Carbon dioxide capture device

Abstract

To provide a carbon dioxide recovery device that can perform air ventilation in an exterior body without increasing energy consumption.SOLUTION: A carbon dioxide recovery device 1 comprises: a plurality of reactors 11 that have an adsorbent 12 therein and executes an adsorption process in which a gas containing carbon dioxide is sucked and adsorbed to the adsorbent 12, and a desorption process in which carbon dioxide is desorbed from the adsorbent 12 by heating in the state of a circumference of the adsorbent 12 is decompressed; a fan 61 providing a gas flow to the plurality of reactors 11; an exterior body 1000 which accommodates the reactor 11 and the fan 61 therein; an adsorption line 101 which is accommodated in the exterior body 1000, connects the plurality of reactors 11 and the fan 61, and guides the gas discharged from the reactor 11 in the adsorption process to an exhaust port 1020 provided in the exterior body 1000; and a diversion part 1040 which diverts a part of the gas flowing in the adsorption line 101 to the exterior of the adsorption line 101 and the interior of the exterior body 1000.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a carbon dioxide recovery device.

Background Art

[0002] Techniques for recovering carbon dioxide from gases containing carbon dioxide such as air are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes this type of technique. Patent Document 1 describes a technique in which outside air is taken in, sent to a unit provided with an adsorbent to adsorb carbon dioxide, and then the unit is evacuated to a vacuum pressure, heated, and carbon dioxide is extracted.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in a carbon dioxide recovery device for recovering carbon dioxide as described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of reactors (in Patent Document 1, units) having an adsorbent, a heat exchanger, a gas pipeline, a pipeline for a heat medium for heat exchange, wiring for various sensors, etc. are arranged in a complex manner. Therefore, if these components are housed in a single exterior body, it is considered that by completing the carbon dioxide recovery device in a manufacturing factory or the like, the required performance can be ensured, movement and installation are also easy, and convenience is improved.

[0005] Since the carbon dioxide recovery device recovers carbon dioxide at a high concentration, if this high - concentration carbon dioxide leaks and fills the inside of the exterior body, it is considered to be a dangerous situation for the human body. Therefore, it was necessary to ventilate the inside of the exterior body.

[0006] However, adding ventilation fans or similar devices for ventilation requires them to be running constantly, which increases energy consumption.

[0007] The objective of this disclosure is to provide a carbon dioxide recovery device that can ventilate the inside of an exterior without increasing energy consumption. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] This disclosure solves the aforementioned problems by the following solutions. For ease of understanding, the embodiments of this disclosure will be described using corresponding reference numerals, but are not limited thereto.

[0009] The first disclosure includes a plurality of reactors (11) having an adsorbent (12) inside, which perform an adsorption step of drawing a gas containing carbon dioxide onto the adsorbent (12) to adsorb carbon dioxide, and a desorption step of heating the adsorbent (12) while the surrounding area is under reduced pressure to desorb carbon dioxide, and a fan (61) that provides a gas flow to the plurality of reactors (11), The carbon dioxide recovery device (1) comprises an outer casing (1000) that houses the reactor (11) and the fan (61) inside; a pipeline (101) housed in the outer casing (1000) that connects the plurality of reactors (11) and the fan (61) and guides the gas exhausted from the reactor (11) in the adsorption process to an exhaust port (1020) provided in the outer casing (1000); and a diversion section (1040) that diverts a portion of the gas flowing through the pipeline (101) to the outside of the pipeline (101) and into the outer casing (1000).

[0010] The second disclosure is a carbon dioxide recovery device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow diversion section (1040) generates a gas flow within the outer casing (1000) by the diverted gas.

[0011] The third disclosure is a carbon dioxide recovery device (1) according to claim 2, wherein the outer casing (1000) includes a second exhaust port (1030) located at a different position from the exhaust port (1020), and the flow divider (1040) generates a gas flow within the outer casing (1000) such that the divided gas flows toward the second exhaust port (1030).

[0012] The fourth disclosure is a carbon dioxide recovery device (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the diversion section (1040) is a diversion plate positioned to partially protrude into the pipeline (101), or a diversion pipe branched off from the pipeline (101). [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a carbon dioxide recovery device that can ventilate the inside of an exterior body without increasing energy consumption. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the carbon dioxide capture device 1 of this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the carbon dioxide capture device 1 of this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of the carbon dioxide capture device 1, cut at the position indicated by arrow AA in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the gas flow configuration of the reactor 11 of the carbon dioxide recovery device 1 of this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0016] Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the external appearance of the carbon dioxide recovery device 1 of this embodiment. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the carbon dioxide recovery device 1 taken at the position of arrow AA in Figure 1. Note that in Figure 3, only the parts necessary for explanation are shown as cross-sections, and unnecessary components are omitted as appropriate. In the following description, the carbon dioxide recovery device 1, which is an example of a gas recovery device, will be used as an example, but the metering control configuration using valves in this disclosure can be similarly applied when recovering gases other than carbon dioxide.

