Tokyo Gas Company Limited

Susumu Nishio

Ziqiu Xue

Hiromichi Kameyama

Toshifumi Matsuoka

Koji Yoshizaki

There are provided a carbon dioxide storage apparatus and a carbon dioxide storage method which, through direct injection of carbon dioxide into an underground brine aquifer, can store carbon dioxide efficiently in the brine aquifer. A filter formed of, for example, grindstone is provided at a tip portion of an injection well. A pumping apparatus pumps carbon dioxide stored in a carbon dioxide tank. The pumping apparatus feeds carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide tank into the injection well by means of a pump. In the pumping apparatus, carbon dioxide is held within a predetermined pressure range and a predetermined temperature range. Carbon dioxide is fed through the injection well, and is injected into a brine aquifer. Carbon dioxide injected into the brine aquifer assumes the form of microbubbles.

Device and method for sequestering a substance

A carbon dioxide tank () is connected to a pump device (). The pump device () is joined and connected with an infusion well (), which is a tubular body. The infusion well () extends downward beneath the ground () and is provided so as to reach a saltwater aquifer (). Part of the infusion well () forms a horizontal well () in a substantially horizontal direction. In other words, the horizontal well () is a location in which part of the infusion well () is formed in a substantially horizontal direction within a saltwater aquifer (). The horizontal well () is provided with filters (), which are porous members. For the filters (), for example, a fired member in which ceramic particles are mixed with a binder that binds those particles can be used. Moreover, if the hole diameter for the filters () is small, microbubbles with a smaller diameter can be generated.

Retention device for retained substance and retention method

A filter () is provided at a tip portion of an injection well (). A pumping apparatus () pumps carbon dioxide stored in a carbon dioxide tank (). The pumping apparatus () feeds carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide tank () into the injection well () by means of a pump. In the pumping apparatus, the pressure and temperature of carbon dioxide are maintained at respective predetermined levels or higher by means of a pressure regulation valve, a temperature regulator, etc., whereby carbon dioxide enters a supercritical state. The carbon dioxide having entered a supercritical state is fed in the direction of arrow A through the injection well (), passes through the filter () provided at an end portion of the injection well (), and is injected into a brine aquifer (). Carbon dioxide injected into the brine aquifer () assumes the form of microbubbles.

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Tokyo, Japan

Susumu Nishio