Direct air capture device configured to be capable of automatically replacing rollable type adsorption support body and adjusting tension

Abstract

The present invention comprises: an enclosure having an air introduction unit and a discharge unit; an adsorption support body disposed inside the enclosure and including an adsorbent; a support unit including a plurality of rods disposed in the enclosure with both ends supported thereby, the rods being disposed in a plurality of rows so that the adsorption support body can be disposed via the rods; and an automatic replacement means provided in the enclosure to replace the adsorption support body. In addition, the present invention comprises: an enclosure having an air introduction unit and a discharge unit; an adsorption support body disposed inside the enclosure and including an adsorbent; a support unit including a plurality of rods disposed in the enclosure with both ends supported thereby, the plurality of rods being arranged in a plurality of rows so that the adsorption support body is disposed continuously via the plurality of rods; and a tension adjustment unit for adjusting the tension of the adsorption support body in at least one of the rods of the support unit.

Description

Direct air collection device equipped with automatic replacement and tension adjustment capabilities for a rollable adsorption support

[0001] The present invention relates to a direct air capture device equipped with automatic replacement and tension adjustment capabilities for a rollable adsorption support, which improves the efficiency of maintenance work by automatically replacing an adsorption support that is damaged or has a reduced adsorption rate within a Direct Air Capture (DAC) module for capturing carbon dioxide, and simultaneously prevents an increase in differential pressure and a decrease in adsorption efficiency within the DAC module by adjusting the tension of the support loaded with the adsorbent to maintain a uniform spacing between supports and thereby minimizing physical deformation.

[0002] As technologies for effectively removing carbon dioxide (CO2) become increasingly important to address climate change and environmental pollution issues, Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology is garnering attention as a technology capable of directly removing CO2 from the atmosphere.

[0003] However, technology that maximizes the amount of adsorbent within the DAC module while maintaining a minimum differential pressure and facilitating easy periodic replacement to reduce maintenance costs remains a challenge to be addressed.

[0004] In addition, the DAC device repeatedly heats and cools up to 150°C through batch operation several times a day.

[0005] Under these extreme conditions, the support material of the adsorbent (e.g., cellulose, ceramic monolith, polymer, polypropylene) may be subjected to thermal stress, which can result in physical damage. This damage not only causes deformation of the adsorbent layer but can also lead to an increase in differential pressure due to adhesion between the adsorbents and cause problems such as reduced adsorption efficiency.

[0006] Meanwhile, DAC devices require a periodic heating process to regenerate the adsorbent; however, conventional heating methods primarily rely on localized supply of Joule heat or fluid heat sources (e.g., steam), which presents a problem in achieving uniform heating. Furthermore, installing an additional manifold to supply the heat source inside the enclosure can reduce the space available for the adsorbent, potentially leading to a decrease in CO2 capture capacity.

[0007] In addition, the adsorbent is formed by applying an adsorbent onto a support such as a film or plate, but there is a problem in that the adsorbent itself applied to the support lacks sufficient flexibility, making it unsuitable for arranging the adsorbent in a rollable form.

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention proposes a direct air capture device that automatically replaces the adsorbent used under extreme conditions, simultaneously increases the regeneration efficiency of the adsorbent through a uniform heating environment inside the DAC module, and allows the adsorbent to be arranged in a rollable form even when the adsorbent itself lacks sufficient flexibility.

[0009] The present invention has been devised to solve the problems described above.

[0010] One objective is to improve the efficiency of maintenance work and maximize the operational efficiency of the device by shortening the replacement time of adsorption supports through the automatic replacement of damaged or degraded adsorption supports within the Direct Air Capture (DAC) module for capturing carbon dioxide.

[0011] Another objective of the present invention is to prevent an increase in differential pressure and a decrease in adsorption efficiency within a Direct Air Capture (DAC) module by controlling the tension of supports loaded with an adsorbent within the DAC module to maintain a uniform spacing between supports and thereby minimizing physical deformation.

[0012] One objective of the present invention is to maximize the performance of a DAC module by enabling the placement of a maximum amount of adsorption supports in a limited space by arranging the adsorption supports in a rollable form by means of a load of a support member, as well as by enabling efficient placement of the adsorption supports.

[0013] Another objective of the present invention is to compensate for the disadvantage of an adsorbent with poor flexibility by applying and supplying the adsorbent to the support when replacing the adsorption support, and thereby to prevent a decrease in the adsorption rate due to damage to the adsorbent even when the adsorption support is arranged in a rollable form.

[0014] Another objective of the present invention is to apply nozzles for heat source injection to multiple rods of a support member for maintaining spacing between supports, thereby uniformly heating the interior of the DAC module, which not only enables the regeneration process of the adsorbent to be carried out efficiently but also eliminates the need to introduce a separate heat source manifold, thus increasing the space utilization of the DAC module.

[0015] A direct air collection device according to the present invention, configured to enable automatic replacement of a rollable adsorption support, comprises: a housing having an air inlet and an outlet; an adsorption support disposed inside the housing and including an adsorbent; a support portion comprising a plurality of rods disposed in the housing and supported at both ends, wherein the rods are arranged in a plurality of rows to allow the adsorption support to pass through; and an automatic replacement means provided in the housing for replacing the adsorption support.

[0016] The automatic replacement means according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a first roller disposed on one side of the housing and having a new adsorption support wound thereon; a second roller disposed on the other side of the housing for winding an adsorption support to be replaced; and a driving unit for transmitting power to the first roller or the second roller, or to the first and second rollers, to replace the adsorption support.

[0017] The driving unit of the automatic replacement means according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a bracket provided in the housing to rotatably support both ends of the first and second rollers, and a driving motor mounted on the bracket and connected to the first roller or the second roller, or the first and second rollers, to transmit power.

[0018] The present invention is characterized in that an inlet portion for supplying an adsorption support wound on a first roller is formed on one side of the housing, and an outlet portion for discharging an adsorption support to be wound on a second roller is provided on the other side of the housing.

[0019] The first roller according to the present invention is characterized by having a support for an adsorption support wound thereon, and the exterior of the housing further being provided with a spraying means for applying an adsorbent to the support.

