ETF 2030 Technology Perspectives

OCETA Page 1 August 24, 1998

Capture of non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases
Description of the Technology:
Non-CO2 greenhouse gases are generated anthropogenically in smaller quantities than
CO2, and from diverse sources. Because these sources are often dispersed, the
technologies applicable to capture from power generation will not necessarily be feasible.
Membrane processes are both current and future methodology proposed for these
separations. The coming generations of gas separation membranes are expected to have
heightened selectivity to improve the quality of separations, and improved permeability
to increase production levels. Polymer materials and membrane casting processes are
part of the system under development for the membrane separation technologies.
Adsorption and cryogenic separation are other current and future technologies applicable
to capture of other GHG.
Methane avoidance technologies, for example, include
methane leak detection and correction in the natural gas industry. Remote
sensing technology for pipeline leaks is planned for use.
methane from anaerobic digestion relating to farming waste, particularly
manure, is produced on a large scale throughout the country. New
technologies are being explored. Manure composting, a technology not
presently in use, avoids methane production.
Emission of SF6 can be avoided with capture and recycle systems, and with better
maintenance and improved manufacturing processing, but usually these activities are
new, or are being planned for the future . In the electrical industry, SF6 will be replaced,
in part, by air or vacuum system circuit breakers, and in the magnesium production
industry, SF6 will be replaced. Research is ongoing, by Norsk Hydro, on use of an SO2
cover gas system, as a replacement for SF6 in its magnesium facility in Becancour, Que.
Emissions reduction (PFCs and HFCs) for the semiconductor industry is part of a
voluntary agreement between the industry and the US- EPA. Capture and recycle
systems can be used but are expensive and space consuming. Researchers are looking for
alternative compounds for the dielectric etch and clean processes.
Sources of Information:
1. Membrane-based Separation of Gases, National Research Council Institute for
Chemical Processes and Environmental Technology (NRC-ICPET). [WWW
document]. URL: http:// icpet.nrc.ca/projects
2. Global Semiconductor Industry Conference on Perfluorocompounds Emissions
Control, Proceedings. Monterey, CA April 7-8, 1998
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3. Product information on Carbo-X Process; Gas Separation Technology LLC,
Golden Colo. mseerv@gassep.com
4. Powering GHG Reductions Through Technology Advancement; Environment
Canada, 1998; Report prepared by Cheminfo, responding to RFP K2610-7-0052
Experts:
1. W.F.J. Evans, Dept of Environmental Resource Studies, Trent University, P.O. Box
4800 Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8 Phone 705-748-1622
2. Michael Guiver, National Research Council ICPET (Institute for Chemical Process
and Evnironmental Technology, Ottawa, ON michael.guiver@nrc.ca [ expertise
gas membranes]
3. Gervase MacKay, Unisearch Associates Inc., 96 Bradwick Drive; Concord, ON L4K
1K8 Phone 905-669-3547 [ expertise remote sensing]
4. James R. Morris, University of Guelph, Ridgetown College, Ridgetown, ON. Phone
519-674-5456 jmorris@ridgetownc.uoguelph.ca [expertise composting, fertilizer]
5. Bruce Woodcock, Aventech Research Inc., 2700 Steeles Ave. West, Suite 202,
Concord, ON L4K 3C8; Phone 905-669-8018 [expertise airborne meteorological
sensing and forest fire management]
5. David Sovie, Eastman Kodak Company, 100 Ridgeway Ave., Rochester, NY 14652-
6259, USA. Phone: 716-722-9124, and Scott Bartos, US Environmental Protection
Agency, 401 M Street SW, 6202J Washington, DC USA, Phone 202-565-2134;
email bartos.scott@epamail. epa.gov [expertise semiconductor industry PFC
emissions]
Rationale:
CFC substitutes (HFCs), SF6, nitrous oxide and methane account for 11.5%, .?? %,
4.5%, and 20.5% of contributions, respectively, as a result of their global warming
potentials of 300- 5000X, 23,900X, 150X, 21X relative to carbon dioxide. Technologies
relating to their mitigation are therefore important. Global warming potentials combine
radiative forcing and lifetime of the ghg substance. GAP
It has been forecast that the contributions from methane (particularly from the natural gas
industry \) will peak in about 20 years and then decline, assuming that concern about
climate change leads to large scale adoption of CO2 mitigation. However, another
forecast takes into account the measured increases in atmospheric methane from all
sources and estimates that in the last half of the 21
st
century, methane will surpass CO2 as
the major greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Development of methane avoidance
technologies is, therefore, important.
Current Status, and Expected Time and Probability for Market Entry:
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Natural gas typically contains methane and carbon dioxide. Separation techniques are
well established in the oil and gas industry. Amine scrubbing is frequently employed.
An equivalent industrial application for separation of methane is applicable,
providing the methane is compressed.
Where a low pressure separation process is required, such as separation of CO2 from
methane in landfill gas, new technologies are developing to meet the emerging
market for capture of landfill gas. The Carbo-X Process is one such process, which
employs a patented process derived from pressure swing adsorption (PSA), for the
purpose of removing CO2, air or N2 from low quality methane. This technology has
not yet been demonstrated, and probably will take a decade to become fully
commercial. Another decade or more will be required for technologies for
separations (capture) of low quality methane to come into widespread use.
Separations of GHG at the source of the emission, using membrane technology
require only a linear extension of existing technology, but high performance, cost
and applicability to large flows are issues to be resolved by continuing development
over the next few decades.
For the semi-conductor industry strategies have been enunciated which will improve
energy efficiency by >50%. Few of these technologies will be implemented until new
plants are built. Space is typically not available in existing plants for exhaust capture
and recycle, or for incineration. Future tools and processes, including alternative
chemistries (some very short lifetimes and virtually zero ghg potential), will begin to
be in use in about 10 years.
