Device and method for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture by means of a jet pump, method and controller for operating a device of this type
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
- Filing Date
- 2024-05-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-06
AI Technical Summary
Current chemical CO2 capture systems require large stainless steel heat exchangers to condense and separate water vapor from CO2, increasing system complexity and costs due to corrosion risks, and often produce CO2 of varying quality that needs further treatment.
A device and method using a jet pump to separate water vapor-gas mixtures by cooling and condensing water vapor within the pump, eliminating the need for a heat exchanger and allowing for modular design, with a water separator to isolate liquid and gas phases, thereby simplifying the system and reducing costs by eliminating stainless steel pipelines.
This approach effectively separates carbon dioxide from ambient air, reducing system complexity and costs while ensuring reliable CO2 extraction and condensation, improving the efficiency of Direct Air Capture (DAC) systems by using a jet pump as a vacuum pump to cool and condense water vapor without a heat exchanger.
Smart Images
Figure EP2024062388_02012025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Description
[0002] title
[0003] Device and method for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture by means of a jet pump, method and control device for operating such a device
[0004] State of the art
[0005] The invention relates to a device and a method for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture, as well as to a method and a control device for operating such a device according to the preamble of the independent claims. The present invention also relates to a computer program.
[0006] In order to limit the warming of the Earth's atmosphere, there is discussion about actively reducing the CO2 content, which has increased dramatically in recent decades due to industrialization. For this purpose, so-called DAC systems (DAC = Direct Air Capture) or DAC devices can be used. These actively remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the ambient air, for example via the ventilation system in buildings, so that the CO2 can be permanently stored in another system, for example by injecting it into geological cavities. Various technologies based on natural biological and chemical processes for CO2 capture are available or under development and differ in terms of, among other things, potential, ease of implementation and the resulting products. While biological capture processes usually result in solid products such as wood, biomass, etc., in which CO2 is bound and which can be used or traded in this form, lead to chemical.
[0007] Separation processes result in gaseous CO2 of varying quality in terms of concentration, purity, etc., and require further treatment. WO 2021 / 239747 presents an example of a chemical capture system in which, in a first step, CO2 from the air is temporarily bound to an adsorber medium by pumping with a blower (adsorption). In a second step, after sealing the system from the environment, the CO2 can be removed from the adsorber medium and piped into a second system (desorption). Such a system requires a large central stainless steel heat exchanger with a water separator to condense and remove the water vapor from the CO2, the mixture of which is created by the desorption process, ultimately achieving a lower mass flow into a pump and reducing the risk of corrosion.
[0008] Disclosure of the invention
[0009] Against this background, the approach presented here presents a device for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture, a method for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture, a method for operating such a device, a corresponding control unit, and finally a corresponding computer program according to the main claims. The measures listed in the dependent claims enable advantageous refinements and improvements of the device specified in the independent claim.
[0010] According to embodiments, a jet pump can be used, particularly for extracting carbon dioxide from ambient air, to extract, cool, and condense water vapor from a water vapor-gas mixture in DAC applications (DAC = Direct Air Capture). Thus, a DAC system or DAC device can be simplified by using a jet pump operating as a vacuum pump, completely eliminating the need for a conventional heat exchanger. Eliminating the need for a heat exchanger in this way reduces system complexity and improves modularity. Furthermore, costs can be reduced because stainless steel piping, which would traditionally be necessary due to the corrosive nature of the CCh-water vapor mixture, can be largely or entirely eliminated.
[0011] A device for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture is presented, the device having the following features: a jet pump with a driving fluid connection for admitting a driving fluid, a suction fluid connection for admitting the water vapor-gas mixture as suction fluid, and an output connection for discharging a starting mixture comprising the driving fluid and the suction fluid, wherein a gas component of the water vapor-gas mixture comprises carbon dioxide, the jet pump being designed to discharge the starting mixture as a two-phase starting mixture by cooling the water vapor to its condensation temperature; and a water separator which is connectable or connected to the output connection of the jet pump, the water separator being designed to separate the liquid phase from the gas phase of the starting mixture in order to provide both phases separately from one another.