[0020] The spraying means according to the present invention is characterized by further including a first spraying unit disposed in close proximity to the first roller for applying an adsorbent to a support supplied from the first roller.

[0021] The upper and lower portions of the housing according to the present invention are configured to be openable and closable, and the spraying means further comprises a second spraying portion disposed at the upper and lower portions of the housing when the upper and lower portions of the housing are open, for spraying an adsorbent onto a support member replaced by the first roller and the second roller.

[0022] The automatic replacement means and the spraying means according to the present invention are operated simultaneously, so that the replacement of the adsorption support and the application of the adsorbent proceed simultaneously.

[0023] As another embodiment according to the present invention, a direct air collection device comprising a rollable adsorption support capable of tension adjustment comprises: a housing having an air inlet and an outlet; an adsorption support disposed inside the housing and comprising an adsorbent; a support member comprising a plurality of rods disposed in the housing and supported at both ends, wherein the plurality of rods are arranged in a plurality of rows so that the adsorption support passes through the plurality of rods continuously; and a tension adjustment member for adjusting the tension of the adsorption support on at least one of the rods of the support member.

[0024] The tension control unit according to the present invention is characterized by controlling the tension of the adsorption support through the rotation of the rod, or controlling the tension by the pulling force of the adsorption support through the linear movement of the rod.

[0025] The present invention is characterized by further comprising a first operating part connected to the end of the first rod or the second rod, or the first and second rods, for adjusting the tension of the adsorption support through the rotational movement of the first rod or the second rod, or the first and second rods.

[0026] When the first operating part of the tension adjustment part according to the present invention is formed on the first and second rods, the rotational directions of the first rod and the second rod are configured to rotate in opposite directions to each other.

[0027] When the first operating part according to the present invention is formed on the first and second rods, the first operating part comprises a rotating body connected to the ends of the first and second rods and a connecting wire connecting the rotating bodies, wherein the connecting wire is connected to each rotating body in a cross shape such that the rotational direction of the first rod and the second rod is reversed.

[0028] The adsorption support according to the present invention is characterized by being arranged in a rollable form by continuously passing through the plurality of rods.

[0029] The rollable adsorption support according to the present invention is arranged in a vertical direction and spaced apart along the longitudinal direction with respect to the direction of air flow, and the air flow is formed along the spaced-apart space between the adsorption supports.

[0030] The direct air capture device with adjustable tension of an adsorption support arranged in a rollable form according to the present invention can improve the efficiency of maintenance work by automatically replacing an adsorption support that is damaged or has a reduced adsorption rate within a DAC (Direct Air Capture) module for capturing carbon dioxide, and can maximize the operational efficiency of the device by shortening the replacement time of the adsorption support.

[0031] In addition, the present invention can prevent an increase in differential pressure and a decrease in adsorption efficiency within the DAC module by controlling the tension of supports loaded with an adsorbent within the DAC (Direct Air Capture) module for capturing carbon dioxide, thereby maintaining a uniform spacing between supports and minimizing physical deformation.

[0032] In addition, the present invention allows for the placement of a maximum amount of adsorption supports in a limited space by arranging the adsorption supports in a rollable form by means of a load of the support member, and also enables efficient placement of the adsorption supports, thereby maximizing the performance of the DAC module.

[0033] In addition, the present invention compensates for the disadvantage of an adsorbent with poor flexibility by applying and supplying the adsorbent to the support when replacing the adsorption support, thereby preventing a decrease in the adsorption rate due to damage to the adsorbent even when the adsorption support is arranged in a rollable form.

[0034] In addition, the present invention can improve process efficiency by enabling the simultaneous implementation of the adsorption support replacement operation and the adsorbent application operation through the simultaneous execution of the automatic replacement means and the spraying means.

[0035] In addition, the present invention is designed to minimize physical damage to the adsorption support by adjusting the tension of the adsorption support through a tension control unit, and to facilitate the replacement of the adsorption support, thereby simplifying periodic maintenance work.

[0036] In addition, the present invention can increase the ability to respond to thermal stress by adjusting the tension through a tension control unit, thereby increasing the reliability of the device.

[0037] In addition, the present invention minimizes resistance to airflow by maintaining a uniform spacing between adsorption supports, and thereby reduces energy consumption and operating costs by maintaining a low differential pressure within the system.

[0038] In addition, the present invention allows for stacking or arranging a large amount of adsorbent within the same space, enabling not only high-efficiency carbon capture with a small installation space but also effective application in environments with limited installation space.

[0039] In addition, the present invention applies nozzles for heat source injection to multiple rods of a support member for maintaining spacing of the support members, thereby uniformly heating the interior of the DAC module. This not only allows the regeneration process of the adsorbent to be carried out efficiently but also eliminates the need to introduce a separate heat source manifold, thereby increasing the space utilization of the DAC module.

[0040] In addition, the present invention can maximize heat transfer efficiency by supplying a heat source through each load, thereby reducing energy consumption and operating costs.

[0041] In addition, the present invention can improve regeneration efficiency by ensuring that the regeneration process of the adsorbent is carried out evenly through the nozzles of each rod by uniformly discharging the heat source.

[0042] In addition, the present invention can solve the problem of reduced CO2 capture volume caused by the installation of conventional heat source manifolds by maximizing the utilization of the stacking or arrangement space of the adsorption support.

[0043] Furthermore, the present invention contributes to environmental protection by maximizing CO2 capture efficiency and can simultaneously realize economic benefits through reduced maintenance costs and mass production, thereby promoting sustainable development and playing an important role in solving the problem of climate change.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a direct air collection device configured to enable automatic replacement of a rollable adsorption support according to the present invention.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a direct air collection device according to the present invention,

[0046] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an automatic replacement means in a direct air collection device according to the present invention,

[0047] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a spraying means in a direct air collection device according to the present invention,

[0048] FIGS. 5 and 6 are open views showing another embodiment of the injection means in a direct air collection device according to the present invention,

[0049] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a direct air collection device including a tension-adjustable rollable adsorption support according to the present invention.

