted in the service of others and the whole creation. Global warming/climate change
 is influenced by human activities, 
 namely fossil fuel combustion.

STARTING POINTS

The world's demand for energy will double by 2050 primarily due to low energy consumers in the majority world increasing their energy use Population increase in inevitable, but development/ education (of women) is the best way to slow down growth rates. Some think we will peak at 10 billion and then begin to see populations begin to shrink.

OBVIOUS TO-DO’S

Reduce the amount of CO2 emitted while 
 maintaining/increasing the energy output

Develop renewables/alternatives (including nuclear)
 See Pandora’s Promise (http://pandoraspromise.com) Implement conservation/efficiency 
 Doubling the gas mileage uses half as much fuel and emits half as much CO2 Use natural gas as instead of coal for electricity generation 
 — Half as much CO2 emitted per energy generated


— Combined cycle technologies are 60% rather than 30-40% efficient
 — Assumes that leakage is minimized in natural gas production and transport
 — Fuel cell applications (Bloom Energy)

CARBON CAPTURE AND SEQUESTRATION (CCS)

15% of flue gas is CO2 vs. 0.04% in the atmosphere Flue gas is CO2, H2O, N2, O2 (NOx, SOx, particulates are removed) In CCS CO2 is removed (much the way NOx's and SOx’s are currently removed). CO2 is removed by a reaction with an organic base (an amine) or an 
 inorganic base. Heating the CO2 containing materials results in the 
 CO2 being liberated as pure CO2 gas.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv6NzfouwSE 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH3hgqLM94U (0:45-2:25) The pure CO2 is compressed/"liquified" and stored or sequestered in underground

storage caverns (e.g. former oil fields).
 Enhanced oil recovery (EOR)

DIRECT ATMOSPHERIC CAPTURE

Carbon Engineering

(http://www.carbonengineering.com)

Uses the same idea as CCS but the CO2 is pulled out the air (where it is only 0.04%)

LIQUID FUELS HAVE TO BE PART OF THE MIX

Energy density make them the best for long distance transportation and air transportation and even storage 
 Gasoline: 46 MJ/kg (36 MJ/L)


Lithium ion battery: 0.36–0.875 MJ/kg (0.9–2.63 MJ/L)
 Hydrogen: 142 MJ/kg (5.6 MJ/L @ 700 atm)

Infrastructure
 Refineries, pipelines, gas stations, engines Notice that I did not say “fossil fuels”. Think of “fossil fuels” derived from CO2

INSPIRATION FROM PHOTOSYNTHESIS

You never throw throw stuff away. Always ask where “away” is. Better yet, do something with it…
 use renewable energy to convert 
 CO2 back into a fuel or useful carbon
 containing products. An inorganic version of the 
 photosynthesis/respiration cycle Energy issues: 
 32 ATP’s out of respiration
 48 ATP’s to do photosynthesis

SYNGAS SOLUTIONS

Syngas:
 CO(g) + H2O(g) —> CO(g) + H2(g) Fischer-Tropsch:
 n CO(g) + 2n+1 H2(g) —> CnH2n+2 (g,l) + H2O(g) Methanol Production:
 CO2(g) + 3 H2(g) —> CH3OH(l) + H2O(l) Mobil Process (with zeolyte catalysts):
 2 CH3OH → CH3OCH3 + H2O A clean source of hydrogen is needed (nuclear/renewable powered water electrolysis)
 H2O(l) —> 2 H2(g) + 2 O2(g)


CO2 REDUCTION SOLUTIONS

Extract CO2 from seawater

Make H2 from water using on board nuclear reactor Reduction of CO2 to produce fuel Andrew Bocarsly & Liquid Light


Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2
 http://llchemical.com/

U.S. Navy Has Found A Way To Turn Seawater Into Fuel


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/09/seawater-to-fuel-navy-vessels-_n_5113822.html

THE COST OF CARBON

CCS is estimated to cost 40% more By the comparison to photosynthesis the cost is 150% more

ENERGY: WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW

http://energywhattheworldneedsnow.com

Terry M. Gray & Anthony K. Rappé