CarbFix
Encyclopedia
CarbFix is a project in Iceland intended to lock away carbon dioxide
by reacting it with basalt
ic rocks. Work on the project began in 2007. The CarbFix team involves American and Icelandic designers researchers including Iceland
geologist Sigurdur Reynir Gislason serving as chief scientist, project technical manager Bergur Sigfusson, manager Juerg Matter who works with Columbia's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
and scientific overseer, Wallace S. Broecker (also with Columbia). Reykjavik Energy has supplied almost half the $10 million spent thus far on CarbFix. Other sponsors include U.S. and Icelandic universities. In addition to finding a new method for permanent carbon dioxide storage, another objective of the project is to train scientists for years of work to come.
This is called Enhanced weathering
, Calcium and Magnesium are present in Basalt - but rarely as simple oxides.
Where the equations would be simple
but Silicate
s of these minerals are common in basalt
so an example reaction might be
So CO2 gets locked away with no dangerous byproducts.
is not without cost.
This 10 million dollar project is due to commence carbon injection in October 2011.
The $10 funding was supplied by the University of Iceland
, Columbia University
, France's National Centre of Scientific Research
, the United States Department of Energy
, the EU and Scandinavia
n funds and Reykjavik Energy.
(and reversible
if the rock is later heated)
The nearby Hengill
volcano, seems to be generating a swarm
of low magnitude earthquakes as a result of pumping water without the CO2, with 250 quakes being reported on the 13th of September
There have been earthquakes reported there due to the water pumping previously Proceedings at the 2010 World Geothermal Congress showed that reinjection at Hellisheidi had induced seismic
activity.
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
by reacting it with basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
ic rocks. Work on the project began in 2007. The CarbFix team involves American and Icelandic designers researchers including Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
geologist Sigurdur Reynir Gislason serving as chief scientist, project technical manager Bergur Sigfusson, manager Juerg Matter who works with Columbia's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
The Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory is a research unit of Columbia University located on a campus in Palisades, N.Y., north of Manhattan on the Hudson River.- History :...
and scientific overseer, Wallace S. Broecker (also with Columbia). Reykjavik Energy has supplied almost half the $10 million spent thus far on CarbFix. Other sponsors include U.S. and Icelandic universities. In addition to finding a new method for permanent carbon dioxide storage, another objective of the project is to train scientists for years of work to come.
The Theory
Carbonated water is injected into the rock and hopefully reacts with the Ca and Mg present.This is called Enhanced weathering
Enhanced weathering
Enhanced weathering refers to chemical approach to geoengineering involving land or ocean based techniques. Examples of land based enhanced weathering techniques are in-situ carbonation of silicates. Ultramafic rocks, for example, have the potential to store 500 years worth of production according...
, Calcium and Magnesium are present in Basalt - but rarely as simple oxides.
Where the equations would be simple
- CaO + CO2 → CaCO3
- MgO + CO2 → MgCO3
but Silicate
Silicate
A silicate is a compound containing a silicon bearing anion. The great majority of silicates are oxides, but hexafluorosilicate and other anions are also included. This article focuses mainly on the Si-O anions. Silicates comprise the majority of the earth's crust, as well as the other...
s of these minerals are common in basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
so an example reaction might be
- Mg2SiO4 + 2CO2 → 2MgCO3 + SiO2
So CO2 gets locked away with no dangerous byproducts.
The Practicalities
Drilling and injecting carbonated water at high pressure into basaltic rocks at HellisheidiHellisheiði Power Station
The Hellisheiði Power Station is the second largest geothermal power station in the world, and the largest in Iceland. The facility is located in Hengill, southwest Iceland, from the Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station. As of October 2011, the plant produces of electricity and 133 MW of hot...
is not without cost.
This 10 million dollar project is due to commence carbon injection in October 2011.
The $10 funding was supplied by the University of Iceland
University of Iceland
The University of Iceland is a public research university in Reykjavík, Iceland, and the country's oldest and largest institution of higher education. Founded in 1911, it has grown steadily from a small civil servants' school to a modern comprehensive university, providing instruction for about...
, Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, France's National Centre of Scientific Research
Centre national de la recherche scientifique
The National Center of Scientific Research is the largest governmental research organization in France and the largest fundamental science agency in Europe....
, the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
, the EU and Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n funds and Reykjavik Energy.
Possible Problems
These reactions are exothermicExothermic
In thermodynamics, the term exothermic describes a process or reaction that releases energy from the system, usually in the form of heat, but also in the form of light , electricity , or sound...
(and reversible
Reversible reaction
A reversible reaction is a chemical reaction that results in an equilibrium mixture of reactants and products. For a reaction involving two reactants and two products this can be expressed symbolically as...
if the rock is later heated)
The nearby Hengill
Hengill
The Hengill central volcano is situated in the southwest of Iceland, to the south of Þingvellir. The volcano covers an area of about 100 km²....
volcano, seems to be generating a swarm
Earthquake swarm
Earthquake swarms are events where a local area experiences sequences of many earthquakes striking in a relatively short period of time. The length of time used to define the swarm itself varies, but the United States Geological Survey points out that an event may be on the order of days, weeks, or...
of low magnitude earthquakes as a result of pumping water without the CO2, with 250 quakes being reported on the 13th of September
There have been earthquakes reported there due to the water pumping previously Proceedings at the 2010 World Geothermal Congress showed that reinjection at Hellisheidi had induced seismic
Induced seismicity
Induced seismicity refers to typically minor earthquakes and tremors that are caused by human activity that alters the stresses and strains on the Earth's crust. Most induced seismicity is of an extremely low magnitude...
activity.