Fossil Fuels

Photosynthesis: Plants take in: energy from sunlight matter from the soil and air simplest form: CO2(g) + H2O(g,l) + energy Carbohydrate + O2(g) . eg 6 CO2(g) + 6 H2O(g,l) + energy C6H12O6 + 6 O2(g)
1

Fossil Fuels
When plants decay in air: aerobic decay: Rapid recycling of the carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in the biosphere via the action of aerobic bacteria
When plants decay in the absence of air: anaerobic decay:

Slow decay via anaerobic bacteria Sedimentation

2

Fossil Fuels
Anaerobic decay (no oxygen) and sedimentation (high pressure and temperature):
The oxygen is slowly expelled from the compounds, leaving behind hydrocarbons Carbohydrates (C, H, O) Hydrocarbons (C, H) CxHy remain: x = 1 100s
3

Fossil Fuels Extraction: Coal

Coal is simply Carbon, C and the contaminants found with it.
Two types of extraction categories:

Surface extraction: Strip mining (< ~30m deep) Subsurface extraction: Closed mining (> ~30m
deep)
4

Fossil Fuels Extraction: Coal

Surface extraction: Strip mining (< ~30m deep) cheaper
safer for workers greater environmental impact

Fossil Fuels Extraction: Coal

Surface extraction: Strip mining (< ~30m deep) Strip off surface soil
Dig up overlying rock scoop up coal

Fossil Fuels Extraction: Coal

Surface extraction: Strip mining (< ~30m deep)
Strip off surface soil No topsoil, no ecology! Living material is unlikely to survive the process.

Post-mining reclamation can restore this, but often doesnt restore the full diversity.
7

Fossil Fuels Extraction: Coal

Surface extraction: Strip mining (< ~30m deep)
Dig up overlying rock
Acid Leachates: Natural iron sulfide minerals in the rock are exposed to air and water by the process: eg.
4 FeS(s) + 4 H2O(l) + 9 02(g) 4 H2SO4(aq) + 2 Fe2O3(s)

Fossil Fuels Extraction: Coal

Surface extraction: Strip mining (< ~30m deep)
4 FeS(s) + 4 H2O(l) + 9 02(g) 4 H2SO4(aq) + 2 Fe2O3(s) H2SO4 is sulfuric acid so mine run-off is generally

highly acidic.

Fossil Fuels Extraction: Coal

Surface extraction: Strip mining (< ~30m deep)
This acid helps to dissolve other metals in the rock, and can contribute to mercury, lead and other toxic metals being carried into natural waters from mine run-off. The metals (and the starting materials for the sulfuric acid) were naturally present in the rock, but the exposure to the air is what makes them available in the environment rather than staying bound in the rocks.
10

Fossil Fuels Extraction: Coal

Subsurface mining: Generally if the coal is more than about 30 metres deep. A network of tunnels is used.
There is less disruption to topsoil There is less exposure of rock to air

There is much greater danger to mine workers! (accidents and deaths are both about 4X greater)
11

Fossil Fuels Uses: Coal

As a fuel:
Coal contains: sulfur, S: which can produce sulfur dioxide, SO2, when the coal is burned. This can then form sulfuric acid, H2SO4(g) when exposed to humid air. mercury, Hg: combustion of coal is responsible for about 1/3 of all mercury emissions world-wide.

12

Fossil Fuels Uses: Coal

As a fuel:
Soot: Combustion is often incomplete, and particles of soot (C) are produced. These are serious respiratory irritants.

13

Fossil Fuels Uses: Coal

Treatments:
I: Remove S and Hg before burning: Wash the crushed coal before burning; coal floats, while sulfur and mercury containing minerals sink.