[0050] FIG. 8 is a side view showing the first operating part of the tension adjustment part in the direct air collection device according to the present invention,

[0051] FIGS. 9 and 10 are side views showing another embodiment of the first operating part of the tension adjustment part in a direct air collection device according to the present invention,

[0052] FIG. 11 is a side view showing the second operating part of the tension adjustment part in the direct air collection device according to the present invention,

[0053] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a second operating part of a tension adjustment part in a direct air collection device according to the present invention,

[0054] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the rod of the support member in a direct air collection device according to the present invention,

[0055] FIGS. 14 and 15 are a conceptual diagram and a perspective view showing a nozzle for heat source injection in a direct air collection device according to the present invention.

[0056]

[0057] In order to explain the operational advantages of the present invention and the objectives achieved by the implementation of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated below and examined with reference thereto.

[0058] First, the terms used in this application are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention; singular expressions may include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, in this application, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to specify the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0059] In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known components or functions may obscure the essence of the invention, such detailed description is omitted.

[0060]

[0061] In this specification, the direction of air flow is as shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 show cross-sectional views in a vertical direction relative to the direction of air flow, and the direction of air flow can be defined as a direction penetrating the ground.

[0062]

[0063] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, a direct air collection device configured to enable automatic replacement of a rollable adsorption support according to the present invention comprises a housing (10), an adsorption support (20) including an adsorbent, a support member (30) composed of a plurality of rods (31), and an automatic replacement means (40) for replacing the adsorption support (20).

[0064]

[0065] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the housing (10) according to the present invention is configured such that an adsorption support (20) is arranged on an internal receiving space and a support member (30) for supporting and maintaining spacing of the adsorption support (20) is installed.

[0066] The housing (10) is formed in the shape of a box, and the front end is provided with an inlet section (11) for the inflow of air, and the rear end may be configured with an outlet section (13) for the discharge of carbon dioxide contained in the air after it is collected by an adsorption support (20).

[0067] In addition, on both sides of the housing (10), an inlet (15) and an outlet (17) may be provided for supplying and discharging the adsorption support (20) when the adsorption support (20) is replaced or the adsorbent (23) is applied by the automatic replacement means (40) and spraying means (60), etc., to be described later. More specifically, based on FIG. 3, the inlet (15) may be formed on the lower right side of the housing (10), and the outlet (17) may be formed on the upper left side of the housing (20).

[0068] In addition, the upper and lower surfaces of the housing (10) can be formed in a structure that can be opened and closed for the process of applying an adsorbent (23) by a spraying means (60) to be described later.

[0069]

[0070] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the adsorption support (20) according to the present invention is arranged inside a housing (10) and configured to maintain a constant spacing by means of a rod (31) of a support member (30).

[0071] The adsorption support (20) can be manufactured by placing an adsorbent on a nonwoven fabric with a high porosity to capture carbon dioxide.

[0072] However, in the present invention, considering the automatic replacement of the adsorption support (20) and the flexibility of the adsorbent, the adsorbent may be applied and supplied when the adsorption support (20) is replaced. To this end, as shown in the attached FIGS. 4 to 6, a support (21) without the adsorbent applied can be wound on the first roller (41), and when the adsorption support (20) is replaced, the adsorbent (23) is applied to the support (21) by a spraying means (60), and the adsorption support (20) with the adsorbent (23) applied can be placed in a rollable form inside the housing (10) via each rod (31). In this case, the adsorption support (20) that was previously placed inside the housing can be wound on the second roller (43).

[0073] In particular, the adsorption support (20) is arranged vertically to form a space for air flow to lower the differential pressure, and may be spaced apart at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction with respect to the direction of air flow. That is, when the direction of air flow is considered to be the transverse direction with respect to the illustration in FIG. 1, the adsorption support may be arranged vertically in a direction that crosses the direction of air flow.

[0074] In this case, the air flow is formed along the space between each adsorption support (20), thereby minimizing the occurrence of differential pressure.

[0075] In this case, it is preferable that the spacing between each adsorption support (20) be spaced from 1 mm to 100 mm.

[0076] In this way, in order for the adsorption support (20) to maintain a predetermined spacing, a structure for supporting the adsorption support (20) is required, and such a structure can be implemented by a support member (30) to be described later.

[0077]

[0078] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, the support member (30) according to the present invention may include a plurality of rods (31) that are disposed inside the housing (10) and supported at both ends.

[0079] Each rod (31) of the support member is arranged along the direction of air flow and can be placed in the upper space and lower space of the housing (10). In this case, based on the illustration in FIG. 2, a plurality of rods can be spaced apart in the upper space to form an upper row, and a plurality of rods can be spaced apart in the lower space to form a lower row.

[0080] In this case, each rod (31) constituting the upper and lower rows has both ends mounted on a bracket-shaped panel (not shown) provided on the inlet (11) side and the outlet (13) side of the housing (10), and if necessary, each rod (31) can be formed to be able to rotate freely. In this case, it is preferable that the bracket-shaped panel be formed in the shape of a square frame so as not to obstruct the flow of air.

[0081] In this case, each rod (31) of the upper row and each rod (31) of the lower row can be arranged while maintaining a constant spacing. For example, assuming that the thickness of the adsorption support (20) is 5 mm and the spacing between the adsorption supports (20) arranged in multiple rows is 5 mm, each rod (31) of the upper row and the lower row can be arranged at a spacing of 15 mm. In this case, the thickness or diameter of each rod (31) is also 5 mm. However, the thickness of the adsorption support, the spacing, and the diameter of each rod as described above can be designed to have various thicknesses, spacings, and diameters if the generation of differential pressure can be reduced by considering the capacity of the direct air collection device, the amount of air flow, or the flow pressure.

[0082] In addition, the loads (31) of the upper row and the loads (31) of the lower row may be placed between the loads (31) of the upper row and the loads (31) of the lower row so that they do not overlap each other.

