Microbubble CO2 Injection for High-Loading Geological Sequestration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for CO2 sequestration in geological formations are inefficient and require large volumes of water, leading to high costs and limited CO2 saturation in carrier water, necessitating a more effective and economical method for dissolving and sequestering CO2.
Innovation Solution
The use of microbubble and nanobubble generators to increase CO2 mass loading in aqueous streams, which are injected into geological formations, enhancing solubility and sequestration efficiency by forming stable secondary compounds with reactive minerals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional CO2 capture in water (scrubbing) is used, then CO2 can be dissolved in water for injection, but the dissolution efficiency is low and large volumes of water are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments CO2 gas into microbubbles (1-1000 micrometers) and nanobubbles (1-200 nanometers) to dramatically increase the gas-liquid interfacial area. This segmentation allows much higher CO2 mass loading into the aqueous stream without requiring proportionally larger water volumes, directly resolving the contradiction between dissolution efficiency and water volume requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and size parameters of CO2 bubbles from conventional large bubbles to microbubbles and nanobubbles. This parameter change in bubble size distribution increases the specific surface area available for dissolution, enabling high CO2 saturation with reduced carrier water volume
2Quantity of substance
If large volumes of water are used to carry adequate volumes of dissolved gas, then CO2 sequestration capacity is sufficient, but the cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting CO2 into microbubbles and nanobubbles, the patent achieves high CO2 mass loading per unit volume of water. This segmentation enables sufficient CO2 sequestration capacity to be attained with much smaller water volumes, thereby reducing the large portion of operational costs associated with water handling, injection, and infrastructure
3Quantity of substance
If conventional bubble injection is used, then gas can be delivered into geological formations, but the mass loading of CO2 into aqueous stream is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses segmentation of CO2 into microbubbles and nanobubbles to dramatically increase the gas-liquid interfacial area, enabling high CO2 mass loading into the aqueous stream. This resolves the contradiction by allowing sufficient CO2 quantity to be dissolved in practical water volumes while maintaining high sequestration efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional single-phase or large-bubble injection to a multi-scale bubble distribution (microbubbles and nanobubbles) in the aqueous stream. This dimensional change in bubble size distribution enables much higher CO2 mass loading while improving dissolution kinetics and sequestration efficiency
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 increases CO2 saturation in water without excessive water usage, optimizing energy efficiency and reducing operational risks, while forming stable compounds for permanent sequestration.
Implementation Method 1
microbubble and nanobubble generators positioned within a sequestration system to generate gaseous microbubbles/nanobubbles, increasing the mass loading of CO2 into an aqueous stream saturated with CO2
Implementation Method 2
the dissolved waste gases will be either trapped and sequestered in the pore spaces of the rock in a process known as solubility trapping
Implementation Method 3
should the geological formation comprise in part or entirely of reactive mineral or amorphous phases (i.e. volcanic glass), to react with those phases and to form stable secondary compounds in a process known as mineralization
Data Source
AI summary
A system for waste gas sequestration in a geological formation comprises a wellbore within the geological formation, a microbubble/nanobubble generator configured to inject gaseous microbubbles of the waste gas, gaseous nanobubbles of waste gas, or both into an aqueous stream, and an injection well casing disposed within the wellbore and in fluid communication with the microbubble/nanobubble generator, wherein the injection well casing defines an open-ended passage for delivering the aqueous stream comprising the injected microbubbles and/or nanobubbles of the waste gas into the geological rock formation.