Remote sensing technology for pipeline methane leaking is at an early stage; some
demonstration work has been done. Low cost tunable diode lasers operating in the
Near Infrared wavelength range have been proposed as key components; stable
tunable diode lasers have a high probability to be available within ten years;
widespread application of tunable diode lasers will take another ten years.
The SF6 replacement technology in magnesium production will have a first full scale
use in the first decade of the 21
st
century, but would not come into common use until
later.
Manure composting will be demonstrated at full scale for one or more types of
livestock production, e.g. hogs, turkeys, within two years. It is not likely to come into
widespread use on farms until the next generation of farmers.
Nitrous oxide emissions from use of nitrate based chemical fertilizers can be reduced
by use of organic fertilizers. Such fertilizers originate from the widespread use of
composting for waste biomass. Use of organic compost-originated fertilizers will be
common by 2030.
Nitrous oxide emissions from burning tropical forests can be reduced by forest fire
management using airplanes equipped with global positioning equipment together
with microclimate sensing for wind/ temperature, and intelligent software based on
human decision making and knowledge bases.
Engineered technology for commercial refrigerant and air conditioning systems
requires 30% less refrigerant, uses CFCs or HCFCs, and offers 20- 30% reduction in
energy, and is available for retrofit. As capital stock is replaced over the next twenty
years, virtually all refrigeration will have the same or better characteristics.
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Canadian Linkages:
Remote sensing instrumentation is offered commercially by Unisearch Inc., Concord,
ON. Several instruments use lasers and/or diode lasers. The stable tunable diode laser
does not exist, except for an unacceptably low tuning range, but may develop out of the
SXC laser technology currently under development by Dr. Daniel Cassidy at McMaster
University. Unisearch has strong connections with York University, University of
Toronto, CRESTech and other institutions. Boreal Laser Inc, Calgary, has used an
airborne remote sensing system using a non-tunable diode laser. Systems for this type of
remote sensing will take some time to be fully demonstrated, and will not be
commercially common until well into the 21
st
century.
National Research Council, ICPET, has well-established expertise in membrane gas and
liquid separations.
Universal Separations Inc., Lacombe, AB , utilizing the experience of their principal in
the business and technology of underbalanced drilling, is soon to build a first version of a
product offering a methane separation from industrial process gas; based on a membrane
technology. If their business concept proves to be commercially successful, this type of
separation will be in normal use before 2030.
Norsk Hydro, which plans a magnesium plant in Becancour, QC, is performing research
in Norway on an SO2 cover gas system, planned to replace SF6. The projected time is
ten years, for the first system.
Hog manure composting on a large scale has been demonstrated for the first time at
Ridgetown College, University of Guelph, in conjunction with Global Earth Products Inc.
of Utopia, ON. The next steps involve on-farm demonstrations where several different
manure management and carbon feedstock systems are to be tried. The economic
viability of this technology will be assisted by the production of a saleable product,
organic fertilizer. It is proposed that the material be pelletized for off-site application.
The mobile pelletizer has not been designed and built nor has the pelletizer been scaled
up for this application, to date. Application of this organic compost-originated fertilizer
on a large scale has the potential to displace a significant usage of nitrate based chemical
fertilizer, and thus reduce nitrous oxide emissions.
Aventech Research Inc., Concord, ON has introduced its miniature airborne
meteorological data systems. A prototype has been demonstrated to several stakeholders
in the forestry management industry and government departments; the principals have
derived their technologies, in part, from expertise developed while they were at the
University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies. The application in wildland fire
operations is that local scale upper-air meteorology affects smoke dispersion and the risk
of sudden changes in fire behavior. Monitoring of the governing conditions, on the
requisite time and space scales, enable fire management. The risks associated with fire
suppression, and also with prescribed burns, would be reduced; and the attendant
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emissions of nitrous oxide (and carbon dioxide) would be minimized. Several
technologies need to be merged to make this system operate in an optimum way for forest
fire management; full commercial implementation would be in the next century.
National and international acceptance of this technology for minimizing ghg emissions
would require a further period.
Thermco International is the leading company in Canada offering commercial
refrigeration and air conditioning systems containing less refrigerant. They could
continue to be at the forefront of new developments in this field.
Additional Information: Gas Hydrates
Methane trapped as gas hydrates in marine sediments and in the deep ocean represents an
immense potential energy source. The amount of gas in hydrate reservoirs greatly
exceeds the volume of known conventional reserves. Technology development will
undoubtedly be part of the scenario when society draws on this energy resource.
With global warming, there is potential for release of the land-based gas hydrates trapped
in permafrost. These gas hydrates in Arctic environments are only a small percentage of
all gas hydrates. There is insufficient information to judge what processes affect the
stability of hydrates, such that methane would be released to the atmosphere. The
consensus of scientific opinion, however, is that marine gas hydrates are extremely
stable.
Future scenario:
Separation of ghg at the (fixed) source of emission will be commonplace in 2030, and
the technologies applied to CO2 will be adapted.
Use of ghg avoidance technology will be common. By 2010, agricultural composting
practise will avoid methane production. Pipeline leak detection for methane will use
remote sensing technology, by 2010. SF6 avoidance in the magnesium industry will
be in place within the first two decades of the 21
st
century.
In the airline industry, nitrous oxide reduction through use of better fuels (i.e.
containing hydrogen) could readily be shown to be technically feasible by 2020 but
will not be adopted until after 2030.
Refrigerant technology will be able to use refrigerant gases with reduced warming
potential, by 2010.
Gas hydrates will be accessed as an energy source after 2030. The period prior to the
related technology development will be used for establishing basis information about
their properties.