Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
u
Carbon Capture
and Sequestration
Producing hydrogen fuel through gasifi cation also produces
carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. Scientists
and engineers are looking at a process called carbon capture and
sequestration, or CCS, to remove excess carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere. (“Sequestration” means separation or removal.) CCS
is also used to prevent carbon dioxide from getting into the air in
the fi rst place.
CCS uses different chemical reactions to capture carbon dioxide.
The captured gas is then safely stored in such places as empty oil
and gas reservoirs deep inside Earth. (A reservoir is a chamber in
which something can be stored.) Storing the carbon dioxide gas so
that it cannot cause harm would allow people to use gasifi cation
to make hydrogen fuel in a safe way. Currently, CCS is still in the
development stages. It is a very expensive process. Scientists are
exploring different technologies to make CCS more affordable.
Since coal is a nonrenewable resource, some people wonder
why making hydrogen fuel through gasii cation would be a
good thing. Currently, the United States has about a 130-year
supply of coal that could be used, which is enough to make the
gasii cation process practical. A big disadvantage, though, is
that coal gasii cation produces carbon dioxide (which can have
harmful effects) along with hydrogen.
Even though coal is used in one type of gasii cation, it
turns out that the gasii cation process to make hydrogen
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