[0083] Accordingly, the adsorption support (20) can be arranged perpendicular to the direction of air flow by sequentially passing through the upper row rod (31) and the lower row rod (31), and can arrange multiple rows along the horizontal direction.

[0084] The adsorption support members (20), which are supported by the support members (30) provided in this manner and are arranged at regular intervals, capture carbon dioxide contained in the air as it passes through the inlet (11) of the housing (10), and the clean air from which carbon dioxide has been removed by the adsorption support members (20) can be discharged through the outlet (13) of the housing (10).

[0085] As described above, the adsorption support (20) according to the present invention can be arranged in a rollable form by means of the rod (31) of the support member. In this case, the adsorption support (20) can be arranged in a rollable form and at the same time at a constant interval. This is because the adsorption support (20) can also be arranged at a constant interval by arranging the rod (31) of the support member so that a constant interval is maintained. When the adsorption support (20) is arranged in a rollable form in this way, a maximum amount of adsorption support (20) can be arranged in a limited space. As a result, efficient arrangement of the adsorption support (20) becomes possible, thereby maximizing the performance of the DAC module.

[0086]

[0087] Meanwhile, the DAC module, which is composed of the housing (10), the adsorption support (20), and the support member (30) as described above, is subjected to repeated heating and cooling up to 150°C during batch operation several times a day. Under these extreme conditions, the adsorption support (20) may be subjected to thermal stress and may suffer physical damage. Such damage may cause problems such as deformation of the adsorbent layer, increased differential pressure due to adhesion between adsorbents, and reduced adsorption efficiency.

[0088] In order to prevent a decrease in the adsorption rate caused by damage to the adsorption support (20) resulting from frequent use of the DAC module, it is necessary to replace the damaged adsorption support.

[0089] However, there is a problem of reduced operational efficiency because the replacement work for the adsorption support is not only difficult but also takes a long time.

[0090] Therefore, in order to improve the inefficiency of the replacement work of the adsorption support, the present invention introduces an automatic replacement means to enable easy and convenient replacement of the adsorption support.

[0091]

[0092] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the automatic replacement means (40) according to the present invention is provided in a housing (10) and configured to replace a damaged adsorption support (20) or an adsorption support (20) whose adsorption rate has decreased as a result. In this case, the automatic replacement means may be formed in a structure mounted on the housing, and may also be temporarily installed and used when the adsorption support is replaced. When used temporarily in this manner, the automatic replacement means may be configured in a portable form.

[0093] To this end, the automatic replacement means (40) may be configured to include a first roller (41), a second roller (43), and a driving unit (45).

[0094] First, the first roller (41) can be positioned on one side of the housing (10), that is, on the right side of the housing (10) based on the illustration in FIG. 3, and the second roller (43) can be positioned on the other side of the housing (10), that is, on the left side of the housing based on the illustration in FIG. 3. In this case, the adsorption support (20) wound on the first roller (41) can be supplied into the housing (10) through the inlet (15), and the adsorption support (20) to be replaced can be wound on the second roller (43) through the outlet (17).

[0095] Next, the driving unit (45) of the automatic replacement means may be composed of a bracket (45a) and a driving motor (45b) to transmit power for replacing the adsorption support (20).

[0096] The bracket (45a) of the drive unit is mounted as a pair on each of the outer sides of the housing (10), that is, the lower part of the right side and the upper part of the left side based on the illustration in Fig. 3, so that both ends of the first roller (41) and the second roller (43) can be supported by the bracket (45a).

[0097] Additionally, the drive motor (45b) of the drive unit is mounted on the bracket (45a) and connected to the first roller (41) or the second roller (43) to drive the first roller (41) or the second roller (43) in rotation. In the attached drawings 1 and 2, the drive motor (45b) is shown as being connected to the second roller (43). However, it is also possible for the drive motor (45b) to be mounted on both the first and second rollers (41) and (43) to drive each roller in rotation. In this case, it is preferable that each drive motor (45b) be formed so that they are synchronized with each other and controlled at the same rotational speed.

[0098] In addition, although not shown in the attached drawings, when a drive motor is coupled to one end of the second roller as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is also desirable to mount bearings on the other end of the second roller and both ends of the first roller to ensure smooth rotation of each roller.

[0099] As described above, the automatic replacement means (40) configured such that when the drive motor (45b) is driven to replace the adsorption support (20), the damaged adsorption support (20) placed inside the housing (10) is wound onto the second roller (43). By rotational driving of the second roller (43), the adsorption support (20) moves via each rod (31), and at the same time, the new adsorption support (20) wound onto the first roller (41) can be supplied into the housing (10) through the inlet (15). In this way, the new adsorption support (20) supplied through the inlet (15) can be repositioned inside the housing (10) in a rollable form via each rod (31).

[0100] In this way, the automatic replacement means (40) according to the present invention can improve the operational efficiency of the device by easily and conveniently replacing the adsorption support to be replaced, thereby improving the inconvenience and process inefficiency associated with replacing the existing adsorption support.

[0101]

[0102] Meanwhile, the adsorption support (20) according to the present invention can be formed by applying an adsorbent (23) to a support (21) made of a material such as cellulose, polymer, pulp, heating element, etc.

[0103] However, in the case of the adsorbent (23), there is a problem with reduced flexibility due to its own physical properties, and when the adsorbent support (20) formed with the adsorbent (23) having reduced flexibility is arranged in a rollable form, there is a problem where the applied adsorbent (23) falls off or cracks occur. That is, the adsorbent support (20) with the adsorbent (23) applied in advance has reduced flexibility, so there is a problem that it is not suitable for configuring the adsorbent support (20) in a rollable form.

[0104] Therefore, in the present invention, a spraying means (60) can be introduced to solve the problem caused by the reduced flexibility of such adsorbent (23).

[0105] That is, the spraying means (60) according to the present invention is configured to be positioned outside the housing (10) and to spray and apply an adsorbent (23) to a support (21) wound on a first roller (41).

