Carbon sequestration in the ocean could become far more feasible with a system being developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The Continuous Jet/Hydrate Reactor takes carbon dioxide from power plants flue gases and produces a solid-like composite material that holds its shape when released in water at the proper depth and temperature ? about 1,200 meters and 3.3 degrees Celsius. The composite product, which can be made denser than seawater, slowly dissolves as it sinks. Continuous production of these sinking gas hydrates ? ice-like compounds at intermediate ocean depths provides increased sequestration efficiency without the significant costs of deep injection. In addition to its application for CO2 sequestration, this technology can be used for water desalination, natural gas storage and food production. The technology, which has been successfully demonstrated in Monterey Bay, is being developed by Costas Tsouris and Liyuan Liang. Funding for this research is provided by DOE's Office of Biological and Environmental Research.
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