Technologies in Environment-
New Material Soaks up Gas
Introduction
A new material that efficiently and
inexpensively absorbs carbon dioxide from thermal power
plant gas emissions has been developed by a research
team at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.
The material is made of minute lithium silicate particles,
3 microns across, which have been solidified into granule
some 600 microns in diameter and coated with aluminum
oxide particles measuring 30 microns in diameter. Lithium
silicate absorbs carbon dioxide at temperatures of 500
oC (932F) and discharges it at around 800 oC. Thus it
is possible to remove carbon dioxide from exhaust from
coal or oil-powered plants if the emissions are cooled
slightly and passed through a container filed with the
lithium silicate granules.
The granules can be reused after being heated to make
them discharge the carbon dioxide that they have absorbed.
Since carbon dioxide concentrations in the discharged
gas are as high as 90%, that makes it easy to dispose
of carbon dioxide by burying it in landfills or by dissolved
it in sea-water. In addition, the aluminum oxide surface
prevents the granules from becoming sticky even after
absorbing carbon dioxide, making it easy to move them
from one place to another within a power plant.
Contact for more information Science & Technology Wing Embassy of India
2-2-11, Kudan Minami, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 102-0074, Japan
Tel: +81-3-3262-2391 to 97,
Fax: +81-3-3234-4866
E-mail: tandonus@hotmail.com