[0106] Such a spraying means (60) can be configured in various embodiments as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

[0107] First, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the spraying means (60) may be a first spraying unit (61) positioned in close proximity to the first roller (41). That is, when the adsorption support (20) is replaced by the automatic replacement means (40), the first spraying unit (61) can spray and apply an adsorbent (23) to the support (21) wound on the first roller (41). The support (21) coated with the adsorbent (23) in this manner can be introduced into the interior of the housing (10) through the inlet (15) and arranged in a rollable form inside the housing (10) via each rod (31).

[0108] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the spraying means (60) may be composed of a second spraying unit (63) positioned at the top and bottom of the housing (10). That is, the second spraying unit (63) can spray and apply an adsorbent (23) from the top and bottom of the support (21) while the support (21), wound on the first roller (41) by the automatic replacement means (40), is positioned in a rollable form inside the housing (10). Therefore, the adsorbent application operation by the second spraying unit (63) may be advantageous for forming a rollable adsorbent support (20) by applying the adsorbent (23) while the support (21) is positioned in a rollable form.

[0109] In this case, the upper and lower surfaces of the housing (10) can be formed in an open structure.

[0110] Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the spraying means (60) may be composed of a third spraying unit (65) positioned at the upper and lower portions of the housing (10). The third spraying unit (65) can apply an adsorbent (23) to the support members (21) by having a vertically positioned spray nozzle move between the support members (21) arranged in a rollable form inside the housing (10) to spray the adsorbent (23). In this case, the spray nozzle is configured to be able to move up and down, thereby spraying the adsorbent (23) while moving up and down, and thereby the adsorbent (23) can be uniformly applied to the surface of the support members (21). Therefore, the third spraying unit (65) can also be advantageous for forming a rollable adsorption support member (20) by applying the adsorbent (23) to the support members (21) arranged in a rollable form.

[0111] The spraying means (60) configured as described above compensates for the disadvantage of the adsorbent (23) having poor flexibility, thereby ensuring that there is no problem with the adsorbent support (20) being configured in a rollable form, and at the same time, can obtain the advantage of improving process efficiency in that the adsorbent (23) can be applied simultaneously when the adsorbent support (20) is replaced by the automatic replacement means (40).

[0112] Furthermore, the automatic replacement means and spraying means according to the present invention are advantageous in that they can efficiently perform maintenance in large-scale production processes of adsorbents or in large-capacity DAC facilities.

[0113] In addition, the automatic replacement means or the spraying means according to the present invention may be used only when replacing the adsorption support. That is, since the adsorption support can be replaced periodically or depending on the degree of reduction in the adsorption rate, the replacement period may be carried out regularly, such as every six months, one year, or several years, or irregularly over a not-so-short period. Therefore, in terms of the operational efficiency of the device, it is also desirable to manufacture the automatic replacement means and the spraying means in a portable form and install and use them only when replacing the adsorption support.

[0114]

[0115] As another embodiment of the direct air collection device according to the present invention, a direct air collection device capable of adjusting the tension of an adsorption support will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 12.

[0116]

[0117] In the present specification below, the direction of air flow is as shown in FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, FIG. 9, FIG. 10 and FIG. 12 show cross-sectional states in the vertical direction based on the direction of air flow, and the direction of air flow can be defined as a direction penetrating the ground.

[0118]

[0119] As illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 12, the direct air collection device capable of adjusting the tension of an adsorption support according to the present invention comprises a housing (10), an adsorption support (20) including an adsorbent, a support member (30) composed of a plurality of rods (31), and a tension adjustment member (40) for adjusting the tension of the adsorption support (20).

[0120]

[0121] As illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10 and FIGS. 12, the housing (10) according to the present invention is configured such that an adsorption support (20) is arranged on an internal receiving space and a support member (30) for supporting and maintaining spacing of the adsorption support (20) is installed.

[0122] The housing (10) is formed in the shape of a box, and the front end is provided with an inlet section (11) for the inflow of air, and the rear end may be configured with an outlet section (13) for the discharge of carbon dioxide contained in the air after it is collected by an adsorption support (20).

[0123]

[0124] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 12, the adsorption support (20) according to the present invention is arranged inside a housing (10) and configured to maintain a constant spacing by the rod (31) of the support member (30).

[0125] The adsorption support (20) can be manufactured by placing an adsorbent on a nonwoven fabric with a high porosity to capture carbon dioxide.

[0126] In particular, the adsorption support (20) is arranged vertically to form a space for air flow to lower the differential pressure, and may be spaced apart at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction with respect to the direction of air flow. That is, when the direction of air flow is the transverse direction with respect to the illustration in FIG. 7, the adsorption support may be arranged vertically in a direction that crosses the direction of air flow.

[0127] In this case, the air flow is formed along the space between each adsorption support (20), thereby minimizing the occurrence of differential pressure.

[0128] In this case, it is preferable that the spacing between each adsorption support (20) be spaced to about 1 mm to 10 mm.

[0129] In this way, in order for the adsorption support (20) to maintain a predetermined spacing, a structure for supporting the adsorption support (20) is required, and such a structure can be implemented by a support member (30) to be described later.

[0130]

[0131] As illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 12, the support member (30) according to the present invention may include a plurality of rods (31) that are disposed inside the housing (10) and supported at both ends.

[0132] Each rod (31) of the support member is arranged along the direction of air flow and can be placed in the upper space and lower space of the housing (10). In this case, based on the illustration in FIG. 8, a plurality of rods can be spaced apart in the upper space to form an upper row, and a plurality of rods can be spaced apart in the lower space to form a lower row.

[0133] In this case, each rod (31) constituting the upper and lower rows may have both ends mounted on a bracket-shaped panel (not shown) provided on the inlet (11) side and the outlet (13) side of the housing (10), and if necessary, each rod (31) may be formed to be able to rotate freely. In this case, it is preferable that the bracket-shaped panel be formed in the shape of a square frame so as not to obstruct the flow of air.

[0134] In this case, each rod (31) of the upper row and each rod (31) of the lower row can be arranged while maintaining a constant spacing. For example, assuming that the thickness of the adsorption support (20) is 1 mm to 10 mm and the spacing between the adsorption supports (20) arranged in multiple rows is 1 mm to 10 mm depending on the thickness of the adsorption support, the distance between each rod (31) of the upper row and the lower row can be arranged at a spacing of 3 mm to 30 mm. In this case, the thickness or diameter of each rod (31) is also 1 mm to 10 mm.

