Capturing carbons

The Times of India , Monday, May 06, 2013
Correspondent :
Vikram Vishal is the first student to defend and obtain a degree in Doctor of Philosophy from the IIT-B Monash Research Academy. He shares the highlights of his thesis with Ruchi Kumar.

IITB-Monash Research Academy, a joint venture between the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and Monash University, Australia , recently awarded Vikram Vishal a PhD for his research in investigation of carbon dioxide sequestration and recovery of methane from coal seams.

Vishal is the first candidate to appear for the academy's first public viva voce and receive the award. His thesis focuses on capturing carbon dioxide that is released when coal is burnt and injecting it back into the rock deep underground so that it is not released into the atmosphere.

A gold medalist from the University of Calcutta in geology and the winner of the 2011 Young Scientist Award, Vishal has identified sustainable methods to prevent the release of carbon emissions in the atmosphere .

Elaborating on the environmental significance of his research, Vishal says, "The universal concern of this century is to analyse issues surrounding greenhouse gas emissions . The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified that the average global atmospheric temperature is on a rise, primarily due to huge emission of carbon dioxide." Under the supervision of TN Singh from IIT-B and PG Ranjith, associate professor, Monash University, Vishal simulated underground coal environment to verify the passage and storage of carbon dioxide over space and in time. He developed experimental methodology to examine the flow of injected carbon dioxide in liquid and supercritical states in coal. Explaining the benefits, he says, "This will not only help contribute to a sustainable earth but also lead to enhanced recovery of methane. We can also benefit from trapping cleaner fuel - natural gas. My vision is to apply this research towards India's commitment to mitigate our contributions in global warming while we are still developing ," he adds.

However, there is very little assessment of storage potential of CO2 in Indian rocks, especially coal. "Hence, this research is directed to understand the response of coal under scenarios of CO2 injection." In his research, Vishal established that nearly three volumes of CO2 can be stored for every volume of methane tapped from the Indian coal fields in Jharkhand and West Bengal.

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/Capturing-carbons/articleshow/19906001.cms
 


Back to pevious page



The NetworkAbout Us  |  Our Partners  |  Concepts   
Resources :  Databases  |  Publications  |  Media Guide  |  Suggested Links
Happenings :  News  |  Events  |  Opinion Polls  |  Case Studies
Contact :  Guest Book  |  FAQs |  Email Us