CO2Transmission

CO2 transmission is the movement of carbon dioxide from sources to sinks through physical, chemical, and biological processes in a range of systems. It encompasses diffusion, advection, gas exchange, and chemical reactions that determine how CO2 is distributed within organisms, ecosystems, and engineered networks.

In biology, CO2 is produced by cellular respiration and transported in the bloodstream. Most CO2 is converted to bicarbonate in red blood cells and plasma, with a smaller fraction dissolved as CO2 or bound to hemoglobin as carbamino compounds. In the lungs, CO2 diffuses from blood into the alveoli and is exhaled. Transmission efficiency depends on ventilation, blood flow, and acid-base balance.

In the atmosphere, CO2 is transported by wind patterns and turbulent mixing, distributing gas through continents and oceans. Carbon exchange at the air-sea interface moves CO2 between the atmosphere and oceans, where it is stored as dissolved inorganic carbon or used by marine life. The oceanic and terrestrial carbon pumps modulate the seasonality and rate of atmospheric CO2 changes.

In industrial contexts, CO2 transmission describes moving captured CO2 from emission sources to storage sites or utilization facilities. Commonly via pipelines or ships, it requires compression and dehydration, and is subject to regulatory and safety considerations, such as leak detection, material integrity, and impurity management.

Understanding CO2 transmission is central to climate science, physiology, and carbon capture and storage deployment. It is studied through measurements from atmospheric sensors, ocean buoys, and medical devices, and modeled using transport equations and carbon cycle models.