[0135] In addition, the spacing between rollable adsorption supports via each rod can be specified, and in this case, the spacing between each rod can also be determined according to the spacing between adsorption supports.

[0136] In addition, the load (31) of the upper row and the load (31) of the lower row may be placed between the load (31) of the upper row and the load (31) of the lower row so that they do not overlap each other.

[0137] Accordingly, the adsorption support (20) can be arranged perpendicular to the direction of air flow by sequentially passing through the upper row rod (31) and the lower row rod (31), and can arrange multiple rows along the horizontal direction.

[0138] The adsorption support members (20), which are supported by the support members (30) provided in this manner and are arranged at regular intervals, capture carbon dioxide contained in the air as it passes through the inlet (11) of the housing (10), and the clean air from which carbon dioxide has been removed by the adsorption support members (20) can be discharged through the outlet (13) of the housing (10).

[0139] As described above, the adsorption support (20) according to the present invention can be arranged in a rollable form by means of the rod (31) of the support member. In this case, the adsorption support (20) can be arranged in a rollable form and at the same time at a constant interval. This is because the adsorption support (20) can also be arranged at a constant interval by arranging the rod (31) of the support member so that a constant interval is maintained. When the adsorption support (20) is arranged in a rollable form in this way, a maximum amount of adsorption support (20) can be arranged in a limited space. As a result, efficient arrangement of the adsorption support (20) becomes possible, thereby maximizing the performance of the DAC module.

[0140]

[0141] Meanwhile, the DAC module, which is composed of the housing (10), the adsorption support (20), and the support member (30) as described above, undergoes repeated heating and cooling up to 150°C during batch operation several times a day. Under these extreme conditions, the adsorption support (20) may be subjected to thermal stress, which may result in physical damage. Such damage may cause the spacing between the adsorption supports (20) to be uneven due to a decrease in the tension of the adsorption support (20). Additionally, problems may arise such as deformation of the adsorbent layer, increased differential pressure due to adhesion between the adsorbents, and reduced adsorption efficiency.

[0142] In this way, it is necessary to maintain a constant tension of the adsorption support (20) caused by frequent use of the DAC module so that the spacing between the adsorption support (20) is maintained at a constant level.

[0143] Therefore, in the present invention, a tension control unit (40) is introduced so that the tension of the adsorption support (20) can be maintained at a constant level, and by maintaining the spacing between the adsorption support (20) at a constant level, an increase in differential pressure or a decrease in adsorption efficiency can be prevented.

[0144]

[0145] As illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 12, the tension adjustment unit (400) according to the present invention is configured to be provided on at least one of the rods (31) of the support unit (30) to adjust the tension of the adsorption support (20).

[0146] The tension control unit (400) for this purpose may be composed of a first operating unit (410) for controlling the tension of the adsorption support (20) through the rotational movement of the rod (31) of the support unit (30), and a second operating unit (430) for controlling the tension of the adsorption support (20) through the linear movement of the rod (31) of the support unit (30).

[0147] Before describing the first and second operating parts (410) (430) of the tension adjustment part (400) as described above, the rod (31) of the support part (30) can be specified according to its arrangement position. Such specification according to the arrangement position of the rod (31) is for the purpose of distinction for convenience and does not imply being limited thereto.

[0148] That is, based on the city of Fig. 8, the first rod (31A) can be defined as a rod (31) positioned at the left end of the lower row of the hull (10), and the second rod (31B) can be defined as a rod (31) positioned at the right end of the upper row of the hull (10). Below, the description will be based on the specific positions of the rods as described above.

[0149]

[0150] First, the first operating part (410) of the tension adjustment part (400) may be provided on the first rod (31A) or the second rod (31B), or on both the first and second rods (31B).

[0151] That is, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the first operating part (410) is formed on the first rod (31A) or the second rod (31B). That is, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the first rotating body (410a) is connected to the end of the second rod (31B) and placed inside the housing (10), and the first rotating body (410a) can be connected to a driving motor (410d) mounted on the inside of the side panel of the housing. In this case, the driving motor (410d) is provided with a pulley on the drive shaft, and the pulley and the first rotating body (410a) can be connected by a driving belt (410e).

[0152] Therefore, when the drive motor (410d) is operated, the first rotating body (410a) rotates via the drive belt (410e), causing the adsorption support (20) to be pulled in one direction. In this way, the adsorption support (20), pulled by the first operating part (410), can be pulled along each rod (31) and its tension can be restored. Thus, as the tension of the adsorption support (20) is restored by the first operating part (410), the spacing between the adsorption support (20) can be maintained at a constant level.

[0153] The first operating part (410) can be formed on the second rod (31B) as in FIG. 2, or on the first rod (31A) although not shown in the attached drawings.

[0154] Additionally, the first operating part (410) is installed on the first rod (31A) and the second rod (31B) respectively to pull the adsorption support (20) from both directions to restore tension, thereby allowing the gap between the adsorption support (20) to be maintained at a constant level. As shown in FIG. 9, a driving motor (410d) is provided on the first rod (31A) and the second rod (31B) respectively, and when the rotation direction of each driving motor (410d) is operated in opposite directions, the first rod (31A) and the second rod (31B) rotate in opposite directions to pull both ends of the adsorption support (20) in opposite directions to adjust the tension. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, when the second rod (31B) is rotated clockwise, the first rod (31A) is rotated counterclockwise, thereby obtaining the effect of the adsorption support (20) being pulled from both directions.

[0155] In this case, power can be transmitted to the second rod (31B) by the first rotor (410a), the drive motor (410d), and the drive belt (410e), and power can be transmitted to the first rod (31A) by the second rotor (410b), the drive motor (410d), and the drive belt (410e).

[0156] Next, as another embodiment of the first operating part (410) of the tension control part (400) according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 10, the first rod (31A) and the second rod (31B) are configured to be linked together.

