SBIR Phase I: Achieving Mass Balance in Carbon Storage Soil Gas Monitoring

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将展示一种监测碳捕集与封存（CCS）地点的新方法。CCS通过利用深层地质构造来储存发电厂产生的大量二氧化碳或从天然气中分离出来的二氧化碳，从而减少了全球变暖。提出的测量方法结合了最近的两项创新，创造了水汽区（即近地表）土壤气体分析仪，可以区分从深层储存中泄漏的二氧化碳和土壤中生物地球化学过程形成的二氧化碳。现有的土壤气体分析方案需要一年或更长时间的基线测量来表征自然产生的二氧化碳浓度的季节性变化。长期基线的确定必须在二氧化碳捕获开始之前进行。相比之下，拟议的方法可以立即起作用，并且适合对现有的捕获地点进行改造。安装将很简单。分析仪的大小将与一加仑牛奶相当，不需要消耗品，并且可以由小型太阳能电池板供电。土壤气体将自动从小直径浅监测井中取样。气体分析使用经过验证的光学方法，包括直接测量氮，这需要获得正确的质量平衡。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业化潜力是使全球变暖的短期缓解方法成为现实。替代能源不能很快解决这个问题。稀土金属的有限供应限制了风力发电机和高效电动机的生产。太阳能光伏板的广泛使用受到面板生产前期能源需求的限制。相比之下，碳捕获和储存在很大程度上依赖于现有的基础设施。现有的油田技术确定了合适的CCS地点，并将二氧化碳泵入地下深处。像美国这样煤炭资源丰富的国家能尽量减少使用煤炭吗？同时继续使用丰富、廉价的燃料。需要监测方法来验证储存地点的性能，并帮助向公众保证CCS的可靠性和安全性。水汽带测量很重要，因为正是二氧化碳与空气的混合导致了全球变暖。最初的目标市场是2亿美元的短期可寻址市场。计划中的产品应占目标市场的30%。这个可寻址的市场包括与大型燃煤设施共存的CCS站点。全世界大约有2500个这样的设施，其中20%的位置在地质上有利于CCS。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate a new method for monitoring carbon capture and storage (CCS) sites. CCS reduces global warming by using deep geological formations to store large amounts of carbon dioxide formed at power plants or separated from natural gas. The proposed measurement approach combines two recent innovations to create vadose-zone (i.e., near surface) soil gas analyzers that can discern carbon dioxide that is leaking from deep storage from the carbon dioxide that is formed by biogeochemical processes in soil. Existing soil gas analysis protocols require a year, or more, of baseline measurements to characterize seasonal variations in naturally-occurring CO2 concentrations. The long-term baseline determinations must be made prior to the start of carbon dioxide capture. The proposed approach, in contrast, works immediately and is suitable for retrofit to existing capture sites. Installation will be simple. Analyzers will be the size of a gallon of milk, will not require consumable supplies, and can be powered from small solar panels. Soil gas will be sampled automatically from small-diameter, shallow monitoring wells. Gas analysis uses proven optical methods and includes direct measurement of nitrogen, which is needed to obtain correct mass balance.The broader impact/commercialization potential of this project is to enable a realistic, near-term mitigation method for global warming. Alternative energy sources cannot solve the problem quickly enough. Limited supplies of rare earth metals constrain production of wind generators and high-efficiency electric motors. Widespread use of solar photovoltaic panels is constrained by the up-front energy requirements for panel production. Carbon capture and storage, in comparison, relies to a large extent on existing infrastructure. Established oil-field technology identifies suitable CCS sites and to pump carbon dioxide deep underground. Coal-rich nations such as the United States can minimize coal?s global warming impact while continuing to use abundant, inexpensive fuel. Monitoring methods are needed to verify performance of storage sites and to help assure the public of the reliability and safety of CCS. Vadose zone measurements are important because it is CO2 mixing with air that contributes to global warming. The initially targeted niche has a near-term addressable market of $200 million. The planned product should capture 30% of the addressable market. This addressable market comprises CCS sites co-located with large coal-burning facilities. There are about 2500 such facilities world-wide and 20% of their locations are geologically favorable for CCS.