IHI Holds "What Is Carbon Dioxide Recovery Technology, and How Does It Relate to Global Warming?" On-site Class at Odaka Junior High School in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture
On February 13, IHI conducted an on-site class titled "What Is Carbon Dioxide Recovery Technology, and How Does It Relate to Global Warming?" for 13 ninth graders at Odaka Junior High School in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture. IHI employees have been dispatched to Minamisoma City Hall to aid in its decarbonized society promotion efforts, so the city hall requested they offer the class as part of the city's decarbonized society initiatives.
The class's program was developed jointly by IHI and Ochanomizu University (Institute for Science and Education) and taught by Ochanomizu University Project Associate Professor Yoshimura.
In the class, students learned about carbon dioxide (CO₂) separation and recovery technologies through a lecture and hands-on experiment that provided them with a deeper understanding of the CO₂ recovery technologies being researched and developed by IHI. At the start of the lecture, Professor Yoshimura explained the mechanisms of global warming and the changes in the global environment brought about by rises in the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere. After communicating the importance of reducing atmospheric CO₂ levels to combat global warming, Professor Yoshimura provided an easy-to-understand explanation of CO₂ recovery technologies.
In the experimental portion of the class, students learned the fundamentals of these recovery technologies by using a desiccant (a molecular sieve) to recover CO₂ and chemical reactions to extract CO₂.
Students were very interested in the molecular sieves used to recover CO₂, and asked about their internal structure. The instructor provided a clear explanation, saying that "First, small holes on the surface absorb CO₂. Then moisture is added, forcing the CO₂ back out," giving the students a deeper understanding of the sieves while stimulating their interest.
Through on-site classes, the IHI Group aims to further peoples' understanding of the Group's business activities and develop the next generation of human resources.