[0012] The device can also be referred to as a DAC device or a DAC system, where DAC stands for Direct Air Capture. The jet pump can be operated using the Venturi effect. The gas component of the water vapor-gas mixture can comprise exclusively carbon dioxide. The starting mixture is generated from the motive fluid and the suction fluid. The liquid phase of the starting mixture can comprise condensed water. The gas phase of the starting mixture can comprise carbon dioxide, in particular exclusively carbon dioxide. The device is designed, shaped, and additionally or alternatively dimensioned to cool the water vapor to its condensation temperature during operation with the motive fluid and the suction fluid. According to one embodiment, the device can be designed to separate mixture components of a water vapor-carbon dioxide mixture in order to recover carbon dioxide.Such an embodiment offers the advantage that carbon dioxide can be reliably extracted from pre-processed ambient air through a simple design of the device.
[0013] In particular, the jet pump can be designed or operated as a vacuum pump. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that the water vapor-gas mixture can be both extracted and cooled by such a jet pump in order to condense the water vapor.
[0014] The device can also have a conveying device designed to convey the driving fluid to the driving fluid connection of the jet pump. The conveying device can be designed as a simple and cost-effective pump, in particular a water pump, such as a gear pump. Using the conveying device, at least one fluid parameter of the driving fluid can be adjusted depending on at least one fluid parameter of the suction fluid and additionally or alternatively depending on at least one environmental parameter of an environment of the device. A parameter can be understood as at least one parameter from a group comprising a pressure, a temperature, a flow velocity, a flow rate, a mass flow, and a volume flow.Such an embodiment offers the advantage that the supply of the driving fluid to the jet pump can be carried out reliably and precisely defined, in particular with regard to a pressure and additionally or alternatively a temperature.
[0015] The conveyor device can be designed to convey at least a portion of the liquid phase of the starting mixture as the driving fluid to the driving fluid connection of the jet pump. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that a medium already present as a product of the device can be reused in the process carried out by the device. A method for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture is also presented, the method comprising the following steps:
[0016] Creating a starting mixture from a driving fluid and the water vapor-gas mixture as a suction fluid by cooling the water vapor to its condensation temperature to discharge the starting mixture as a two-phase starting mixture, wherein the step of creating is carried out using a jet pump having a driving fluid port for admitting the driving fluid, a suction fluid port for admitting the suction fluid, and an output port for discharging the starting mixture, wherein a gas component of the water vapor-gas mixture comprises carbon dioxide; and
[0017] Separation of the liquid phase from the gas phase of the starting mixture using a water separator connected to the outlet port of the jet pump to provide both phases separately.
[0018] The method can be advantageously carried out in conjunction with and additionally or alternatively using an embodiment of a device mentioned herein.
[0019] A method for operating an embodiment of a device mentioned herein is further presented, the method comprising the following steps:
[0020] causing the motive fluid and the suction fluid to be supplied to the jet pump; and
[0021] Discharging the liquid phase and the gas phase separately from the water separator. By performing the steps of the method, an embodiment of a device mentioned herein can thus be advantageously operated or, in other words, the operation of a device mentioned herein can be advantageously controlled. In the step of effecting the supply, the supply of the driving fluid can be actively effected, whereby the suction fluid is sucked in by the Venturi effect.
[0022] According to one embodiment, in the step of effecting the supply, at least one fluid parameter of the driving fluid can be adjusted depending on at least one fluid parameter of the suction fluid and additionally or alternatively depending on at least one environmental parameter of an environment of the device. A parameter can be understood as at least one parameter from a group comprising a pressure, a temperature, a flow velocity, a flow rate, a mass flow, and a volume flow. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that the driving fluid can be conveyed to the jet pump in a reliable and precisely defined manner in order to achieve the condensation of the water vapor. In particular, the pressure and additionally or alternatively the temperature can be adjusted.
