Recent developments on carbon capture and storage: An overview

Direct mineral carbonation of steelmaking slag for CO2 sequestration at room temperature

Rapid increase of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere has forced the international community towards adopting actions to restrain from the impacts of climate change. Moreover, in India, the dependence on fossil fuels is projected to increase in the future, implying the necessity of capturing CO2 in a safe manner. Alkaline solid wastes can be utilized for CO2 sequestration by which its disposal issues in the country could also be met. The present work focuses to study direct mineral carbonation of steelmaking slag (SS) at room temperature and low-pressure conditions (<10 bar). Direct mineral carbonation of SS was carried out in a batch reactor with pure CO2 gas. The process parameters that may influence the carbonation of SS, namely, CO2 gas pressure, liquid to solid ratio (L/S) and reaction time were also studied. The results showed that maximum sequestration of SS was attained in the aqueous route with a capacity of 82 g of CO2/kg (6 bar, L/S ratio of 10 and 3 h). In the gas-solid route, maximum sequestration capacity of about 11.1 g of CO2/kg of SS (3 bar and 3 h) was achieved indicating that aqueous route is the better one under the conditions studied. These findings demonstrate that SS is a promising resource and this approach could be further developed and used for CO2 sequestration in the country. The carbonation process was evidenced using FT-IR, XRD, SEM and TG analysis.

Simulating CO₂ leakages from CCS to determine Zn toxicity using the marine microalgae Pleurochrysis roscoffensis

Due to the current climate change and ocean acidification, a new technology for CO2 mitigation has been proposed, the Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS). However, there is an ecological risk associated with potential CO2 leakages from the sub-seabed storages sites. To evaluate the effects related to CO2 leakages, laboratory-scales experiments were performed using the marine microalgae Pleurochrysis roscoffensis. Five Zn concentrations were tested at different pHs to study Zn toxicity under acidified conditions. Seawater was collected and submitted to acidification by means of CO2 injection and by HCl addition. Results showed differences between both acidification techniques: while microalgae growth was enhanced by CO2 supply, reaching the optimal growth at pH 6.5 and full inhibition at pH 5.5, HCl acidification growth was inhibited at pH 6.5. Although small concentrations of Zn were positive for P. roscoffensis growth, Zn toxicity increased at lower pHs, and more severely on samples acidified with HCl. The conclusions obtained in this work are useful to address the potential effects on the marine ecosystem related to changes in metal bioavailability during CO2 leakages scenarios.

Structural and CO2capture analyses of the Li1+xFeO2(0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) system: effect of different physicochemical conditions

α-Li_1+xFeO₂compounds have been synthesized by nitrate decomposition at low temperature. Their CO₂capture were evaluated in CO₂and CO₂+ steam atmospheres. The amount captured in CO₂+ steam atmosphere was 24 wt%, also magnetite was formed.

Low-temperature gas–solid carbonation of magnesia and magnesium hydroxide promoted by non-immersive contact with water

From high-pressure gas–solid thermogravimetry, the presence of water at high relative humidity (>25% RH) caused a drastic acceleration in the rate of CO₂ absorption into MgO and Mg(OH)₂ producing magnesite and hydrocarbonate precursors below 200 °C.

Development Trends in Porous Adsorbents for Carbon Capture

Accumulation of greenhouse gases especially CO2 in the atmosphere leading to global warming with undesirable climate changes has been a serious global concern. Major power generation in the world is from coal based power plants. Carbon capture through pre- and post- combustion technologies with various technical options like adsorption, absorption, membrane separations, and chemical looping combustion with and without oxygen uncoupling have received considerable attention of researchers, environmentalists and the stake holders. Carbon capture from flue gases can be achieved with micro and meso porous adsorbents. This review covers carbonaceous (organic and metal organic frameworks) and noncarbonaceous (inorganic) porous adsorbents for CO2 adsorption at different process conditions and pore sizes. Focus is also given to noncarbonaceous micro and meso porous adsorbents in chemical looping combustion involving insitu CO2 capture at high temperature (>400 °C). Adsorption mechanisms, material characteristics, and synthesis methods are discussed. Attention is given to isosteric heats and characterization techniques. The options to enhance the techno-economic viability of carbon capture techniques by integrating with CO2 utilization to produce industrially important chemicals like ammonia and urea are analyzed. From the reader's perspective, for different classes of materials, each section has been summarized in the form of tables or figures to get a quick glance of the developments.

