Zero emission coal power plant? How does this work?

[wacki]

Zero emissions? How?

http://www.fossil.energy.gov/p...s/futuregen/index.html

 

[KMurphy]

FutureGen is an initiative to build the world's first integrated sequestration and hydrogen production research power plant.

Carbon sequestration is the process of pumping the leftover emissions deep into the ground.

 

[Zanix]

Originally posted by: KMurphy

FutureGen is an initiative to build the world's first integrated sequestration and hydrogen production research power plant.

Carbon sequestration is the process of pumping the leftover emissions deep into the ground.

Call me crazy, but that doesn't sound like it could be good for the planet. Makes me think about burying toxic waste in clay mines. Might be better than some alternatives, but not exactly the best way.

Progress is good I guess.

 

[KMurphy]

It's not toxic waste. The VOC's (volatile organic compounds) left over after burning hydrocarbons are incinerated at a very high temperature (1400°F+). The main thing left over is CO2 (not toxic) which is pumped back into the earth under very high pressure. Not exactly emission free, but less atmospheric release than any other fossil fuel method of generating electricity.

 

[KCjeeper]

THe CO2 is a liquid when it is pumped underground, and will stay that way because of the massive pressures.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Zanix

Call me crazy, but that doesn't sound like it could be good for the planet. Makes me think about burying toxic waste in clay mines. Might be better than some alternatives, but not exactly the best way.

Progress is good I guess.

CO2's pretty harmless stuff when it's in the ground. Heck, it's pretty harmless stuff in the atmosphere until you get a LOT of it.

 

[CycloWizard]

Who decided it was a good thing to pump an extremely high pressure substance into the ground? The mass of CO2 produced by any reasonably-sized coal plant would result in some astronomical pressure wherever they're pumping all that stuff.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard
Who decided it was a good thing to pump an extremely high pressure substance into the ground? The mass of CO2 produced by any reasonably-sized coal plant would result in some astronomical pressure wherever they're pumping all that stuff.

I'm sure they won't pump it into impermeable rock...probably into loose soil or porous rock where it will diffuse away from the plant.

 

[Gibsons]

If you read some of the pdfs from the original link, there's a diagram showing the C02 sequestration leading to enhanced oil recovery, unmineable coal beds, deep saline aquifers, and depleted oil and gas reservoirs. So the plan is to pump it into places where it has room to expand/dissolve. Obviously, this limits where you can build one of these plants.

I kinda doubt the pressure is sufficient to keep CO2 in liquid form though, though it would certainly help it dissolve into other liquids.

 

[rgwalt]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard
Who decided it was a good thing to pump an extremely high pressure substance into the ground? The mass of CO2 produced by any reasonably-sized coal plant would result in some astronomical pressure wherever they're pumping all that stuff.

There is talk of pumping into old oil fields, which originally supported a lot of underground pressure due to oil. You would be surprised what is stored underground at high pressure... Natural gas is often stored at high pressure in old oil fields. This sort of approach is old technology.

R