[0023] This method can be implemented, for example, in software or hardware or in a mixed form of software and hardware, for example in a control unit or device.
[0024] The approach presented here further provides a control unit configured to perform, control, or implement the steps of a variant of a method presented here in corresponding devices. This embodiment of the invention in the form of a control unit also allows the problem underlying the invention to be solved quickly and efficiently.
[0025] For this purpose, the control unit can have at least one computing unit for processing signals or data, at least one memory unit for storing signals or data, at least one interface to a sensor or an actuator for reading sensor signals from the sensor or for outputting control signals to the actuator, and / or at least one communication interface for reading or outputting data embedded in a communication protocol. The computing unit can be, for example, a signal processor, a microcontroller, or the like, wherein the memory unit can be a flash memory or a magnetic storage unit.The communication interface can be designed to read in or output data wirelessly and / or wired, wherein a communication interface that can read in or output wired data can read this data, for example, electrically or optically from a corresponding data transmission line or output it to a corresponding data transmission line.
[0026] In this context, a control unit can be understood as an electrical device that processes sensor signals and outputs control and / or data signals depending on them. The control unit can have an interface that can be implemented in hardware and / or software. In a hardware implementation, the interfaces can, for example, be part of a so-called system ASIC, which contains a wide variety of functions of the control unit. However, it is also possible for the interfaces to be separate integrated circuits or to consist at least partially of discrete components. In a software implementation, the interfaces can be software modules that are present, for example, on a microcontroller alongside other software modules.
[0027] Also advantageous is a computer program product or computer program with program code that can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory or an optical memory and is used to carry out, implement and / or control the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described above, in particular when the program product or program is executed on a computer or a device.
[0028] Embodiments of the approach presented here are illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a system for direct air capture;
[0029] Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a device for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture;
[0030] Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a device for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture;
[0031] Fig. 4 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture;
[0032] Fig. 5 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for operating a device;
[0033] Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of a control device according to an embodiment;
[0034] Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of pressure and flow velocity along a longitudinal axis of a jet pump of a device according to an embodiment; and
[0035] Fig. 8 is a schematic phase diagram for water in connection with a change of state of water vapor in a device according to an embodiment.
[0036] In the following description of advantageous exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals are used for the elements shown in the various figures and having a similar effect, whereby a repeated description of these elements is omitted. Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a system 100 for direct air capture. The system 100 comprises a supply device 110, a heat exchanger 120, a water separator 130 and a pump 140. The supply device 110 is designed to provide a water vapor-CCh mixture 115 from ambient air. The heat exchanger 120 is designed to cool the water vapor-CCh mixture in order to output liquid water and CO2 or carbon dioxide as starting product 125. The water separator 130 is designed to separate or separate the liquid water 133 from the gaseous CO2 135. The pump 140 is designed to further pump the CO2 135.
[0037] Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a device 200 for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture 215. The device 200 comprises a jet pump 220 and a water separator 230. The device 200 can be used for direct air capture.
[0038] The jet pump 220 comprises a driving fluid connection 222 for admitting a driving fluid 205, for example, water, a suction fluid connection 224 for admitting the water vapor-gas mixture 215 as suction fluid, and an output connection 226 for discharging a starting mixture 225 comprising the driving fluid 205 and the suction fluid 215. A gas component of the water vapor-gas mixture 215 comprises carbon dioxide or CO2. The jet pump 220 is configured to discharge the starting mixture 225 as a two-phase starting mixture 225 by cooling the water vapor to its condensation temperature.
[0039] The water separator 230 is connected to the output port 226 of the jet pump 220. The water separator 230 is designed to separate the liquid phase 233 from the gas phase 235 of the starting mixture 225 in order to provide both phases 233 and 235 separately from one another. In other words, the water separator 230 is designed to divide or separate the starting mixture 225 into the liquid phase 233 and the gas phase 235. In particular, the device 200 is designed to separate mixture components of a water vapor-carbon dioxide mixture 215 in order to recover carbon dioxide in the gas phase 235 of the starting mixture 225. Furthermore, the jet pump 220 is designed as a vacuum pump according to one embodiment. Thus, by means of the jet pump 220, the suction fluid, here the water vapor-gas mixture 215 and in particular the water vapor-carbon dioxide mixture, can be sucked in or sucked out via the suction fluid connection 224.
