Preventing Pollution

Using Rocket Science (Literally!) for Carbon Capture

Philip Proefrock

Capturing carbon dioxide from exhaust in order to reduce emissions levels has seemed as difficult as rocket science. And now, some rocket science may provide a solution to the difficult problem of extracting CO2 from industrial exhausts. Rocket nozzles are being studied as part of a new approach to capturing carbon dioxide from the smokestacks of coal power plants and other heavy emissions sites. The new approach could lead to significantly lower costs for carbon sequestration.

Vapor trails are commonly formed behind jets and rockets. Water vapor in the exhaust is suddenly allowed to expand, leading to rapid cooling and condensation. By pressurizing industrial exhausts and passing them through a nozzle, the same effect can be obtained for flue gases from coal plants, cement mills, and other CO2 sources. Once released, the suddenly expanded and cooled CO2 would form into dry ice. In this form, it would be much easier for the CO2 to be collected. It could then be turned into industrial product, or put into other kinds of sequestration.

ICES (Inertial CO2 Extraction System) is an investigational project under the Department of Energy's IMPACCT (Innovative Materials & Processes for Advanced Carbon Capture Technologies) program. Researchers on the product say that use of this technology could reduce the cost for carbon capture from current levels of around an 80% premium on the base cost down to a 30% premium.

via: Discovery News and Inhabitat

Image: ATK methane rocket engine (not directly related to the ICES project)

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Pacific Island Kingdom of Tonga Thinks Nuclear Power Is the Answer

Philip Proefrock

The king of Tonga has told the nation's parliament that he believes the country should pursue nuclear power in order to meet its energy needs. The king is quoted as saying, "nature is dictating that we must look to nuclear energy." A nuclear power station would also aid the country by providing desalinated water. At present, almost the entirety of the nation's electricity comes from diesel generators, and importing diesel fuel is an expensive proposition.

The country also has outlined an energy plan, developed in 2009, which has called for half of its power to come from renewable resources. The king's recommendation was unexpected in the face of these existing plans, and might be a calculated political move intended to draw further support from non-nuclear neighbors Australia and New Zealand.

Contemporary nuclear reactor designs are vastly larger than the relatively modest electricity needs of Tonga. One suggestion the king offered was to use the country as a test-bed for a small experimental reactor. However, wind and solar could almost certainly be deployed less expensively to provide the 20 to 30 megawatts of capacity the country needs. And solar desalination systems are also in development, and could be used to address the country's freshwater problems.

via: BBC News

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Super-Insulator Aerogel Could Also Clean Up Oil Spills

Megan Treacy

aerogel
Aerogel, the amazing material that is 37 times better than fiberglass as insulation, could also be the perfect tool for cleaning up oil spills. The downside is that Aerogel isn't ready for the large-scale production necessary to help with the current oil disaster.

The material is incredibly low density - it's mostly air - so it has the capacity to absorb a lot of oil. The maker of Aerogel, AeroClay, is beginning testing on an Aerogel sponge that could be made to soak up either water or oil. By modifying the polymers that keep the material from collapsing, scientists can program the sponge to absorb different liquids or particles. Aerogel has been used by NASA in the past to capture comet dust.

In the case of an oil spill, the sponge could be used like a dish sponge to clean oil off birds or rocks, or, even better, be deployed to keep oil from ever reaching the shore.

Although we hope that a major oil spill like the one in the Gulf of Mexico never happens again, it's good to know that technology is being developed to make us better prepared if it does.

via Treehugger

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U.S. Could Stop Coal Emissions in 20 Years

Megan Treacy

coal-plant-2
A new study claims that the U.S. could be free of emissions from coal-fired power plants in 20 years using only technologies that currently exist or could be ready in the next decade. The one thing holding us back, according to the authors, is political will.

The study, published in the latest issue of Environmental Science and Technology, lays out a plan to erase coal emissions that includes cutting fossil fuel subsidies, applying a substantial fee on carbon emissions, developing a smart grid, increasing energy efficiency, some carbon capture and storage, and, of course, replacing coal with clean energy alternatives and new (hopefully safer) nuclear technologies.

What's most important about this study, regardless of whether we could realistically drum up the support to make this massive overhaul so quickly, is that we already have the technology at our disposal to make coal almost obsolete in just 20 short years. Think of the impact that would have on our ability to mitigate the effects of climate change.

via Mongabay

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Ships Face New Emissions Rules in North American Waters

Megan Treacy

ship-emissions
The EPA and the International Maritime Organization have announced stricter emissions regulations for ships operating in the waters off the coast of the U.S. and Canada.

Starting in 2012, ships within 200 nautical miles of the shores will either have to use cleaner, more expensive fuel that contains less sulfur or be equipped with scrubber devices that clean the sulfur dioxide from the exhaust. By 2016, new ships will have to use advanced emissions control systems.

California already implemented an emissions control zone within 24 nautical miles of its shore last year and ships have tried avoiding the area. These new rules extend the control zone along most of North America and much farther out to sea, so avoidance won't be an option anymore.

The EPA says the emissions controls will reduce U.S. NOx emissions by 1.2 million tons annually and particulate matter emissions by 143,000 tons annually.

via Green Inc.

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Using Rocket Science (Literally!) for Carbon Capture

Pacific Island Kingdom of Tonga Thinks Nuclear Power Is the Answer

Super-Insulator Aerogel Could Also Clean Up Oil Spills

U.S. Could Stop Coal Emissions in 20 Years

Ships Face New Emissions Rules in North American Waters

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