CO2 Injection into Mafic Rock for Shallow Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional carbon capture and storage (CCS) methods for hydrogen production from hydrocarbons are economically impractical due to high energy consumption and costs associated with CO2 purification, compression, and deep well injection, which negate the environmental benefits of hydrogen as a clean fuel.
Innovation Solution
The method involves co-producing hydrogen and CO2 from hydrocarbons and injecting CO2 into reactive mafic or ultramafic rocks, where it is permanently immobilized as precipitated carbonate minerals, reducing energy consumption and eliminating the need for deep well injection and long-term monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional CCS methods are used for CO2 storage, then CO2 can be stored in deep reservoirs, but energy consumption and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the storage parameter from deep reservoir storage requiring compression to shallow well injection where CO2 is dissolved in water. This parameter change eliminates the need for high-pressure compression while maintaining storage reliability through chemical dissolution and precipitation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Water serves as an intermediary medium to transport and store CO2. Instead of directly injecting compressed CO2 gas into deep reservoirs, the patent uses water as a carrier to dissolve CO2 and inject the solution into shallow wells, where CO2 precipitates as carbonate minerals. This intermediary approach reduces energy consumption while maintaining storage effectiveness.
2Quantity of substance
If CO2 is compressed to supercritical state for transportation and injection, then storage capacity increases, but compression costs and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Water acts as an intermediary that enables CO2 storage without compression. By dissolving CO2 in water and injecting the solution, the system achieves high storage capacity through the large volume of water that can be injected, eliminating the need for energy-intensive compression to supercritical state.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses hydraulic principles by injecting water-based CO2 solutions into wells rather than using pneumatic compression. The water flow carries dissolved CO2 to the injection site where it precipitates, utilizing fluid dynamics instead of mechanical compression to achieve storage capacity.
3Reliability
If deep well injection is used for CO2 storage, then storage depth requirements are met, but injection and disposal well costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the injection depth parameter from deep reservoirs (greater than 850 meters) to shallow wells. This parameter change reduces the cost of drilling and maintaining injection wells while maintaining CO2 confinement reliability through the water dissolution and precipitation mechanism that works effectively at shallower depths.
4Reliability
If sophisticated monitoring programs are implemented for CO2 storage, then long-term storage safety is ensured, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The CO2 storage system is self-monitoring through the natural chemical processes of dissolution and precipitation. The water-based system automatically indicates CO2 storage status through changes in water chemistry, eliminating the need for sophisticated external monitoring programs while maintaining safety and reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly lowers the cost of carbon capture and storage, allows for shallow injection zones, and eliminates the need for sophisticated monitoring programs, while maintaining the environmental benefits of hydrogen production with minimal greenhouse gas emissions.
Implementation Method 1
injecting CO2 into reactive mafic or ultramafic rocks, where it is permanently immobilized as precipitated carbonate minerals
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including producing a waste gas stream comprising form greater than 0 vol % to less than 20 vol %, inclusive, carbon dioxide, pre-concentrating the waste gas stream to increase a concentration of carbon dioxide, producing a concentrated byproduct stream comprising more than 40 vol %, dissolving carbon dioxide contained in the concentrated byproduct stream in water, producing a dissolved byproduct stream and an undissolved byproduct stream, injecting the dissolved byproduct stream or a portion thereof into a reservoir containing mafic rock, and allowing components of the dissolved byproduct stream to react in situ with components of the mafic rock to precipitate and store components of the byproduct stream in the reservoir.