[0040] According to one embodiment, the device 200 is fluidically connected to a supply device 210 for providing the water vapor-gas mixture 215, in particular the water vapor-carbon dioxide mixture. The suction fluid connection 224 of the jet pump 220 is connected to the supply device 210. Alternatively, the device 200 can also comprise the supply device 210.
[0041] Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a device 200 for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture 215. The device 200 shown and described in Fig. 3 corresponds to the device from Fig. 2 with the exception that the device 200 additionally comprises a conveying device 340. The conveying device 340 is designed to convey the driving fluid 205 to the driving fluid connection 222 of the jet pump 220. According to one embodiment, the conveying device 340 is designed to convey at least a portion of the liquid phase 233 of the starting mixture 225 as the driving fluid 205 to the driving fluid connection 222 of the jet pump 220.
[0042] Fig. 4 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method 400 for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture. The separation method 400 can be carried out in conjunction with and / or using the device from Fig. 2 or Fig. 3. The separation method 400 comprises a generating step 420 and a separating step 430. In the generating step 420, a starting mixture is generated from a driving fluid and the water vapor-gas mixture as suction fluid by cooling the water vapor to its condensation temperature in order to output the starting mixture as a two-phase starting mixture. The generating step 420 is carried out using a jet pump having a driving fluid connection for inlet of the driving fluid, a suction fluid connection for inlet of the suction fluid, and an output connection for outputting the starting mixture.One gas component of the water vapor-gas mixture includes carbon dioxide.
[0043] In the separation step 430, the liquid phase is separated from the gas phase of the starting mixture using a water separator connected to the outlet port of the jet pump to provide both phases separately.
[0044] By carrying out the separation method 400, carbon dioxide can be extracted from ambient air, in particular pre-processed or treated ambient air, within the scope of a DAC application.
[0045] Fig. 5 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method 500 for operating a device. The method 500 for operating can be implemented to operate the device of Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 or a similar device, or to control the operation thereof. The method 500 for operating comprises a step 550 of supplying the drive fluid and, optionally, additionally the suction fluid to the jet pump. Furthermore, the method 500 for operating comprises a step 560 of discharging the liquid phase and the gas phase separately from the water separator.
[0046] According to one embodiment, in step 550 of effecting the supply, at least one fluid parameter of the driving fluid is adjusted depending on at least one fluid parameter of the suction fluid and / or at least one environmental parameter of an environment of the device. Fig. 6 shows a schematic representation of a control unit 600 according to one embodiment. The control unit 600 is configured to execute and / or control the steps of the operating method from Fig. 5 in corresponding units. The control unit 600 comprises a first effecting device 650 and a second effecting device 660.
[0047] The first actuating device 650 is configured to effect the supply of the driving fluid and, optionally, additionally the suction fluid to the jet pump. For this purpose, the first actuating device 650 is configured to provide a first control signal 655 for output to the supply device 210 and / or the conveying device 340. The first actuating device 650 is connected to the supply device 210 and / or the conveying device 340 in a signal-transmitting manner.
[0048] The second actuating device 660 is configured to effect the removal of the liquid phase and the gas phase separately from the water separator. For this purpose, the second actuating device 660 is configured to provide a second control signal 665 for output to the water separator 230 and / or the conveying device 340. The second actuating device 660 is connected to the water separator 230 and / or the conveying device 340 in a signal-transmitting manner.
