Transporting CO2 Safely at Scale

To keep temperatures at an acceptable level we need to utilize CCUS technologies (Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage) in addition to switching our complete energy system to renewable energies.

To benefit from CCUS enourmous amounts of CO2 has to be transported. Keep on reading - and learn how simplicity can help tackle the biggest challenge to earth.

The Problem

We need to keep the global temperature rise below 1,5. The need for negative emissions and the potential for CCUS to supplement the switch in our energy systems.

The Idea

In traditional solutions, CO2 is transported in liquid form. This is extremely costly as it requires purposebuilt liquid gas containers, designated ships or pipelines. Infrastructure and equipment that is far from widely available today.

The decarbonICE solution is transport of CO2 in solid form - as dry ice. At the point source CO2 is captured and converted into dry-ice.

The Solution

The dry ice is loaded into standard 20” contianers. Nothing more. The container filled with dry ice is loaded onto standard trucks, trains ships or barges and tranported to the storage site with is it converted into liquid form and stored permanently.

The chemistry: Phase diagram

CO2 can exist in gas, liquid and solid form (in addition for super-critical fluid). Solid form can exist at ambient pressure simplyfying transportation.

Producing the dry ice

Dry ice is produced from enriched CO2 from the point source on standard available dry-ice machines

Example video for demonstration purposes only.

Loaded

The dry ice is loaded into insulated standard 20” containers. Abundant resource: There is more than 43 mio shipping containers globally.

Transport

The container is transported using existing supply chains: trucks, rail, ships, barges

Re-liqufication

At the storage site, the dry ice is liquified and stored.

A democratic, cheap and efficient CO2 transport solution.

DecarbonICE’s CO2 transport concept can be initiated rapidly. Anywhere in the world. DecarbonICE means CO2 transport solutions without the high CAPEX ensuring point emitters of any size can contribute with CO2 storage.

FAQs

No solution is perfect. During transport due to heat exchange the dry-ice will start to evaporate into gas form. No liquid will be formed as liquid CO2 cannot exist at ambient preassure. However the evaporation is kept at a minimum due to the insulation in the container. It is expected that 0,2% will evaporate daily through the safety valve.
To minimize the risk of suffocating procudures to transport and handle the CO2 as cargo must be developed and applied. This goes for transport of CO2 in any form, as gas, liquid or solid. This includes avoid storing in enclosed areas, ban all access to for example cargo holds where CO2 is transported. On a positive note CO2 is neither flammable or explosive - on the contrary - and in solid form where CO2 is kept at atmospheric pressure it is even safer.
None. A decarbonICE uses existing containers, existing logistics chains - the containers can be transported onboard normal containerships. We imagine feeder container vessels to be most suitable for this type of transport.
Ships, truck, trains exist for transporting containers
There are abundant shipping containers. These needs to be slightly modified for transportation of solid CO2: insulation and safety valve
CO2 capture system are being implemented, like amine, cryogenic and membrane systems. The number of installations increases day by day.
Dry-ice machines exist as commercial off-the-shelf products. However size and production of these units needs to be scaled.
The re-liquification system exists only as a concept. System needs to be developed and properly tested.
Storage sites are being identified and approved globally. And the numbers are growing.
In short - the logistics chain for decarbonICE could be up and running on a short-to-medium time horizon.
Compare this to transport of liquid CO2. Ships has to be built (which are about 10-times more expensive than container ships). And pipelines has to be projected and laid down (imagine the number of landowners who needs to have a say).