Scrubbing Tower

scrubbing tower, a form of carbon capture in which carbon dioxide (CO₂) is removed from air funneled into a large, confined space by wind-driven turbines. As air is taken in, it is sprayed with one of several chemical compounds, such as sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide. These chemicals react with the CO₂ in the air to form carbonate precipitates and water, and these by-products could then be piped to safe storage locations. So far, several prototypes have been built; however, most climatologists maintain that an enormous number of scrubbing towers would be needed to counteract rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations at a global scale (see also geoengineering).