14

Fossil Fuels Uses: Coal

Treatments:
I I : Remove S after burning: Pass the product gas stream through limestone, CaCO3(s) .
2 SO2(g) + 2 CaCO3(s) + O2(g) 2 CaSO4(s) + 2 CO2(g)

15

Fossil Fuels Uses: Coal

Resource reclamation:
Finding an economic use for the by-product of an industrial process
CaSO4(s) is gypsum, used to manufacture wallboard and

as a soil amendment

A major coal-fired power plant will produce enough in one year to cover 1 square mile 1 foot deep.
16

Fossil Fuels Uses: Coal

Newer burning technique: Fluidized Bed
Crushed coal and limestone are mixed prior to burning O2(g) is passed over the combustion Calcium carbonate forms, so the sulfur is dealt with. Lower burning temperatures can be used (less NOX) More heat is released per kilogram of coal
17

Fossil Fuels: Oil and Gas

porous rock non-porous rock Gas deposit Oil deposit

18

Fossil Fuels: Oil and Gas

Extraction pumping plus other techniques
porous rock non-porous rock Gas deposit Oil deposit

Extraction generally by geologic pressure

19

Fossil Fuels: Oil and Gas

Extraction techniques:
Gas: the naturally occurring pressure is enough Oil: 1: Mechanical pumping. 2: pump water (liquid or steam down to displace and warm the oil (reduce viscosity) 3: pump detergent down to disrupt surface tension, or heat by burning on-site to reduce viscosity.
20

Fossil Fuels: Oil refining

Gas separates out spontaneously: Oil: separated based on mass (proportional to the number of carbon atoms in the molecule)

21

Natural gas 1-5 C Solvents 5 7 C Gasoline 5 - 12 C Kerosene 12 - 16 C tar

400 C

heat to 400 C

22

Fossil Fuels: Burning oil/gas

Carbon dioxide: All of the carbon atoms in the fuel are converted to CO2 during combustion.
You can see the relative amounts (in moles) directly from the formula of the fossil fuel: C8H18 (octane) will give 8 CO2

23

Fossil Fuels: Burning oil/gas - smog

Smog: Another case of what is present naturally in the environment coming back to bite you
The combustion of fossil fuels is generally carried out in metal containers liberates heat
24

Fossil Fuels: Burning oil/gas smog

Hot metal and air: The nitrogen and oxygen in the air interact in the presence of hot metal: Above 1100 C, the air burns!
combustion of nitrogen gas: N2(g) + O2(g) 2 NO(g)
ozone depleter

25

Fossil Fuels: Burning oil/gas - smog

ozone depleter

N2(g) + O2(g) 2 NO(g)

then:
when unburned hydrocarbons are present as catalysts

2 NO(g) + O2(g)

2 NO2 (g)

reddish-brown gas you see it as the orange haze of smog

26

Fossil Fuels: Burning oil/gas - smog

sunlight as catalyst

2 NO(g) + O2(g)

2 NO2 (g)

NO2 (g) + O2(g)

NO(g) + O3 (g)
Ozone: very welcome in the stratosphere, but NOT a good thing to have at ground level. Severe lung irritant Damaging to rubber and plastics
27

Fossil Fuels: Burning oil/gas - smog

hot metal as catalyst

N2(g) + O2(g)

2 NO(g)

unburned hydrocarbons as catalyst

2 NO(g) + O2(g)

2 NO2 (g)

NO2 (g) + O2(g)

NO(g) + O3 (g)
28

Fossil Fuels: Burning oil/gas

Catalytic converters in cars: 1. Help the hydrocarbon burn more fully minimizing unburned hydrocarbon

29

Fossil Fuels: Burning oil/gas

N2(g) + O2(g) 2 NO(g) + O2(g) NO2 (g) 2 NO(g) 2 NO2 (g) NO(g) + O(g)

O(g) + O2(g) O3 (g)

30

Fossil Fuels: Burning oil/gas

Catalytic converters in cars: 2. Reduction catalysts (less common) convert the nitric oxide back to nitrogen gas and oxygen gas (i.e. air)

31

Fossil Fuels: Burning oil/gas Photochemical smog

O R C O O NO2
powerful eye irritants persistent : do not break down easily R stands for some hydrocarbon attached here

sunlight as catalyst

NOx (g) + CnHy

PAN

PAN stands for peroxyacyl nitrates, the name of a family of compounds containing C, H, O, and N.
32