The Kallisti Limnes, carbon dioxide-accumulating subsea pools

Natural CO2 releases from shallow marine hydrothermal vents are assumed to mix into the water column, and not accumulate into stratified seafloor pools. We present newly discovered shallow subsea pools located within the Santorini volcanic caldera of the Southern Aegean Sea, Greece, that accumulate CO2 emissions from geologic reservoirs. This type of hydrothermal seafloor pool, containing highly concentrated CO2, provides direct evidence of shallow benthic CO2 accumulations originating from sub-seafloor releases. Samples taken from within these acidic pools are devoid of calcifying organisms, and channel structures among the pools indicate gravity driven flow, suggesting that seafloor release of CO2 at this site may preferentially impact benthic ecosystems. These naturally occurring seafloor pools may provide a diagnostic indicator of incipient volcanic activity and can serve as an analog for studying CO2 leakage and benthic accumulations from subsea carbon capture and storage sites.

Alterations in the macrobenthic fauna from Guadarranque River (Southern Spain) associated with sediment-seawater acidification deriving from CO2 leakage

Nowadays, Carbon Storage in Sub-Seabed Geological Structures (CS-SSGS) is having much interest. Nonetheless, these technologies are still under development, especially the leakage of the stored CO2 and the consequent acidification of the environment. Therefore, the goal of this study is to test the impact of CO2-induced acidification on a macrobenthic community due to leakages from CS-SSGS using a mesocosm-based experiment. Results confirmed the significant correlation between the abundance of the species and the pH (positively), and the alkalinity (negatively). Additionally, the BIOENV analysis showed that the majority of the variability in the abundance of the total species was explained for the alkalinity. The correlation analysis showed differential vulnerabilities of different species, especially Cyathura carinata and a non-calcifier species as Hediste diversicolor. Nevertheless, these results showed the importance of taking into account the indirect effect associated with acidification processes, as metal release from sediment.

Applicability of linear polyethylenimine supported on nano-silica for the adsorption of CO2from various sources including dry air

Linear polyethylenimine impregnated on nano-silica as effective and easily regenerable CO₂adsorbents for fast adsorption/desorption cycles.

A first principles study of CO2 adsorption on α-SiO2(001) surfaces

CO₂ interaction with cleaved and reconstructed α-SiO₂(001) surfaces is studied using first principles calculations.

Utilization of carbon dioxide in industrial flue gases for the cultivation of microalga Chlorella sp

The biomass and lipid productivity of Chlorella sp. MTF-15 cultivated using aeration with flue gases from a coke oven, hot stove or power plant in a steel plant of the China Steel Corporation in Taiwan were investigated. Using the flue gas from the coke oven, hot stove or power plant for cultivation, the microalgal strain obtained a maximum specific growth rate and lipid production of (0.827 d(-1), 0.688 g L(-1)), (0.762 d(-1), 0.961 g L(-1)), and (0.728 d(-1), 0.792 g L(-1)), respectively. This study demonstrated that Chlorella sp. MTF-15 could efficiently utilize the CO₂, NOX and SO₂ present in the different flue gases. The results also showed that the growth potential, lipid production and fatty acid composition of the microalgal strain were dependent on the composition of the flue gas and on the operating strategy deployed.

Steam induced structural changes of a poly(ethylenimine) impregnated γ-alumina sorbent for CO2 extraction from ambient air

Poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) impregnated mesoporous γ-alumina sorbents are utilized for CO2 adsorption from dry and humid simulated ambient air, and the sorbents are regenerated under an environment of flowing steam for times ranging from 5 min to 24 h of continuous exposure. The sorbents are compared on the basis of equilibrium CO2 capacities from simulated air at 400 ppm of CO2, 50% relative humidity, and 30 °C as well as their physiochemical characterization by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), (27)Al NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, N2 physisorption, and elemental analysis. The sorbents retain better than 90% of the initial equilibrium capacity of ∼1.7 mmol/g at steam exposure times up to 12 h; however, PEI leaching reduced the capacity of the sorbent to 0.66 mmol/g after 24 h of continuous treatment. It is demonstrated that the γ-alumina support partially hydrates to form a boehmite crystal phase at steam times of 90 min and longer but that this phase transition occurs predominately between 90 min and 12 h of steam treatment, slowing at longer times of 12 and 24 h of treatment. Evidence is presented to suggest that the presence of boehmite on the sorbent surface does not significantly alter the amine efficiency of impregnated PEI. The collected results suggest that γ-alumina/PEI composite materials are promising sorbents for CO2 capture from ambient air with regeneration in flowing steam.

