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a Term Paper on How to Reduce Our Carbon Footprints on Earth.
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Carbon Footprint Reduction
1.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 1 | P a g e THE ROLE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS IN REDUCING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT BY PASCAL CHISOM OKECHUKWU REG. NO: 2011214087 SEMESTER PAPER SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR ChE 591; ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ENGINEERING AND CONTROL TO DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA, NIGERIA LECTURER-IN-CHARGE: PROF. P K IGBOKWE JANUARY, 2016
2.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 2 | P a g e ABSTRACT This work presents the issue of the Carbon Footprint and the causes; dangers of Climate Change beside it. It went further to explain how complex the carbon footprint is, in terms of calculating it both individually and on a larger scale. More importantly, it focused on the efforts greatly contributed by Chemical Engineers in curbing the Global Warming phenomenon and reducing the carbon footprint, through technologies like the carbon offsetting alternatives, catalytic converters, coal gasification, and CCS.
3.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 3 | P a g e 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Environment consists of all the external factors (living or non-living) affecting an organism. And every minute change in any one factor in an ecosystem can influence whether or not a particular plant or animal species will be successful in its environment. 1.1 Global Warming and Our Future. Within the last century, the amount of carbon di oxide in the atmosphere has increased dramatically, largely because people burn vast amounts of fossil fuels- coal and petroleum and its derivatives. Average global temperature also has increased- by about 0.6 Celsius degree (1 Fahrenheit degree) within the past century. Atmospheric scientists have found that at least half of that temperature increase can be attributed to human activity. They predict that unless dramatic action is taken, global temperature will continue to rise by 1.4 to 5.8 Celsius degrees (2.5 to 10.4 Fahrenheit degrees) over the next century. Shrinking Greenland Ice Sheet
4.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 4 | P a g e The consequences of such a modest increase in temperature may be devastating. Already scientists have detected a 40 percent reduction in the average thickness of Arctic ice. Other problems that may develop include a rise in sea levels that will completely inundate a number of low-lying island nations and flood many coastal cities, such as New York and Miami. Many plant and animal species will probably be driven into extinction, agriculture will be severely disrupted in many regions, and the frequency of severe hurricanes and droughts will likely increase. Following these findings and future predictions, there arose the need to drastically reduce our carbon footprint. 1.2 The CARBON Menace It is very much possible that Carbon related compounds (including the Oxides and Methane) accounts for approximately 50 percent alone of the contributions to global warming. The predominant form of carbon in the air is Carbon dioxide (CO₂). It is usually considered nontoxic and innocuous, but increasing atmospheric levels (about 0.5 percent per year) due to human activities appear to be causing a global climate warning that may have disastrous effects on both human and natural communities. Anthropogenic (human-caused) CO₂ releases are difficult to quantify because they spread across global scales. The best current estimate from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is that between 7 and 8 billion tons of carbon (in the form of CO₂) are released each year by fossil fuel combustion and that another 1 to 2 billion tons are released by forest and grass fires, cement manufacturing, and other human activities. Typically, terrestrial
5.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 5 | P a g e ecosystems take up about 3 billion tons. This leaves an average of at least 3 billion tons to accumulate in the atmosphere. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, non-irritating but highly toxic gas produced by incomplete combustion of fuel (coal, oil, charcoal, or gas), incineration of biomass or solid waste, or partially anaerobic decomposition of material. CO inhibits respiration in animals by binding irreversibly to haemoglobin. About 1 billion metric tons of CO are released to the atmosphere each year, half of that from human activities. In the United States, two-thirds of the CO emissions are created by internal combustion engines in transportation. Land-clearing fires and cooking fires also are major sources. About 90 percent of the CO in the air is consumed in photochemical reactions that produce Ozone.
6.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 6 | P a g e 2.0 The CARBON FOOTPRINT According to timeforchange, a carbon footprint is defined as the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂). Calculating or checking for one’s carbon footprint is usually a cumbersome task. Say: when you drive a car, the engine burns fuel which creates a certain amount of CO₂, depending on its fuel consumption and the driving distance. When you heat your house with oil, gas or coal, then you also generate CO₂. Even if you heat your house with electricity, the generation of the electrical power may also have emitted a certain amount of CO₂. When you buy food and goods, the production of the food and goods also emitted some quantities of CO₂. So it becomes quite inescapable for every individual on Earth, when it comes to contributing to Global Warming. Your carbon footprint is the sum of all emissions of CO₂, which were induced by your activities in a given time frame. Usually it is calculated for the time period of a year. And the best way is to calculate the carbon dioxide based on the fuel consumption. The carbon footprint is a very powerful tool to understand the impact of personal behaviour on global warming. Most people are shocked when they see the amount of CO2 their activities create! If you personally want to contribute to stop global warming, the calculation and constant monitoring of your personal carbon footprint is essential. The table below shows the CO₂ emission for the most common fuels in the USA and UK.
