Saturday, November 22, 2014

The Allam Cycle - An efficient way to Capture and Store CO2 (aka CCS)

Thermodynamic principals work strongly against the efficient (read economic) capture and storage of CO2 from conventional fossil fuel power plants. Dilution of the CO2 by nitrogen in the flue gas from the air used for combustion is a primary issue.

But, if we can burn the carbon containing fuels with pure oxygen, then the effluent is mostly CO2 and water vapor, which can be easily separated, and the CO2 compressed for efficient, and hopefully safe, underground storage.

So see what you think about the Allam Cycle. I am glad to see a major project going forward to determine future economic feasibility. Technology can do a lot, but technology can not override the laws of thermodynamics.

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GREENLAND - Will probably be the focus of near term sea level rise

Greenland is almost all covered by a very thick glacial ice cap. If all of Greenland's ice either melted or slid into the oceans, sea le...