Recycling of carbon dioxide to methanol and derived products - closing the loop

Starting with coal, followed by petroleum oil and natural gas, the utilization of fossil fuels has allowed the fast and unprecedented development of human society. However, the burning of these resources in ever increasing pace is accompanied by large amounts of anthropogenic CO2 emissions, which are outpacing the natural carbon cycle, causing adverse global environmental changes, the full extent of which is still unclear. Even through fossil fuels are still abundant, they are nevertheless limited and will, in time, be depleted. Chemical recycling of CO2 to renewable fuels and materials, primarily methanol, offers a powerful alternative to tackle both issues, that is, global climate change and fossil fuel depletion. The energy needed for the reduction of CO2 can come from any renewable energy source such as solar and wind. Methanol, the simplest C1 liquid product that can be easily obtained from any carbon source, including biomass and CO2, has been proposed as a key component of such an anthropogenic carbon cycle in the framework of a "Methanol Economy". Methanol itself is an excellent fuel for internal combustion engines, fuel cells, stoves, etc. It's dehydration product, dimethyl ether, is a diesel fuel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) substitute. Furthermore, methanol can be transformed to ethylene, propylene and most of the petrochemical products currently obtained from fossil fuels. The conversion of CO2 to methanol is discussed in detail in this review.

Carbon dioxide separation from flue gases: a technological review emphasizing reduction in greenhouse gas emissions

Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as CO2 in the atmosphere is a global warming. Human activities are a major cause of increased CO2 concentration in atmosphere, as in recent decade, two-third of greenhouse effect was caused by human activities. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a major strategy that can be used to reduce GHGs emission. There are three methods for CCS: pre-combustion capture, oxy-fuel process, and post-combustion capture. Among them, post-combustion capture is the most important one because it offers flexibility and it can be easily added to the operational units. Various technologies are used for CO2 capture, some of them include: absorption, adsorption, cryogenic distillation, and membrane separation. In this paper, various technologies for post-combustion are compared and the best condition for using each technology is identified.

Effects on the mobility of metals from acidification caused by possible CO₂ leakage from sub-seabed geological formations

Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) in submarine geological formations has been proposed as a mitigation measure for the prevention of global warming. However, leakage of CO2 to overlying sediments may occur over time, leading to various effects on ecosystems. Laboratory-scale experiments were performed, involving direct release of carbon dioxide into sediment, inside non-pressurized chambers, in order to provide data on the possible effects of CO2 leakage from geological storage sites on the fate of several metals. Marine sediments from three sites with different levels of contamination were sampled and submitted to acidification by means of CO2 injection. The experiment lasted 10 days and sediment samples were collected at the beginning and end of the experiment and pore water was extracted for metal analysis. The results revealed that mobility of metals from sediment to pore water depends on the site, metal and length of time exposed. Mobilization of the metals Al, Fe, Zn, Co, Pb and Cu increases with acidification, and this response generally increases with time of exposure to CO2 injection. The geochemical model applied suggests that acidification also influences the speciation of metals, transforming metals and metalloids, like As, into species much more toxic to biota. The data obtained from this study will be useful for calculating the potential risk of CCS activities to the marine environment.

Adsorption separation of carbon dioxide from flue gas by a molecularly imprinted adsorbent

CO2 separation by molecularly imprinted adsorbent from coal-fired flue gas after desulfurization system has been studied. The adsorbent was synthesized by molecular imprinted technique, using ethanedioic acid, acrylamide, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the template, functional monomer, and cross-linker, respectively. According to the conditions of coal-fired flue gas, the influencing factors, including adsorption temperature, desorption temperature, gas flow rate, and concentrations of CO2, H2O, O2, SO2, and NO, were studied by fixed bed breakthrough experiments. The experimental conditions were optimized to gain the best adsorption performance and reduce unnecessary energy consumption in future practical use. The optimized adsorption temperature, desorption temperature, concentrations of CO2, and gas flow rate are 60 °C, 80 °C, 13%, and 170 mL/min, respectively, which correspond to conditions of practical flue gases to the most extent. The CO2 adsorption performance was nearly unaffected by H2O, O2, and NO in the flue gas, and was promoted by SO2 within the emission limit stipulated in the Chinese emission standards of air pollutants for a thermal power plant. The maximum CO2 adsorption capacity, 0.57 mmol/g, was obtained under the optimized experimental conditions, and the SO2 concentration was 150 mg/m(3). The influence mechanisms of H2O, O2, SO2, and NO on CO2 adsorption capacity were investigated by infrared spectroscopic analysis.

