Energy System Optimization: CO2 Capture Technology as a Solution to Various Environmental Issues

Climate Change is an environmental issue currently becoming a global concern. This research was aimed at finding solutions to solve current environmental problems one of which was by helping reduce the greenhouse effect or global warming using the technology of CO2 (carbon dioxide) gas adsorption either with local materials or with new materials that were being developed.

Adsorption Technology

Adsorption technology is applied in the form of gas storage, refrigeration, or other applications in the health sector. Carbon dioxide capture plays an important role in managing industrial areas that produce combustion gases such as steam/gas power plants or power plants that use a lot of fossil fuels. Conventional cooling systems are classified as environmentally unfriendly technologies that have a direct impact on the greenhouse effect and depletion of the ozone layer. Adsorption cooling system that utilizes solar energy (renewable energy) is advantageously using environmentally friendly working fluids such as water and others. Then it is driven by clean and environmentally friendly energy sources. The potential of solar energy in Indonesia is so large that it is possible to implement this system. Several countries such as Germany, Japan, and Singapore have studied solar energy for adsorption cooling systems.

Adsorbents from activated carbon

In a rapidly-developed industrial world, people often encounter a problem of waste adversely affecting its surrounding environment. Any waste produced in a liquid, gas and solid form must be controlled. Some of the waste produced by many industries is exhaust gas resulting from a combustion unit. If the exhaust gas is released in a large amount, it will certainly create various problems such as global warming. One solution to that problem is to capture carbon dioxide gas contained in the gas using various methods. Moreover, a method needs to be employed in order to reduce its emissions to the air. For instance, carbon capture is employed through an adsorption process by utilizing adsorbents derived from activated carbon the raw materials which are abundantly available in Indonesia especially those from waste either in the form of plants, animals or minerals such as rice husks, animal bones and coal.

Exergy Analysis

A new approach to analyzing an energy system is called exergy analysis. It is comprehensively conducted through a multi-objective optimization. For example, although thermodynamics, economics and environmental science are different disciplines, they are interrelated in an exergy analysis. With exergy analysis, we can find out how such limited energy on earth can be wisely used for the benefits of humankinds.

Quote:

“The energy utilization should not be considered just in terms of its profits, but also from the efficiency (availability of fuel sources) and impacts on the environment should also be taken into accounts.”

– Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ir. Nasruddin, M. Eng.