[0157] That is, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the second operating part (410) may be composed of a rotating body connected to the ends of the first and second rods (31B) and a connecting wire (410c) connecting each rotating body. In this case, the rotating body connected to the first rod (31A) may be the second rotating body (410b), and the rotating body connected to the second rod (31B) may be the first rotating body (410a) for convenience.

[0158] In addition, a drive motor (410d) may be connected to the first rotor (410a) so that the power of the first operating part (410) can be transmitted to the second rod (31B) as shown in FIG. 10. In this case, the drive motor (410d) is equipped with a pulley on the drive shaft, and the pulley and the first rotor (410a) may be connected by a drive belt (410e).

[0159] Therefore, when the drive motor (410d) is operated, the second rod (31B) can be rotated in one direction, that is, clockwise, by the first rotating body (410a). In this case, the first rod (31A) is linked by the connecting wire (410c), and the rotation direction of the first rod (31A) must be able to rotate in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the second rod (31B). That is, if the second rod (31B) rotates clockwise, the first rod (31A) must rotate counterclockwise so that the suction support (20) is pulled from both directions and the tension can be restored.

[0160] Accordingly, the connecting wire (410c) connecting the second rotating body (410b) connected to the first rod (31A) and the first rotating body (410a) connected to the second rod (31B) is connected in a cross shape as shown in FIG. 8, so that each rotating body is linked but can rotate in opposite directions, thereby allowing the suction support (20) to be pulled from both directions to recover tension.

[0161] The embodiments of FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are similar in that the first operating part (410) is installed on the first rod (31A) and the second rod (31B), respectively; however, the embodiment of FIG. 9 is different in that a driving motor (410d) is mounted on both the first and second rods (31A) (31B), whereas the embodiment of FIG. 10 is configured so that the first and second rods (31A) (31B) are linked by a single driving motor (410d). Regardless of which method is used between the embodiments of FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the ability to adjust the tension of the adsorption support (20) is the same, but in terms of economic efficiency, there is an advantage in using a single driving motor as in the embodiment of FIG. 10.

[0162]

[0163] The first operating part (410) of the tension control part (400) described above rotates at least one of the rods (31) of the support part (30), thereby pulling the adsorption support (20) in one direction or both directions to restore tension and maintain a constant distance between the adsorption support (20).

[0164]

[0165] The second operating part (430) of the tension control part (400) according to the present invention can control the tension of the adsorption support (20) through the linear movement of the rod (31) as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

[0166] That is, the second operating part (430) may be configured to include an elongated hole (430a) formed in the housing (10) to accommodate both ends of the rod (31), an adjustment bracket (430b) disposed inside the housing (10) and having a guide hole (430c) corresponding to the elongated hole (430a), an adjustment bolt (430d) provided to allow idle rotation by penetrating the lower and upper parts of the adjustment bracket (430b), and a threaded hole formed in the rod (31) and engaged with the adjustment bolt (430d).

[0167] That is, the second operating part (430) is exposed by the end of the rod (31) passing through the elongated hole (430a) and the guide hole (430c) of the adjustment bracket (430b), and the adjustment bolt (430d), which is connected to the adjustment bracket (430b) so that both ends can rotate freely, can pass through the screw hole (430e) formed in the rod (31) and be connected. In this case, an adjustment knob (430f) may be provided at one end of the adjustment bolt (430d).

[0168] Accordingly, when the adjustment knob (430f) is rotated in one direction, the adjustment bolt (430d) rotates, and the rod (31) can move forward or backward through the screw hole (430e) according to the direction of rotation of the adjustment bolt (430d). In this way, when the rod (31) moves forward or backward, more specifically, when the rod placed in the front row moves backward and the rod placed in the rear row moves forward, the adsorption support (20) is pulled in the forward and backward directions, and at the same time, the adjacent adsorption support (20) is also pulled in the forward and backward directions, thereby restoring tension.

[0169] In this case, in order to restore the tension of the adsorption support (20) more efficiently, it is preferable to have a plurality of second operating parts (430) as shown in FIG. 11. Furthermore, it is also preferable to set the area where the pulling force is applied according to the rising stroke of the rod (31) and to mount the second operating parts (430) at the necessary positions so that the tension of the adsorption support (20) can be adjusted more efficiently.

[0170]

[0171] Furthermore, the rod (31) of the support member according to the present invention may be configured to allow idle rotation for automatic replacement work or for smooth movement of the adsorption support member (20).

[0172] In addition, when tension is adjusted by rotating the rod (31) of the support member (30) as in the first operating part (410), there may be a problem in that tension adjustment is not smooth, especially when the adsorption support (20) slides on the rotating rod (31).

[0173] Therefore, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 13, it is also desirable to form an anti-slip piece (33) on the outer surface of each rod so that the adsorption support can move without slipping when each rod (31) rotates.

[0174] Meanwhile, regarding tension adjustment, it is desirable that the suction support (20) be pulled without slipping on each rod (31) when adjusting tension by means of the anti-slip piece (33). However, if necessary, it is also possible to form the anti-slip piece (33) on part or all of other rods in addition to the first and second rods.

[0175] It is preferable that such anti-slip pieces (33) be arranged in multiple numbers on the outer surface of the rod (31) in the form of pointed protrusions.

[0176]

[0177] Furthermore, in the direct air collection device according to the present invention, a process of periodically heating is required to regenerate the adsorbent of the DAC module.

[0178] In order to achieve such a heating process, conventional methods primarily supply local heat sources such as Joule heat or fluid heat sources (e.g., steam), which has the limitation that it is difficult to achieve uniform heating. Furthermore, if an additional manifold is installed to supply the heat source inside the enclosure, it can cause a problem of reducing the installation space of the adsorption support (20) and decreasing the amount of CO2 captured.

[0179] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, in the present invention, a plurality of nozzles (50) are formed on each rod (31) for supporting the adsorption support (20) so that a Heat Source, i.e., a Heat Source, can be transported and supplied.

