Program Overview

Program Overview

The Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization, and Storage program provides fundamental principles and basic knowledge for understanding various CCUS processes and technologies. The program aims to equip students with theoretical and practical knowledge on several CCUS processes and technologies, enabling them to select the best system for each situation.

Aims and Content

Learning Outcomes

The program aims to provide:

• Fundamental principles of carbon capture, utilization, and storage processes
• Basic knowledge on the most relevant technologies
• Emphasis on transport phenomena involved in several carbon capture processes
• Potentials and challenges characterizing each technology through laboratory experiences

At the end of the program, students should have acquired both theoretical and practical knowledge on several CCUS processes and technologies.

Aims and Learning Outcomes

The program aims to provide students with basic knowledge on several steps involved in carbon dioxide capture, segregation, and utilization in the frame of CCUS technologies. By the end of the program, students will:

• Have basic knowledge on the problem of CO concentration in the atmosphere
• Know the main industrial processes that release CO into the atmosphere
• Have an overview of the principal technologies developed for CO capture, storage, and utilization
• Understand the main advantages and limitations related to the various CO mitigation systems

Prerequisites

There are no official prerequisites for the program. However, a basic knowledge of transport phenomena and traditional unit operations is strongly suggested.

Teaching Methods

The program consists of traditional lectures for a total of 40 hours and three laboratory experiences for a total of 13 hours. Attendance at the laboratory is mandatory. Lesson presentations are uploaded to the corresponding online platform.

Syllabus/Content

Theory lessons cover:

1. Introduction: the problem of CO and the CCUS approach
2. Carbon capture technologies, including absorption and adsorption systems, and membrane separation processes
3. Carbon storage strategies, including geological and ocean storage
4. Carbon utilization chemistry and technologies, including properties of the CO molecule, non-chemical use of CO as a supercritical solvent, and thermal and catalytic conversion of CO

Laboratory experiences include:

1. CO absorption in reactive liquid using a bubble contactor and a membrane contactor
2. CO adsorption in solid materials
3. CO conversion and usage reaction (reverse water gas shift reaction)

Teachers and Exam Board

• Antonio Comite
• Marcello Pagliero

The exam board consists of:

• Marcello Pagliero (President)
• Camilla Costa
• Antonio Comite (Substitute)

Lessons and Exams

Lessons Start

The start of the lessons will be announced.

Class Schedule

The timetable for this course is available on the university's online platform.

Exam Description

The exam is an oral examination conducted by two teachers for a duration of at least 30 minutes, analyzing the reports prepared on laboratory experiences and discussing theoretical aspects of CCUS.

Assessment Methods

The goal of the assessment is to verify the student's understanding of the principal issues related to CO emissions and management, as well as the main technologies developed for CO capture, storage, and utilization.

Exam Schedule

Exam dates are scheduled within the time intervals specified by the university's academic calendar.

Sustainable Development Goals

The program contributes to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals:

• Goal 4: Quality education
• Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all
• Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable
• Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Recommended Reading/Bibliography

• S.A. Rackley, Carbon Capture and Storage, Elsevier, 2017
• M. Goel, M. Sudhakar, R.V. Shahi, eds., Carbon Capture, Storage and Utilization, CRC Press, 2019
• B.M. Bhanage, M. Arai, eds., Transformation and Utilization of Carbon Dioxide, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2014
• J.A. Moulijn, M. Makkee, A.E. Van Diepen, Chemical Process Technology, 2nd edition, Wiley, 2013
• M. Aresta, A. Dibenedetto, The Carbon Dioxide Revolution, Springer, 2021
• G. Centi, S. Perathoner, Green Carbon Dioxide, Wiley, 2014

Supplementary material is provided on request to working students or students with specific learning disabilities to meet specific needs.