CBE 195
Course Number: CBE195
Course Name: Carbon Capture and Sequestration
Units: 3
When is it offered? Depends, but usually Fall
Requirement Satisfied: Upper Division CBE Elective
Concentration(s): Energy and Environment
Summary: This course introduces students in science and engineering disciplines to energy and climate considerations in general and to state-of-the art research in CCS specifically. Topics include current energy consumption, understanding the role of CO2 in the earth and its atmosphere as a system,the science and technology of capturing CO2, the geological storage of CO2, alternative approaches to reducing CO2in the atmosphere, and considerations of economics and policy related to carbon emissions.
Official Prerequisites: Chem 4AB, Physics 7AB, Math 1A, Math 1B
LEGIT Prerequisites: None really. Went does some high-level thermodynamics calculations but they aren't really important to the general scope of the class.
Topics Covered: Overview of energy, climate and the carbon cycle; separation techniques including absorption, adsorption, membranes, and several negative emissions technologies; geologic sequestration and storage of carbon dioxide; large scale CCS projects
Workload: Seven problem sets that come after every unit. These are pretty difficult, and you usually have to look up a lot of outside information. Some are pretty computation-heavy and other are pretty writing-heavy, but regardless, the answers are usually hidden in the notes which are posted on bCourses. There's one large final project that's worth 40% of your grade that involves some writing and a presentation during RRR week about a topic of your choice related to the course. No midterms and no final.
When to take? Doesn't really matter, but you probably won't have the space in your schedule until Junior or Senior year. Junior Fall is a good time since this class pairs nicely with 150B.
"Whats next" Courses? Professor Went teaches a 1-unit class on negative emissions technologies that is a nice follow-up to this class.
Usefulness for research / internships: Not super useful for research or internships except to say that you've taken a course in this field. Overall, it's a very good course mostly for gauging your own interest in environmental work.
Added Comments or Tips: Went is a great professor and this is a relatively easy course as long as you put in the effort on the few homeworks.