Evaluation of the environmental viability of direct injection schemes for ocean carbon sequestration

This thesis evaluates the expected impact of several promising schemes for ocean carbon sequestration by direct injection of CO2, and serves as an update to the assessment by Auerbach et al. (1997) and Caulfield et al. (1997) of water quality impacts and the induced mortality to zooplankton. The present work extends the methodology used in the earlier studies, incorporates recent acute CO2 toxicity data on marine organisms, and considers three revised discharge approaches: a point release of negatively buoyant CO2 hydrate particles from a moving ship; a long, bottom-mounted diffuser discharging buoyant liquid CO2 droplets; and a stationary point release of hydrate particles forming a sinking plume. Results suggest that it is possible with present technology to engineer discharge configurations which achieve sufficient dilution to largely avoid acute impacts. Sub-lethal and ecosystem effects are discussed qualitatively, but not analyzed quantitatively. The analysis suggests that, as a temporary climate change mitigation strategy, ocean carbon sequestration by direct injection should not be dismissed on the basis of environmental impact alone. With minor modification, this thesis will also serve as the final chapter of the author's Ph.D. thesis to be submitted in 2008 to the MIT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Israelsson, Peter H. (Peter Hampus), 1973-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• E. Eric Adams.

• Technology and Policy Program.
• Engineering Systems Division.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/43163

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/43163