Definitions
- Sorbents: A solid or liquid material that chemically binds the CO2; it leaves the nitrogen, oxygen and other elements in "air" alone.
- Global Warming: A natural process in which the temperature of on the planet increases at a certain rate. Our man-made pollution has recently added to this process, creating increases in temperature every year.
Summary
- Continuing to pollute at current levels will eventually bring about catastrophic problems; in addition, renewable energies are pricey and inefficient with current technologies.
- The only remaining option would be to remove carbon dioxide from the air by capturing it through the use of machines that utilize sorbents; these machines, basically bind the carbon dioxide, collect it, and then send it to a vault where it is liquidized and stored for later usage. When created, these machines will have the potential to collect up to tens to hundreds of tons of CO2.
- Early prototypes have proven that wide-use of these machines would stop or reverse the rise of atmospheric CO2; in the future, if there are enough machines in use, we could decrease Carbon Dioxide levels in the atmosphere by 5 parts per million per year, which is greater than what we pollute.
- In addition to helping the environment, this machine will also lead to profits. Every year, the people use 30 million tons of CO2 based products, such as dry ice; people could sell the Carbon Dioxide produced by this machine to meet the world's needs.
- In the future, this carbon dioxide based materials could be used to create a synthetic gasoline and be a nutrient for the production of bio fuel, thus helping our environment more.
- However, similar to all products, there is a loophole, price. Originally, it will cost up to $200 to capture a ton of carbon dioxide; however, as technology and time progresses, this price will reduce to about $30 dollars per ton.
Discussion:
- This article was particularly interesting because if this machine is produced, it could help the environment which is crucial to all that consider this planet home.
- I think that it was amazing that the carbon dioxide that is captured could be sold or used in other ways that help the environment.
- I was particularly amazed to know that technology is advanced enough to bind carbon dioxide in large quantities and be able to turn it into a liquid.
- Until I read this article, I was completely unaware of the fact that CO2 could be used in ways that will help the environment, like being the basis of synthetic gasoline.
- I was astounded that the machine was going to only be the size of a 40-foot shipping container. I expected the machine to be the size of a gym or something to that extent.
Questions - How will this machine cost to maintain on a whole(after profits are accounted for)?
- How long will it take for the price of the capturing to decrease and what assurance do we have that the price will decrease?
- Where will we be able to fit 10 million machines if we want to the projected reduction of 5 parts per million?
Sources- Article: Lackner, Klaus S. "Washing Carbon Out of the Air." Scientific American June
2010: 66-71. Web. 23 Sept. 2010. <http://puffin.harker.org:2092/ehost/
detail?vid=5&hid=106&sid=31118bc8-85d9-43d4-8965-570f1a3d48e6%40sessionmgr113&bda
ta=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=sch&AN=50524949>.
- Picture of smoking factory: http://www.plus961.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/zouk-electricity-factory-pollution.jpg
- Picture of Dry Ice: http://ny-icecream.com/images/p-dryice_yto9.jpg
