How to implement carbon sequestration with BiCRS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS by disposing carbon-containing material, such as biological material, below the earth's surface. According to the present invention, the method includes inserting one or more injection tubes having a longitudinal direction into the ground in the longitudinal direction thereof, and injecting the carbon-containing material into the ground through the one or more injection tubes. Preferably, the one or more injection tubes are inserted into the ground for injection at a depth below the surface of greater than 0.8 m.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for performing carbon sequestration by BiCRS (Biomass with Carbon Removal and Storage), in particular by placing carbon-containing material such as biological material (biomass) below the earth's surface.

[0002] In carbon sequestration through BiCRS, carbon-containing materials are separated from the carbon cycle in a way that reduces the amount of carbon in that cycle. BiCRS could be a (partial) solution to the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which has several negative effects, the most well-known example being the adverse effects of climate change due to the greenhouse effect. It is widely known that plants absorb carbon dioxide and fix the carbon into other molecules through the process of photosynthesis. Typically, the plants that make up biomass decay within a relatively short period of time, thereby returning the carbon to the carbon cycle. By separating plant material (or biomass in general), carbon can be prevented from returning to the cycle, thereby achieving carbon sequestration through BiCRS. This strategy can be monetized by selling carbon rights corresponding to the amount of carbon sequestered.

[0003] Of course, carbon sequestration by BiCRS can be carried out using any carbon-containing material of non-fossil origin, particularly biological material, i.e., biomass, preferably obtained from plants.

[0004] One way to separate materials from the carbon cycle is to store them underground. However, underground storage is energy intensive, time intensive, requires significant capital investment, and may be impractical and / or uneconomical in some cases. The present invention aims to at least partially alleviate these drawbacks.

[0005] This object is achieved by the method as defined above, characterized by the steps of inserting one or more injection tubes having a longitudinal direction into the ground in the longitudinal direction thereof, and injecting carbon-containing material into the ground through the one or more injection tubes.

[0006] Injecting material into the ground can be a relatively cost-effective method because it does not require moving large amounts of earth. It is therefore relatively energy efficient, resulting in relatively low costs for, for example, fuel. Also, with injection, no excavation needs to be performed, which limits the amount of heavy machinery required.

[0007] The method may further include removing one or more of the injection tubes in an anti-longitudinal direction.

[0008] By moving the tube longitudinally, a relatively small amount of ground needs to be broken up, and in particular, the damage to the ground surface is relatively small.

[0009] To ensure that the carbonaceous material is separated from the carbon cycle, the carbonaceous material may be placed at an appropriate depth. To this end, one or more injection pipes may be inserted into the ground for injection at a depth below the surface of greater than 0.8 m, preferably greater than 1.0 m, and most preferably greater than 1.2 m.

[0010] The material may spread over a depth region around the inserted depth of the tube. However, the method may include inserting the injection tube such that the carbon-containing material remains below a depth of 0.8 m, 1.0 m, or 1.2 m.

[0011] The method can be carried out relatively efficiently if the depth is at most 1.5 m, preferably at most 1.3 m.

[0012] In particular, one or more injection pipes are inserted for injection below the local groundwater level, so the injected material is less susceptible to decay and therefore remains out of the carbon cycle for longer, even permanently.

[0013] Return to the carbon cycle can also be at least partially avoided if one or more injection tubes are inserted for injection below the local root penetration depth, so that the roots cannot reach the injected material and therefore cannot absorb (part of) it.

[0014] This is particularly preferred if the method includes the step of forcing the carbon-containing material into the injection tube, and the carbon-containing material is solid at least at the start of the forcing action.

[0015] It should be noted that while methods exist for injecting liquid materials into the ground, to the applicant's knowledge, no methods have been used to inject solid materials. Nevertheless, pumps exist that can move bulk materials, such as granular carbon-containing materials, down injection tubes. Such pumps are used, for example, in delivering concrete to building sites. Thus, the present invention stems, in part, from the recognition that pumps typically used in concrete construction projects can be used to move solid granular carbon-containing materials for carbon sequestration by BiRCS. Those skilled in the art can easily select solid material-moving pumps, for example, from the concrete pumping industry. A particularly suitable type of pump is a piston pump. A piston pump can accept granular solid material and at least partially liquefy it by compressing it during the pumping stroke of the piston. Two pistons can be provided to operate alternately. In particular, a piston is provided for each of one or more injection tubes.

[0016] As an example of a suitable pump, reference is made to the KIP42 or KIP98 sold by Klein GmbH of Jettingen-Scheppach, Germany.

[0017] Depending on the resistance encountered during injection, the carbon-containing material may be compressed and, as a result, at least partially liquefied, which may be advantageous because the liquefied portion of the material may be relatively easily distributed in the subsurface formation.

[0018] Furthermore, at least partial liquefaction can eliminate the need for a processor upstream of the injection line that uses additional energy. Thus, pumping the material while it is still solid (at least at the beginning of the pumping) is also relatively energy efficient.

[0019] To facilitate inserting the injection pipes into the ground, the method may include the step of drilling holes in the ground for each of the one or more injection pipes prior to inserting the one or more injection pipes into the ground, preferably by drilling holes. The holes may be of a size corresponding to the size of the pipes, but may also be smaller or larger.

[0020] After the injection tube(s) are removed, one or more holes may remain, which may be closed to facilitate surface recovery and prevent carbon from returning to the cycle. In particular, the method may include, for this purpose, sealing or covering the hole(s) left when the injection tube(s) are removed.