7.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 7 | P a g e Fuel Type Unit CO₂ Emitted Per Unit Petrol 1 gallon (UK) 10.4 kg Petrol 1 litre 2.3 kg Gasoline 1 gallon (USA) 8.7 kg Gasoline 1 litre 2.3 kg Diesel 1 gallon (UK) 12.2 kg Diesel 1 gallon (USA) 9.95 kg Diesel 1 litre 2.7 kg Oil (heating) 1 gallon (UK) 13.6 kg Oil (heating) 1 gallon (USA) 11.26 kg Oil (heating) 1 litre 3 kg Table. Showing the CO₂ emission for common fuels in the USA and UK For example, if your car consumes 7.5 litres diesel per 100 km, then a drive of 300 km distance consumes 3 x 7.5 = 22.5 litres diesel, which adds 22.5 x 2.7 kg = 60.75 kg CO₂ to your personal carbon footprint. Now, each of the following activities add 1 kg of CO₂ to your personal carbon footprint: Travel by public transportation (train or bus) a distance of 10 to 12 km (6.5 to 7 miles) Drive with your car a distance of 6 km or 3.75 miles (assuming 7.3 litres petrol per 100 km or 39 mpg) Fly with a plane a distance of 2.2 km or 1.375 miles. Operate your computer for 32 hours (60 Watt consumption assumed) Production of 5 plastic bags Production of 2 plastic bottles To calculate the above contributions to the carbon footprint, the current UK mix for electricity and trains was taken into account.
8.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 8 | P a g e 3.0 The CARBON FOOTPRINT REDUCTION Having known the consequences of releasing much CO₂ into the atmosphere, by our everyday living, it has ever being an utmost concern for all parties involved in the contribution to this ever-increasing carbon footprint; to find all possible means of keeping it at and beyond bay. The most common way to administer the solution is to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Refuse. In manufacturing, this can be done by recycling the packing materials, by selling obsolete inventories of one industry to another looking to buy the unused items at a lesser price. Also, reusable items such as thermoses, should be used for daily coffee or plastic containers for consumables, rather than disposable ones. Disposable items, when used however, should be properly recycled. It is estimated that some 1.2 tons of CO₂ is saved annually, when one household recycles at least half of their household waste. Other means of reducing our carbon footprint involves driving less, walking more or biking, using less air conditioning and heating in the house, etc. These would all ensure burning less fuel and releasing fewer emissions into the atmosphere. On the larger scale, the huge leap in reducing carbon footprints is participated in; and carried out by major industries and organizations. This is where Chemical Engineering comes in to take the lead.
9.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 9 | P a g e 4.0 The Role of CHEMICAL ENGINEERS Chemical engineers play a leading role in the design and implementation of effective technology-based solutions to control CO₂ emissions. Current projects include Advanced combustion systems that reduce the formation of CO2 and other combustion-related Green House Gases; Pollution-control systems engineered to capture CO2 emissions; and Use of cleaner-burning alternative energy sources, such as biomass- derived fuels and solar- and wind-generated power. Known as the Carbon Offsetting Alternatives. Already existing techniques involve the use of Catalytic Converters in automobiles and other fossil fuel-driven engines; and Coal gasification. While other efforts involve the development of mechanisms for sequestering CO2 emissions underground to prevent their accumulation in the atmosphere. Sequestration, not yet practised on a commercial scale, involves the injection of compressed CO2 into stable, subsurface geological reservoirs. This is known as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). For the confinement of this work, these designs and implementations would be treated in little details. 4.1 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS Chemical engineers, working with scientists and other engineers, have helped devise ways to cost effectively reduce the amount of pollution produced by petroleum-derived, fuel-burning engines.
10.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 10 | P a g e A catalytic converter is an emissions control device that converts toxic pollutants in exhaust gas to less toxic pollutants by catalysing a redox reaction (oxidation or reduction). Catalytic converters are used with internal combustion engines fuelled by either petrol (gasoline) or diesel- including lean-burn engines as well as kerosene heaters and stoves. The catalytic converter is considered one of the most important contributions to the field of air-pollution control. It is now a standard feature on vehicles everywhere. It destroys the three main pollutants found in engine exhaust- namely: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and unburnt hydrocarbons. The converter consists of a porous honeycomb ceramic base material coated with a precious metal catalyst. The honeycomb structure provides high catalyst surface area, which minimizes the contact between the catalysts and the pollutants in the exhaust gases. Figure. Basic structure of the catalytic converter for automobile engines.
11.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 11 | P a g e When this novel structure was first invented, it featured two distinct chemical engineering advantages: It maximized the amount of catalyst-coated surface area to which the engine exhaust may be exposed. It minimized the amount of expensive precious-metal catalyst required. To recognize how important catalytic converters are in environmental protection, President George W. Bush awarded the its inventors, the chemical engineer John Mooney and the chemist Carl Zeith, with the 2002 National Medal of Technology, the highest honour given for innovation in the United States. 4.2 COAL GASIFICATION Coal remains the cheapest and most plentiful of all the fossil fuels. However, it is also the most polluting. Chemical engineers have worked to perfect coal gasification, a method to generate electricity and produce fuels from coal with significantly less environmental impact. Now utilities can burn clean synthetic gas made from coal and have considerably fewer emissions than with traditional pulverized coal combustion. Coal gasification electric power plants are now operating commercially in the United States and in other nations, and many experts predict that coal gasification will be at the heart of future generations of clean coal technology plants. Rather than burning coal directly, gasification (a thermo-chemical process) breaks down coal or virtually any carbon-based feedstock- into its basic chemical constituents. In a modern gasifier, coal is typically exposed to steam and carefully controlled amounts of air or oxygen under high temperatures and
12.
© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 12 | P a g e pressures. Under these conditions, molecules in coal break apart, initiating chemical reactions that typically produce a mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and other gaseous compounds. Coal gasification may offer a further environmental advantage in addressing concerns over the atmospheric build-up of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide. If oxygen is used in a coal gasifier instead of air, carbon dioxide is emitted as a concentrated gas stream in syngas at high pressure. In this form, it can be captured and sequestered more easily and at lower costs. By contrast, when coal burns or is reacted in air, 79 percent of which is nitrogen, the resulting carbon dioxide is diluted and more costly to separate. 4.3 CARBON OFFSETTING ALTERNATIVES Asides the Solar and Wind Energy alternatives that are in efficient use in most technologically leading nations of the world, the option of Biomass Energy has become a huge trend. Chemical engineers are helping reduce harmful emissions through the development of technologies used to convert biomass into fuel. Biomass is fuel that is developed from organic materials, a renewable and sustainable source of energy used to create electricity or other forms of power. Bioenergy is the most widely used renewable energy worldwide and can be defined as “energy contained in living or recently living biological organisms”. It can be differentiated into three distinct types. Biofuels. Such as ethanol and biodiesel are fuels made from crop such as corn and oil palms respectively. Biogas. Is produced with waste products such as sewage and dung.
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© Pascal Chisom
Okechukwu 13 | P a g e Solid Biomass. Suh as wood has been used since ancient times for cooking and heating purposes- and more recently to generate electricity. Burning biomass to create clean electricity releases no new carbons back into the atmosphere. Instead, it releases what would be released naturally as the organic matter decomposed. It forms a closed cycle too, because the carbon that is released when biomass is burned is re-absorbed by other plants in their growing cycle. The use of biomass will reduce the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, thus helping mitigate climate change (carbon footprint). Biodiesels and biogas are now being speedily improved and are already replacing fossil fuels in most countries. 4.4 CARBON CAPTURE and STORAGE (CCS) Carbon capture and storage or sequestration prevents large amounts of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. The technology involves capturing CO2 produced by large industrial plants, compressing it for transportation and then injecting it deep into a rock formation at a carefully selected and safe site, where it is permanently stored. Because CCS can achieve significant CO2 emission reductions, it is considered a key option within the portfolio of approaches required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The technology involves three major steps: Capture. The separation of CO2 from other gases produced at large industrial process facilities such as coal and natural gas power plants, steel mills and cement plants. See the Figure below.
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Okechukwu 14 | P a g e Transport. Once separated, the CO2 is compressed and transported, usually via pipelines, to a suitable site for geological storage. Storage. CO2 is injected into deep underground rock formations, often at depths of one kilometre or more. The need for CCS stems from the fact that we need a very significant scale of CO2 mitigation. CCS can contribute around 14% of total energy-related CO2 reductions by 2050, compared to a `do nothing’ approach (2014, IEA, Energy Technology Perspectives). Around 40% of CO2 emissions come from the power sector. Another 25% come from large-scale industrial processes such as iron and steel production, cement making, chemicals and refining. Demand for fossil fuels is likely to remain strong, especially in developing countries, where a significant percentage of the population currently has no access to electricity. CCS is a viable option- in some cases, the only viable option- for significantly reducing emissions from such large-scale emission sources.
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Okechukwu 15 | P a g e 5.0 CONCLUSION Reducing the carbon footprint on planet Earth has proven to be a realistic and already working process. With chemical engineers taking the lead in designing and developing astounding technological projects to not only ensure the end to a net increase of CO2 emissions, but also to capture some of the already emitted CO2 in the atmosphere and convert them into future useful energy once more. The development of biomass energy technology and other carbon offsetting alternatives has further ensured that future generations would have less to worry about on the issue of carbon footprint and global warming. Major companies like Shell are seriously improving on the development of the CCS technology and other projects such as improving the production of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which has a very much lesser impact on the environment compared to other fossil fuels.
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Okechukwu 16 | P a g e REFERENCES Zimmerman, Michael. “Environment”. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008. William P. Cunningham, Mary Ann Cunningham, Barbara Woodworth Saigo. Environmental Science: A Global Concern. 8th Edition. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2005. timeforchange.org/what-is-a-carbon-footprint-definition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/carbon_footprint Chemical Engineers in Action: www.chemicalengineering.org/enviro/ How Stuff Works: auto.howstuffworks.com/catalytic-converter.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/catalytic_converter energy.gov/fe/science-innovation/clean-coal-research/gasification https://energypedia.info/wiki/Portal:Bioenergy www.reenergyholdings.com/renewable-energy/biomass-faqs/ https://www.globalccsinstitute.com/content/what-ccs
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