Propositions of Sustainable methods of Carbon Dioxide Separation and Disposal

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Propositions of Sustainable methods of Carbon
Dioxide Separation and Disposal

• Caleb Stewart
• Mir-Akbar Hessami
• Department of Mechanical Engineering,
• Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

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Introduction

• What is the importance of developing sustainable
  technologies?
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE).
• Kyoto Protocol required Australia to slow growth
  of annual GHGE to 108 of 1990 levels by the
  commitment period 2008-2012.
• What is the Australian Governments view on the
  Kyoto Protocol?

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• Australia is dependant on high carbon intensive
  energy production.
• Coal mining accounts for approximately 1.9 of
  GDP 2.
• Australian Government declined to ratify the
  protocol.

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Carbon Dioxide Separation Options

• MEA Scrubbing solvent strips CO2 from flue gas.
• Membrane Technology CO2 molecules are forced
  through a membrane.
• Molecular Sieve CO2 molecules are adsorbed to a
  sieve structure.
• Desiccant Technology CO2 is adsorbed at a
  specific temperature.

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Carbon Dioxide Disposal Options

• Geologic Injection retention time 1000s of
  years (Enhanced Oil Recovery, Coal Seams).
• Oceanic Injection retention time 100s of
  years.
• Oceanic Fertilisation Nutrient released in to
  the ocean stimulate growth of photosynthetic
  organisms.

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The photo-bioreactor approach

• Use photo-synthetic organisms to fix carbon
  dioxide from atmosphere (table 3).
• Select on the basis of
• carbon uptake rate
• light requirement
• robustness to temperature fluctuations and
• by-products such as hydrogen or biomass.

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The Design of a Photo-bioreactor

• The design of a solar light delivery system to
  the photo-bioreactor installation consists of 3
  components
• Distribution
• Transmission
• Solar Collection

Solar Light
DISTRIBUTION Tapered Glass Plate
COLLECTION Parabolic Cylindrical Dish
TRANSMISSION Fibre Optics
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Distribution

• Light requirements for the organisms used.
• Specifications of the distribution plate.
• Specifications of the bioreactor.
• Specifications of the water bath.
• Requirements for a sterile system.

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Transmission

• Maximum operating temperature.
• Steady state maximum transmission capability.
• Fibre Optic transmission losses 10.
• Fibre optic dead losses 40.
• Estimated number of fiber optics for the
  interface between distribution plate.

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Collection

• Available Energy
• Daily irradiation levels
• Useful visible light 48
• Collection Efficiency 95
• Overall efficiency 24.6
• Required Collection Intensity and growth rates?

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Conclusion

• Most photo-bioreactor technology is not yet
  feasible on a large scale.
• More research is required to identify
  photosynthetic micro-organisms capable of
  sequestering carbon on an economical scale.

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References

• Australian Greenhouse Office. Fact sheet 1 2002
  National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Canberra,
  Australia, www.ago.gov.au, April, 2004.
• Mark R, Worral R., Greenhouse gas key performance
  indicators for Australian coal mines, CSIRO
  Exploration and Mining, Fifth International
  Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies
  Cairns Australia, 2000 1020-1025.