[0021] In one embodiment of the method, the method includes placing carbon-containing material underground in a field used to grow plants to be harvested for carbon sequestration by BiRCS and / or growing plants in a field used to carry out the method, optionally later harvesting the plants for carbon sequestration.

[0022] Thus, the same surface area is used to grow plants and store carbonaceous material below the surface. Surface area is used particularly efficiently when grown plants are used as carbonaceous material for later, preferably in-situ, sequestration. Furthermore, this reduces the amount of material transportation required.

[0023] To facilitate monetization, the method may further include tracking indicators of the amount of carbon contained in the carbon-containing material disposed underground, such as the mass, volume, or carbon content of the carbon-containing material.

[0024] This indicator can be used to determine how much carbon is removed from circulation, which can be used to provide a net negative carbon effect, which can be used, for example, to compensate for attempts to pollute in other ways. In particular, this indicator can be used to generate carbon certificates.

[0025] Useful indicators are, for example, the mass of material inserted into the ground and the carbon content of the material.

[0026] To facilitate traceability of the sequestered carbon, the method may include tracking the geographic location of the deposited carbon-containing material. Tracking the location may enable the generation of carbon certificates. Additionally, keeping a log of subsurface carbon storage locations, preferably along with insertion depths, may facilitate analyzing the effectiveness of the sequestration method.

[0027] The invention will be further elucidated with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic diagram of the steps of how carbon sequestration by BiRCS can be performed. [Figure 2] 10A-10C show schematic diagrams of different steps in a method for performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS. [Figure 3] 10 illustrates schematically further steps in a method for performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS. [Figure 4] 10 illustrates schematically yet further steps in a method for performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] Like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout the drawings, and in all cases repeated elements are not given their own reference numbers.

[0030] The drawing shows a ground surface 1 with a plant 4 growing on it. Although shown as a plant 4 having leaves, the plant 4 may be any suitable plant including, for example, a grass species. The roots of the plant 4 penetrate into the ground to a root penetration depth 2. Additionally, a groundwater level 3 is shown.

[0031] The placement of the carbonaceous material 6 can be carried out using a piston pump 7. The carbonaceous material 6 is, for example, finely chopped plant material 4 obtained from harvesting plants from the ground surface 1. The material 6 is inserted into the cylinder 11 of the pump 7 via a hopper 12. The piston pump 7 is operated hydraulically, in this case via hydraulic supply lines 8, 9. By filling the pump 7 with hydraulic oil, a piston 10 moves in the cylinder 11.

[0032] Before moving the piston 10, the hopper 12 is closed (see FIG. 2) to seal the space in the cylinder 11 containing the material 6. Next (FIG. 3), the piston 10 is forced into the cylinder 11 from one of the supply lines (not shown in FIGS. 2-4) using hydraulic oil, thereby forcing the material through the flexible hose 13 and into the injection tube 5. Before injection, the tube is lowered into the ground 1 (see FIG. 2 compared to FIG. 1). Thus, the material 6 emerges underground and is injected below the surface. In this case, the granular material 6 is fed to the pump 7, and some of the material remains solid 15 when injected into the ground. However, due to the high pressure in the pump 7, some of the material liquefies, e.g., already in the pump 7, see liquid 14. The liquid 14 is also injected underground as injected liquid 16 (see FIG. 4). After injection, the injection tube 5 is removed from the ground, leaving a hole 17. The hole 17 can then be covered or sealed.

[0033] According to the method described herein, the injection pipe is inserted a distance d1 below the ground surface 1, for example, greater than 1.0 m. When inserted deep enough, the injected material 15, 16 remains below the water level 3 and the root penetration depth 2, for example, at a depth d2 of at least 1.0 m.

[0034] While the present invention has been described above with reference to particular embodiments and examples, the invention is not limited thereto. Indeed, the present invention is also described by the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A method of performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS by placing carbon-containing material, such as biological material, below the earth's surface, comprising: inserting one or more injection tubes having a longitudinal direction into the ground in said longitudinal direction; injecting the carbon-containing material into the ground through the one or more injection pipes; A method for performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS, characterized by:

2. 2. The method of performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more injection pipes are inserted into the ground for injection at a depth below the surface of greater than 0.8 m, preferably greater than 1.0 m, and most preferably greater than 1.2 m.

3. 3. The method for performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS according to claim 2, wherein the depth is at most 1.5 m, preferably at most 1.3 m.

4. The method for performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the one or more injection pipes are inserted for injection below the local groundwater level.

5. 5. The method of performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the one or more injection tubes are inserted for injection below the local root penetration depth.

6. 6. The method of performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS of any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising forcing the carbon-containing material into the injection tube, the carbon-containing material being solid at least at the start of the forcing action.

7. 7. A method for performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising the step of drilling a hole in the ground for each of said one or more injection pipes before inserting said one or more injection pipes into the ground, preferably by drilling a hole.

8. 8. The method of performing carbon sequestration with BiRCS of any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising the step of sealing or covering one or more holes left when the one or more injection tubes are removed.

9. placing the carbon-containing material underground in a field used to grow plants that will be harvested for carbon sequestration; and / or 9. A method for performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising growing plants in a field used to perform said method, and optionally later harvesting said plants for carbon sequestration.

10. 10. The method of performing carbon sequestration by BiRCS of any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising the step of tracking indicators of the amount of carbon contained in the carbon-containing material placed underground, such as the mass, volume, or carbon content of the carbon-containing material.

11. The method of performing carbon sequestration with BiRCS of claim 10 , further comprising tracking the geographic location of the deposited carbon-containing material.

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