[0180] That is, nozzles (50) spaced apart at regular intervals are formed on each rod (31) of the support member (30), and a heat source is supplied to each rod (31) through a heat source supply device. The heat source supplied to each rod (31) in this manner is sprayed through the nozzles (50), thereby allowing the DAC module, i.e., the interior of the housing (10), to be heated uniformly, and thus the regeneration process of the adsorbent can be implemented efficiently and uniformly.

[0181] In addition, there is no need to install a separate Heat Source manifold, so the space efficiency inside the enclosure (10) can be increased, and through this, the number of adsorption support members (20) can be increased, thereby further increasing the adsorption efficiency.

[0182] In the illustration of FIG. 15, illustration (a) shows nozzles (50) arranged in a single row on one rod (31), and illustration (b) shows nozzles (50) arranged in multiple rows on one rod (31).

[0183] In particular, in the city of FIG. 15 (b), the first row nozzle (51) is configured so that the injection direction of the Heat Source is directed upward, and the second row nozzle (53) is configured so that the injection direction of the Heat Source is directed downward. Additionally, the third row nozzle (50) may be configured so that the injection direction of the Heat Source is directed towards the center. In this case, the overall injection direction of the Heat Source is configured to be directed sideways.

[0184] That is, the first to third row nozzles (51)(53)(55) allow the Heat Source to be sprayed upward, downward, and towards the center, respectively, thereby heating the inside of the housing (10) more uniformly. In addition, it is desirable that the nozzles (51)(53)(55) of each row be arranged alternately so that the sprayed Heat Sources do not overlap with one another or minimize interference between them, thereby maximizing the uniform heating effect inside the housing (10).

[0185] However, if the support is a heating element that generates heat on its own, such as a film heater, carbon fiber, or mica heater, a configuration to provide a heat source at each load may not be necessary, as the regeneration operation of the adsorbent is possible through heat supply by the heating element.

[0186]

[0187] As such, the present invention has been described with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the drawings, but this is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible therefrom.

[0188] Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical concept of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An enclosure having an air inlet and an air outlet; An adsorption support disposed inside the above-mentioned housing and comprising an adsorbent; A support member comprising a plurality of rods disposed in the above-mentioned housing and supported at both ends, wherein the rods are arranged in a plurality of rows and formed so that the adsorption support can be disposed via them; and Automatic replacement means provided in the above-mentioned housing for replacing the adsorption support; A direct air collection device comprising:

2. In claim 1, the automatic replacement means A first roller disposed on one side of the above-mentioned housing and having a novel adsorption support wound thereon, and A second roller disposed on the other side of the above-mentioned housing for winding a replacement adsorption support, and A direct air collection device characterized by comprising a driving unit for transmitting power to the first roller or the second roller, or the first and second rollers, to replace the adsorption support.

3. In claim 2, the driving part of the automatic replacement means A bracket provided in the above-mentioned housing for rotatably supporting both ends of the first and second rollers, and A direct air collection device characterized by comprising a drive motor mounted on the bracket and connected to the first roller or the second roller, or the first and second rollers, to transmit power.

4. In Paragraph 3, An inlet portion for supplying an adsorption support wound on the first roller is formed on one side of the above-mentioned housing, and A direct air collection device characterized by having a discharge section on the other side of the above-mentioned housing for discharging an adsorption support to be wound onto the second roller.

5. In Paragraph 2, A support for an adsorption support is wound on the first roller above, and A direct air collection device characterized by further having a spraying means for applying an adsorbent to the support body on the outside of the above-mentioned housing.

6. In Paragraph 5, A direct air collection device characterized in that the above-mentioned spraying means further includes a first spraying unit positioned in close proximity to the first roller for applying an adsorbent to a support supplied from the first roller.

7. In Paragraph 6, The upper and lower surfaces of the above-mentioned housing are configured to be openable and closable, and A direct air collection device characterized by further including a second spraying unit for spraying an adsorbent onto a support member replaced by the first roller and the second roller, which is positioned at the upper and lower portions of the housing while the upper and lower portions of the housing are open.

8. In Paragraph 5, A direct air collection device characterized by the above automatic replacement means and the above spraying means operating simultaneously so that the replacement of the adsorption support and the application of the adsorbent proceed simultaneously.

9. An enclosure having an air inlet and an exhaust; An adsorption support disposed inside the above-mentioned housing and comprising an adsorbent; A support member comprising a plurality of rods disposed in the above-mentioned housing and supported at both ends, wherein the plurality of rods are arranged in a plurality of rows so that the adsorption support passes through the plurality of rods continuously; and At least one of the rods of the above-mentioned support member has a tension adjustment part for adjusting the tension of the adsorption support member; A direct air collection device comprising 10. In Paragraph 9, The above tension adjustment unit is a direct air collection device that adjusts the tension of the adsorption support through the rotation of the rod or adjusts the tension by the pulling force of the adsorption support through the linear movement of the rod.

11. In Paragraph 10, A direct air collection device further comprising a first actuator connected to the end of the first rod or the second rod, or the first and second rods, for adjusting the tension of the adsorption support through the rotational movement of the first rod or the second rod, or the first and second rods.

12. In Paragraph 11, A direct air collection device configured such that when the first operating part of the tension adjustment part is formed on the first and second rods, the rotational directions of the first rod and the second rod rotate in opposite directions to each other.

13. In Paragraph 11, When the first operating part is formed on the first and second rods, the first operating part A rotating body connected to the ends of the first and second rods, and It includes a connecting wire connecting the above-mentioned rotating body, The above connecting wire is a direct air collection device that is connected in a cross shape to each rotating body so that the rotational direction of the first rod and the second rod is reversed.

14. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 13, A direct air collection device equipped with a rollable adsorption support capable of automatic replacement, characterized in that the adsorption support is arranged in a rollable form by passing through the plurality of rods.

15. In Paragraph 14, The above-mentioned rollable adsorption support is arranged in a vertical direction, spaced apart along the longitudinal direction with respect to the direction of air flow, and A direct air collection device equipped with a rollable adsorption support capable of automatic replacement, characterized in that the air flow is formed along the space between the adsorption supports.

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