How is carbon dioxide trapped and separated after combustion?

Post-combustion capture passes flue gases through a solvent that absorbs carbon dioxide. The solvent is heated to release a concentrated stream of the gas.

What is pre-combustion capture?

Pre-combustion capture converts fuel into a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide before burning. The carbon dioxide is removed and the hydrogen is used as fuel.

What is oxy-fuel combustion?

Oxy-fuel combustion burns fuel in nearly pure oxygen instead of air. The exhaust is mainly carbon dioxide and water, so the carbon dioxide is easy to separate.

CCEA A-Level Environmental Technology 3930

Fossil Fuels

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Global Action on Energy Conservation and Climate Change

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Macrogeneration

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Microgeneration

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Topic overview Defining biomass and its main categories Energy crops grown for biomass Advantages and disadvantages of biomass fuel Combustion, woodchip and fuel quality Gasification and syngas Biogas and commercial anaerobic digesters

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Sustainable Development

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Waste Management

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Waste to Energy Technologies

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Land Contamination and Remediation

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Hydrogen Fuel Cells

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Transport System Challenges

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Energy Performance of Buildings

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Emerging Technologies

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Sustainable Urban and Rural Communities

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The Code for Sustainable Homes

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Emerging Technologies

Carbon capture and storage

3 things to know
A2 1

Overview

The three phases of carbon capture and storage, post-combustion, pre-combustion and oxy-fuel capture, pipeline and ship transport, geological and sub-seabed storage, costs and controversy, utilisation, heavy industry and leak monitoring.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is carbon capture and storage?

Key term

How could carbon capture reduce emissions from fossil fuel power plants?

Key term

What are the three phases of carbon capture and storage?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is carbon capture and storage?
Model answer
Carbon capture and storage traps carbon dioxide from large sources such as power stations and stores it permanently. The gas is kept out of the atmosphere.
2
How could carbon capture reduce emissions from fossil fuel power plants?
Model answer
Carbon capture could remove most of the carbon dioxide from a power station's flue gases. Fossil fuel plants could then operate with far lower emissions.
3
What are the three phases of carbon capture and storage?
Model answer
The three phases are trapping and separating the carbon dioxide, transporting it, and storing it. Storage may be underground or under the sea bed.
4
How is carbon dioxide trapped and separated after combustion?
Model answer
Post-combustion capture passes flue gases through a solvent that absorbs carbon dioxide. The solvent is heated to release a concentrated stream of the gas.
5
What is pre-combustion capture?
Model answer
Pre-combustion capture converts fuel into a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide before burning. The carbon dioxide is removed and the hydrogen is used as fuel.
6
What is oxy-fuel combustion?
Model answer
Oxy-fuel combustion burns fuel in nearly pure oxygen instead of air. The exhaust is mainly carbon dioxide and water, so the carbon dioxide is easy to separate.

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Fossil Fuels

Global Action on Energy Conservation and Climate Change

Macrogeneration

Microgeneration

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