[0049] Fig. 7 shows a schematic representation of pressure 702 and flow velocity 704 along a longitudinal axis L of a jet pump 220 of a device according to an embodiment. More specifically, Fig. 7 shows, in a first partial representation, a schematic diagram 700 illustrating a profile of pressure 702 and flow velocity 704 of fluids along the longitudinal axis L of the jet pump 220, i.e., from the drive fluid connection via the suction fluid connection to the output connection of the jet pump 220, and, in a second partial representation, schematically shows the jet pump 220, which is the jet pump from Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 or a similar jet pump.
[0050] In addition, the driving fluid 205, the suction fluid 215 and the starting mixture 225 as well as a position with minimum pressure p min on the jet pump 220. The position with minimum pressure p minis arranged in the area of a minimum flow cross-section within the jet pump 220.
[0051] The pressure 702 drops from the driving fluid connection via the suction fluid connection to the output connection initially to the minimum pressure at p min and then increases again. The flow velocity 704 increases from the driving fluid connection via the suction fluid connection to the outlet connection, initially to a maximum at the position of p min and then falls again.
[0052] At the drive fluid connection, the drive fluid 205 is present at a first temperature Ti and a first pressure p or. At the suction fluid connection, the suction fluid 215 is present at a second temperature T2 and a second pressure P2. The second pressure P2 is greater than the minimum pressure p min . At the outlet connection, the output mixture 225 is located with an outlet temperature T e and an outlet pressure p e before.
[0053] Fig. 8 shows a schematic phase diagram 800 for water in connection with a change in state of water vapor in a device according to an embodiment. The change in state of water vapor can be effected by the device from Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 or a similar device. The change in state is a condensation of water vapor. The change in state occurs from a first state 815, in which the water is in vapor form, to a second state 825, in which the water is in liquid form after condensation.
[0054] With reference to Figures 2 to 8, embodiments are summarized below and briefly explained in other words.
[0055] The jet pump 220 or vacuum jet pump operates according to the principle of the Venturi effect, see also Fig. 7. The driving fluid 205 is accelerated through a convergent channel of the jet pump 220, so that in the minimum flow cross-section, ie at p min , a significant pressure drop occurs; this low-pressure area is physically connected to an area in which the fluid to be sucked or suction fluid 215 is under a higher pressure, ie the second pressure P2, than the minimum pressure p min or pressure of the minimum flow cross-section is stored in the jet pump 220. The suction fluid 215 is accelerated by the pressure difference. Finally, the two fluids 205 and 215 mix along a divergence section of the jet pump 220, so that with the output mixture 225, a mixture of driving fluid 205 and sucked-off fluid or suction fluid 215 with a resulting pressure or outlet pressure p eThis mixing leads to a final outlet temperature T e , which depends, among other things, on the initial temperatures of the driving fluid (Ti) and the suction fluid (T2).
[0056] In a DAC system or a device 200 used for DAC applications, the function of a heat exchanger, i.e., extracting sufficient energy from the CCh+water vapor mixture until water condensation is achieved, can thus advantageously be replaced by the jet pump 220, which operates as a vacuum pump. The mixture of carbon dioxide and water vapor is the extracted fluid or suction fluid 215, while a colder fluid, e.g., water, acts as the motive fluid 105. The mixing of the two fluids 205 and 215 is thermodynamically designed so that the water vapor condenses while mixing with the motive fluid 205, increasing the pressure.
[0057] By means of the jet pump 220, which is used in particular as a vacuum pump, the presence of the driving fluid 205, e.g. cold water - whose flow parameters in relation to temperature (Ti) and flow rate or flow quantity (rm) are to be suitably designed - can be used to cool the water vapor-CCh mixture (m2, T2) or suction fluid 215, in order to finally achieve a condensation temperature for the water vapor as the outlet temperature T e The appropriate thermodynamic design can be made according to the following relationship: r ci(T e -Ti) = m2c2(T2-Te). This can be transformed into the following expression: MiCiT e + rr^Te = rri2C2T2 + r ciTi. A further transformation gives: T e(r ci + 01202) = m2C2T2 + r ciTi. The pressure increase experienced by the water vapor through the jet pump 220, ie from below ambient pressure to approximately ambient pressure, also supports the condensation process; see also Fig. 8, which illustrates the condensation of water vapor to liquid, from state 815 to state 825.