Unprecedented CO2-promoted hydrogen permeation in Ni-BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O(3-δ) membrane

Conventional Ni-BaCeO3-based membranes possess high hydrogen permeation flux but suffer serious flux degradation in CO2-containing atmosphere because of the formation of BaCO3 insulating layer. In this work, we report a novel Ni-BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O(3-δ) (Ni-BZCYYb) membrane, capable of both high hydrogen permeation flux and stable performance in CO2-containing atmosphere at 900 °C. Most importantly, the flux is found to be promoted rather than being diminished by CO2 normally observed for other high temperature proton conductors. The flux enhancement in Ni-BZCYYb membrane is attributed to the increase of moisture content in feed gas. When CO2 is introduced, the reverse water-gas shift reaction takes place generating H2O and CO. This work demonstrates that CO2 can be beneficial rather than detrimental for hydrogen permeation membranes that possess high chemical stability.

Influence of the operation conditions on CO2 capture by CaO-derived sorbents prepared from synthetic CaCO3

In this work, a statistical experimental design is performed in order to prepare CaCO3 materials for use as CaO-based CO2 sorbent precursors. The influence of different operational parameters such as synthesis temperature (ST), stirring rate (SR) and surfactant percent (SP) on CO2 capture is studied by applying Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The samples were characterized using different analytical techniques including X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption isotherm analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy-X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). CO2 capture capacity was determined by means of a thermogravimetric analyzer which recorded the mass uptake of the samples when these were exposed to a gas stream containing diluted (15%) CO2. The statistical approach used in this work provides a rapid way of predicting and optimizing the main preparation variables of CaO-derived sorbents for CO2 sorption. The results obtained clearly indicate that four parameters statistically influence CO2 uptake: SR, the square of SR, its interaction with SP and the square of SP.

Morphological changes in branchial mitochondria-rich cells of the teleost Paralichthys olivaceus as a potential indicator of CO2 impacts

We studied the morphological and biochemical changes of mitochondria-rich cells (MRCs) of a demersal teleost, Paralichthys olivaceus, during exposure to 0.98, 2.97 and 4.95kPa pCO2. The apical opening area of MRCs increased 2.2 and 4.1 times by 24h exposure to 2.97 and 4.95kPa pCO2, respectively, while the cross-sectional area or density of MRCs did not change. Gill Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity more than doubled at 72h and then returned to the pre-exposure level at 168h in 0.98kPa pCO2, while it increased 1.7 times at 24h at 4.95kPa. These results indicate that the apical opening area of MRCs and the gill Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity may be used as an indicator of acute (up to 72h), but not chronic, impacts of high (>1kPa) seawater CO2 conditions in P. olivacues. Limitations of those parameters as indices of CO2 impacts are discussed.

Wastewater treatment to enhance the economic viability of microalgae culture

Microalgae culture is still not economically viable and it presents some negative environmental impacts, concerning water, nutrient and energy requirements. In this context, this study aims to review the recent advances on microalgal cultures in wastewaters to enhance their economic viability. We focused on three different culture concepts: (1) suspended cell systems, (2) cell immobilization, and (3) microalgae consortia. Cultures with suspended cells are the most studied. The nutrient removal efficiencies are usually high for wastewaters of different sources. However, biomass harvesting is difficult and a costly process due to the small cell size and lower culture density. On the other hand, the cell immobilization systems showed to be the solution for this problem, having as main limitation the nutrient diffusion from bulk to cells, which results in a reduced nutrient removal efficiency. The consortium between microalgae and bacteria enhances the growth of both microorganisms. This culture concept showed to be a promising technology to improve wastewater treatment, regarding not only nutrient removal but also biomass harvesting by bioflocculation. The aggregation mechanism must be studied in depth to find the process parameters that would lead to an effective and cheap harvesting process.

Chemical looping combustion of biomass-derived syngas using ceria-supported oxygen carriers

Cu, Ni and Fe oxides supported on ceria were investigated for their performance as oxygen carriers during the chemical looping combustion of biomass-derived syngas. A complex gas mixture containing CO, H2, CO2, CH4 and other hydrocarbons was used to simulate the complex fuel gas environment derived from biomass gasification. Results show that the transfer of the stored oxygen into oxidants for the supported Cu and Ni oxides at 800°C for the combustion of syngas was effective (>85%). The unsupported Cu oxide showed high oxygen carrying capacity but particle sintering was observed at 800°C. A reaction temperature of 950°C was required for the supported Fe oxides to transfer the stored oxygen into oxidants effectively. Also, for the complex fuel gas environment, the supported Ni oxide was somewhat effective in reforming CH4 and other light hydrocarbons into CO, which may have benefits for the reduction of tar produced during biomass pyrolysis.