New Mechanism Converts Natural Gas to Energy Faster, Captures CO2

via NCSU

Chemical engineering researchers have identified a new mechanism to convert natural gas into energy up to 70 times faster, while effectively capturing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2).

“This could make power generation from natural gas both cleaner and more efficient,” says Fanxing Li, co-author of a paper on the research and an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at North Carolina State University.

At issue is a process called chemical looping, in which a solid, oxygen-laden material – called an “oxygen carrier” – is put in contact with natural gas. The oxygen atoms in the oxygen carrier interact with the natural gas, causing combustion that produces energy.

Previous state-of-the-art oxygen carriers were made from a composite of inert ceramic material and metal oxides. But Li’s team has developed a new type of oxygen carrier that include a “mixed ionic-electronic conductor,” which effectively shuttles oxygen atoms into the natural gas very efficiently – making the chemical looping combustion process as much as 70 times faster. This mixed conductor material is held in a nanoscale matrix with an iron oxide – otherwise known as rust. The rust serves as a source of oxygen for the mixed conductor to shuttle out into the natural gas.

In addition to energy, the combustion process produces water vapor and CO2. By condensing out the water vapor, researchers are able to create a stream of concentrated CO2 to be capture for sequestration.

The Latest Bing News on:

Converts Natural Gas to Energy

Cheniere to work with natural gas producers to measure carbon emissions
on June 10, 2021 at 9:06 am
The largest U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter, Cheniere Energy Inc (LNG.A), said on Thursday it would quantify carbon emissions from its suppliers and production sites and supply the ...
Natural Gas Is The Secret To Scaling Geothermal Energy
on June 9, 2021 at 12:00 pm
Natural gas-based geothermal energy generation is still very expensive, but if costs come down, this source of energy could become widely adopted ...
Hydra Energy Secures CAD$15 Million to Convert Existing Heavy-Duty Trucks to Run on Green Hydrogen
on May 27, 2021 at 3:14 am
Excess hydrogen not used by commercial fleets can be sold to natural gas distributors looking to ... Prior to this funding, Hydra Energy received CAD $7 million (USD $5.2 million) in seed funding ...
Malta Teams up With Duke Energy to Study Possibility of Converting Coal Units Into Clean Energy Storage Facilities
on May 26, 2021 at 8:45 am
The system stores electricity either directly from a power plant or from the grid by converting electricity into thermal ... and collectively own 51,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas ...
Banning ALL gas boilers by 2035 is 'simply not going to happen': Experts condemn ministers for 'scaring the public to death' with threat to force homeowners to switch to green ...
on May 25, 2021 at 3:49 am
Peter Thom, managing director of Cambridge energy efficiency specialist ... so they can run on hydrogen gas or natural gas – so can therefore convert without a new heating system being required.
Malta teams up with Duke Energy to study possibility of converting coal units into clean energy storage facilities
on May 19, 2021 at 6:27 am
The system stores electricity either directly from a power plant or from the grid by converting electricity into thermal energy (heat ... used in the liquefied natural gas industry.
Flared natural gas latest prize in bitcoin miners' energy quest
on May 15, 2021 at 8:58 pm
Flaring combusts many of the greenhouse gases in natural gas, but the International Energy Agency said the ... Ecoark intends to convert it into dollars, but Lohstroh plans to hold the bitcoin ...
Switching from coal to liquid or gas energy not feasible study
on May 7, 2021 at 10:52 pm
According to the report, Pakistan’s need to diversify its energy mix and reduce reliance ... the government has been exploring ideas of converting Thar coal into gas and diesel as an alternative ...
SoCalGas Announces Plans to Convert 200 New Field Service Trucks to Run on Renewable Natural Gas
on April 22, 2021 at 3:57 pm
today announced it will convert 200 new Ford F-250 service pickup trucks to run on renewable natural gas (RNG) - a renewable form of energy produced from a variety of waste streams. The service ...

The Latest Google Headlines on:

Converts Natural Gas to Energy

The Latest Bing News on:

CO2 capture

Alberta is gambling its future on carbon capture
on June 11, 2021 at 3:10 am
Alberta's oil and gas industry is committing to net-zero with the hope carbon capture technology pays off. But will it?
TECO 2030 urges the International Maritime Organization to recognise carbon capture as a means to cut shipping emissions
on June 10, 2021 at 11:28 pm
Ahead of an important meeting within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that is starting today, TECO 2030 urges the IMO to recognise the role carbon capture will play in reducing greenhouse ...
Carbon capture technology: What governments should do
on June 10, 2021 at 7:20 pm
Given the high cost of technology and the inability of the private sector to embark on large-scale research and development on CCS, we are all expecting authentic leadership from the governments of ...
San Juan coal plant could run without carbon capture for several more years
on June 10, 2021 at 5:00 pm
When Public Service Company of New Mexico abandons the facility in June 2022, Enchant now says it plans to simply continue running the site as a carbon-emitting coal plant for up to three years ...
Drax, Mitsubishi Plan Carbon-Capture Project at a Former Coal Plant
on June 10, 2021 at 12:31 pm
The so-called negative-emissions project would combine carbon capture and biomass, though the two companies are hoping for stronger government support.
Mitsubishi moves green jobs to London with new carbon capture HQ after Drax deal
on June 10, 2021 at 9:05 am
Carbon capture and storage is seen as a key way for Britain to meet its emissions targets and in today’s deal, Mitsubishi will deploy its technology at Drax’s huge Yorkshire energy plant. The plan ...
Why Carbon Capture Can Help Solve Climate Change
on June 8, 2021 at 12:50 pm
This technology can help meet them. In February, the United States rejoined the Paris Agreement on climate change, promising to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2025 compared to 2005 levels.
Aluminum facilitates CO2 capture on the ocean floor
on June 8, 2021 at 11:16 am
Study sheds light on the unsuspected role of aluminum in the global carbon cycle and the fight against climate changeMONTREAL and QUEBEC, June 8, ...
As A Proven And Flexible Technology, Carbon Capture Can Help Enable Net Zero – If We Support It
on June 8, 2021 at 10:50 am
A variety of solutions are needed to remove carbon emissions worldwide. Carbon capture and storage is essential to the mix.
Nearly half of Dutch 2020 green subsidies go to Rotterdam carbon capture project
on June 8, 2021 at 5:55 am
The Dutch government on Tuesday confirmed that it has awarded 2.1 billion euros ($2.56 billion), nearly half of its 2021 annual budget for sustainable projects, to a project aimed at capturing and ...