Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Leak Detection from Carbon Capture and Storage Sites
Date
2012-12-20
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Abstract
Carbon Capture and Storage is one of the proposed technologies to reduce anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. One of the concerns about the feasibility and safety of this technology
is the possible atmospheric leakage of CO2 from geological storage sites. Leakage may intercept shallow aquifers, surface body waters, and escape to the atmosphere, which can be hazardous to both ecosystems and human health.
A system was developed in this study for sampling plumes of CO2 and determining whether they are likely to be from a CO2 storage site. Since atmospheric CO2 levels naturally fluctuate due to photosynthesis, respiration, biomass and fossil fuel combustion, elevations in CO2 concentration do not necessarily represent a leakage. It is possible to differentiate between different sources of CO2 by looking at the ratio of O2 depletion to CO2 elevation of
a plume relative to the background air (dO2/dCO2). A gas analysis system was used to measure differentials in CO2 and O2 concentrations for different plume samples relative to background air.
The CALPUFF dispersion model was used to estimate the location and maximum concentration levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. Then a CO2 leakage from a storage site was simulated by release of pure CO2 with emission rate of about 100 L/min for seven hours at a
measurement site. The dO2/dCO2 of the plume samples were measured relative to background air collected at the site. Measured absolute values of dO2/dCO2 for plume samples from pure CO2 emissions (0.23 - 0.31) were significantly different from the measured values for plume samples from combustion of different types of carbon based fuels (1.06 - 1.97).
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Keywords
Atmospheric Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Atmospheric Science
Citation
Mostafavi Pak, S. N. (2012). Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Leak Detection from Carbon Capture and Storage Sites (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25059