[0058] This allows a two-phase output mixture 225 at the output port 226 of the jet pump 220, i.e. CO2 gas and water liquid, so that the water separator 230 can be connected downstream to separate water, thereby completely eliminating the use of a heat exchanger for DAC applications.
[0059] In DAC applications, water is typically present as the liquid phase 233; therefore, a portion of this water can be recirculated as the motive fluid 205 in the jet pump 220; this water can be brought to the appropriate pressure (pi) using a simple and inexpensive water pump, e.g., a gear pump, as the conveying device 340.
[0060] If an embodiment comprises an “and / or” link between a first feature and a second feature, this is to be read as meaning that the embodiment according to one embodiment has both the first feature and the second feature and according to another embodiment has either only the first feature or only the second feature.
Claims
Claims 1 . Device (200) for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture, the device (200) having the following features: a jet pump (220) with a driving fluid connection (222) for admitting a driving fluid (205), a suction fluid connection (224) for admitting the water vapor-gas mixture as suction fluid (215) and an output connection (226) for dispensing a starting mixture (225) comprising the driving fluid (205) and the suction fluid (215), wherein a gas component of the water vapor-gas mixture comprises carbon dioxide, the jet pump (220) being designed to dispense the starting mixture (225) as a two-phase starting mixture by cooling the water vapor to its condensation temperature;and a water separator (230) which is connectable or connected to the output connection (226) of the jet pump (220), wherein the water separator (230) is designed to separate the liquid phase (233) from the gas phase (235) of the starting mixture (225) in order to provide both phases (233, 235) separately from one another.
2. Device (200) according to claim 1, wherein the device (200) is designed to separate mixture components of the water vapor-carbon dioxide mixture in order to obtain carbon dioxide.
3. Device (200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the jet pump (220) is designed as a vacuum pump.
4. Device (200) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a conveying device (340) which is designed to convey the driving fluid (205) to the driving fluid connection (222) of the jet pump (220).
5. Device (200) according to claim 4, wherein the conveyor device (340) is designed to convey at least a part of the liquid phase (233) of the starting mixture (225) as the driving fluid (205) to the driving fluid connection (222) of the jet pump (220).
6. A method (400) for separating mixture components of a water vapor-gas mixture, the method (400) comprising the following steps: Creating (420) a starting mixture (225) from a driving fluid (205) and the water vapor-gas mixture as a suction fluid (215) by cooling the water vapor to its condensation temperature to discharge the starting mixture (225) as a two-phase starting mixture, wherein the step (420) of creating is carried out using a jet pump (220) having a driving fluid port (222) for admitting the driving fluid (205), a suction fluid port (224) for admitting the suction fluid (215), and an output port (226) for discharging the starting mixture (225), wherein a gas component of the water vapor-gas mixture comprises carbon dioxide; and Separating (430) the liquid phase (233) from the gas phase (235) of the starting mixture (225) using a water separator (230) connected to the outlet connection (226) of the jet pump (220) in order to provide both phases (233, 235) separately from one another.
7. A method (500) for operating a device (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the method (500) comprises the following steps: Causing (550) a supply of the driving fluid (205) and the suction fluid (215) to the jet pump (200); and Causing (560) a removal of the liquid phase (233) and the gas phase (235) separately from the water separator (230).
8. The method (500) according to claim 7, wherein in the step (550) of effecting the supply, at least one fluid parameter of the driving fluid (205) is adjusted as a function of at least one fluid parameter of the suction fluid (215) and / or at least one environmental parameter of an environment of the device (200).
9. Control device (600) which is configured to execute and / or control the steps (550, 560) of the method (500) according to one of claims 7 to 8 in corresponding units (650, 660).
10. Computer program configured to execute and / or control the steps (550, 560) of a method (500) according to one of claims 7 to 8. 11 . A machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program according to claim 10 is stored.