Sequestering carbon has been the most popular method of dealing with carbon dioxide emissions. But now companies like Green Carbon out of British Columbia, have demonstrated a way to turn CO2 back into it's separate forms, carbon and oxygen. They call it recycling carbon, and it's loads cheaper than burying it, about $70 per metric ton in savings.
Both the economics and the technology are equally interesting. There is an advantage of being able to still have access to the carbon and an ability to control it, which aren't available when burying it. These two factors it's inventor Viva Cundliffe had in mind. Viva Cundliffe is the environmental engineer who has spent five years on this project. How do people think of these ideas? Well, part of his perspective is thinking of carbon as an asset.
The process uses heat and 'special catalysts' to split 'post-combustion CO2.' The carbon comes out looking like 'pulverized coal'. They either re-inject it into a 'chamber, or transport it as a pellet.' Another conversion of CO2 being looked into is it's conversion into formic acid. CARBON RECYCLING
A prototype has been tested in Kamloops in 2006. Then again in 2008, and the third takes place this year. Cundliffe remarks that the results were 'as predicted and a lot better.' This is great news, there looks like much to look forward to from Cundliffe's discovery.
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Recycling Carbon
If you are spliting CO2 then you need to provide the same energy back to the molecules as you received when the bonds were formed in the combustion process. Where does this energy come from? If it is electrical energy and assuming a 30% efficiency of generation then you need more energy to split the CO2 than you got from burning the Carbon in the first place. Catalysts would make no difference to the energy requried as the splitting reaction is overall endothermic.
Sound dubious to me unless it is using waste energy but I don't think that outlet temperatures on most modern turbines are particularly high so can the waste energy actually be used effectively?
Can comeone shed some light on whether it is electically powered or uses waste heat?