MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Scientists create a carbon dioxide absorbing 'polymer sponge' that helps new energy sources
Scientists have created a new sponge-type material that absorbs carbon dioxide, which is believed to play a key role in global warming. The polymer – a large molecule used in plastics – is thought to have the potential to bridge the gap between the use of fossil fuels and new energy sources such as hydrogen, and could be integrated into power plant smokestacks in the future. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesAnother great British invention.
Aug 18th, 2014 - 09:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0guess it is a lot more important what the researchers of belgium, spain, mexico, usa and japan have discovered: a new sponge to absorb oil spills.
Aug 18th, 2014 - 01:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0so now they can clean all the disasters that the british have done in the gulf of mexico.
http://www.agn.com.gt/index.php/world/technology/item/3878-descubren-material-para-absorber-el-petr%C3%B3leo-que-se-derrama-en-el-mar
“which can convert fossil fuels into hydrogen gas.”
Aug 18th, 2014 - 03:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0How does one go from CO2, Carbon and Oxygen, and convert those elements to Hydrogen gas? I'm missing something?
@2 paulie
That was a pretty funny crack there and the discovery you link has exceptional on-the-ground applicability. Oil companies fuel your lifestyle and many in the U.S. have had accidents too.
Still, you have to admit, this CO2 adsorbent polymer is very very cool.
“Hydrogen is widely considered to have great potential for use in fuel-cell cars and electricity generation because it produces almost no pollution.”
Aug 18th, 2014 - 09:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0So where is the caveat “except for the cost of electricity produced in power stations, just like the so called electric cars so beloved of the “global warming, or climate change, take your pick while we come up with another little scam” that will cost you even more tax”
The IGCC is a minefield of HP toxic gases such as H2S (hydrogen sulphide) which is far more lethal than the old American gas chamber gas: cyanide. We had immense problems convincing new rotary kiln operators that the ‘bad egg smell’ they experienced in the school lab with microscopic volumes of gas was in no way related to what would happen under fault conditions: it KILLS you.
@ 3 bushpilot
““which can convert fossil fuels into hydrogen gas.” How does one go from CO2, Carbon and Oxygen, and convert those elements to Hydrogen gas? I'm missing something?”
Yes you are. :o)
It is the fossil fuels (oil and gases) which, under the IGCC process are stripped out into the various ‘syngases’ which are then processed (at the moment) using a number of solvents to remove the CO2.
The new polymer solution appears to do away with the solvent stripping problem (costly in heat) and gives off CO2 simply by reducing the line pressures to below 54Bar (794 p.s.i.).
The article is extremely vague and it is clearly in this guy’s head and not a really proven technique. The REALLY important bit is whether somebody can make a practical cracker or stripper using the so called sponge.
I would also like to know what he thinks is low cost: at the moment the Syngas IGCC process is costing approx USD 3,800 per kW.
Chris,
Aug 19th, 2014 - 05:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0Off topic I know but it's in the news
The Mosul dam In Iraq, the most dangerous dam in the world. It leaks like a sieve as it's built on porous gypsum foundations and requires continuous grouting to stop the leaks.Now maintenance with the fighting will be zero. If it bursts it will create a five meter surge at Baghdad which will drown thousands of people.
Politics apart, as an engineer I would welcome your comments.
@2
Aug 19th, 2014 - 07:25 am - Link - Report abuse 0Whilst I agree BP (British) was ultimately responsible, lets not forget who was operating the rigs: Transocean - Swedish with the support of Halliburton (USA) when things went wrong (which they were useless in helping anyway)
Now I know Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source, however this link seems to wrap up with nearly all news articles I have read regarding the Gulf of Mexico
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_explosion
And lets not forget it was the US government who sanctioned the drilling. With no detailed plan in place in the occurrence of an oil leak (which appears to be a common request for deep sea drilling)... all because they wanted the tax revenue to start rolling in as soon as possible.
And considering BP got a pay-out from Transocean, in particular, there must have been a case against them. Yet only BP, who only proposed the drilling and sub-contracted out the work to a reputable company, really got bad press over the whole thing
@ 5 redp0ll
Aug 19th, 2014 - 10:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0“ It leaks like a sieve as it's built on porous gypsum foundations and requires continuous grouting to stop the leaks. Now maintenance with the fighting will be zero. If it bursts it will create a five meter surge at Baghdad which will drown thousands of people.”
In essence the real problem is one of safety of the people downstream of the dam without any or much intervention of the dam maintenance staff.
The only thing that will solve the problem is to drain the dam before the disaster happens.
This of course gives other problems, mainly one of resupply but if dam safety cannot be assured there is no option.
Perhaps dropping the level (if that is even possible) could relieve the main hydrostatic pressure whilst still allowing some water to be available.
Without knowing the parameters this is the only solution I can think off.
It seems to me they need another dam built on better substrate, whether that is possible once the fighting is over is of course another matter.
5 redpoll
Aug 19th, 2014 - 11:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0to chris(tina)
“Politics apart, as an engineer I would welcome your comments.”
engineer?
chris(tina)?
LOL
good one
Wow Paul. If you read the other part of my post I said something about leaking like a sieve. I don't think anyone so far has attributed incontinence to your revered president. Do you have inside knowledge of the problem?
Aug 19th, 2014 - 02:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It does however seem that her party machine has suffered some defacations recently
Damn spell checker. I meant defections of course
@ 9 redp0ll
Aug 19th, 2014 - 07:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If Polly had one hundredth of my qualifications, knowledge and experience he would stand a good chance of leaving TDC and going somewhere he envies and could make money.
England?
Thankfully that will never, ever, happen.
:o)
redpoll
Aug 19th, 2014 - 09:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“It does however seem that her party machine has suffered some defacations recently”
the whole frente para la victoria is like a big defecation.
chris(tina)
haha chris
you sound like cristina (the real one), praising yourself and talking about your nonexistent titles.
now, if england were such a paradise, why the f*ck did you move to uruguay? lol
my theory is you are running away from justice.
@ 11 Polly
Aug 20th, 2014 - 07:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You KNOW why, I have posted it numerous times, especially to the uber-argie Stevie and I am not wasting time now.
I do like the thought I am running away from justice: this from a poorly educated argie. Do you know what justice is perchance, no?
See, my gibberish is improving!
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