[0017] The carbon dioxide capture device 1 of this embodiment is applied, for example, to direct air capture (DAC) technology, which captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in order to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide captured by the carbon dioxide capture device 1 is stored underground or reused as fuel or material.

[0018] The carbon dioxide capture device 1 of this embodiment houses the main components, such as the reactor 11, adsorption line 101, and fan 61, which will be described later, within a roughly rectangular parallelepiped-shaped outer casing 1000. For convenience of explanation, the surrounding walls of the outer casing 1000 shown in Figures 1 and 2 will be referred to as the front 1001, back 1002, right side 1003, and left side 1004. The outer casing 1000 is in the form of a container. Therefore, the carbon dioxide capture device 1 can be easily moved. Furthermore, by conforming to the standards of shipping containers, it is also highly convenient for maritime transport. In addition, by utilizing the forklift holes provided in the outer casing 1000, it can be easily moved to the installation site by forklift.

[0019] Inside the outer body 1000, a reactor 11, a suction line 101, and a fan 61 are arranged. In the present embodiment, a total of 16 reactors 11, eight on each of two opposing surfaces, are provided in a direction substantially orthogonal to the extending direction (longitudinal direction) of the piping of the suction line 101. A fourth valve 24, which will be described later, is connected to the suction line 101 for these reactors 11, and they are arranged in parallel with respect to the suction line 101. That is, the suction line 101 is branched and connected to each of the reactors 11. The suction line 101 is a pipe line that connects the plurality of reactors 11 and the fan 61 and guides the gas exhausted from the reactor to the exhaust port 1020 provided in the outer body 1000 during the suction process. Note that the arrangement of the reactors 11 with respect to the suction line 101 shown in FIG. 3 is an example, and other arrangements may be possible.

[0020] The reactor 11 includes an adsorbent 12 arranged inside a box-shaped housing. One end of the reactor 11 communicates with an intake port 1010 provided on the right side surface 1003 and the left side surface 1004 of the outer body 1000 via a third valve 23, which will be described later, and is arranged so as to be able to suck in the atmosphere. The other end of the reactor 11 communicates with the suction line 101 via a fourth valve 24, which will be described later.

[0021] One fan 61 is provided at a portion where the branched portions of the suction line 101 converge. When driven, the fan 61 generates a gas flow from "intake" to "exhaust" in each of the plurality of reactors 11 arranged upstream of the suction line 101. Thereby, the atmosphere is supplied into the reactor 11. Further, the fan 61 exhausts the gas that has passed through the suction line 101 from the exhaust port 1020 provided on the front surface 1001.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration related to the gas flow of the reactor 11 of the carbon dioxide recovery device 1 of the present embodiment.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, the carbon dioxide recovery device 1 of this embodiment comprises a reactor unit 10, a fan 61, a vacuum pump 62, a carbon dioxide recovery pump 63, and a control device 90.

[0024] The reactor unit 10 is composed of multiple reactors 11 that adsorb carbon dioxide, arranged in parallel. In this embodiment, a total of 16 reactors 11 are arranged by a pair of left and right reactor units 10.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, the reactor 11 is a carbon dioxide recovery reactor comprising an adsorbent 12, a first valve 21, a second valve 22, a third valve 23, a fourth valve 24, and an adsorbent temperature sensor 27.

[0026] The adsorbent 12 is placed inside the reactor 11 to adsorb carbon dioxide. The adsorbent 12 is a particulate material that adsorbs carbon dioxide at low temperatures (e.g., in the range of -30°C to 50°C) and desorbs (releases) carbon dioxide at high temperatures (e.g., in the range of 50°C to 110°C) and when the ambient carbon dioxide concentration is low. Examples of such adsorbent 12 include solid amine carbon dioxide adsorbents composed of amines supported on a porous material such as silica.

[0027] The first valve 21 is an on-off valve located at the connection point between the carbon dioxide line 103, which captures carbon dioxide, and the reactor 11. A carbon dioxide capture pump 63 is located on the carbon dioxide line 103. The second valve 22 is an on-off valve located at the connection point between the vacuum line 102, where a vacuum pump 62 is located, and the reactor 11. The third valve 23 is an on-off valve located at the inlet for taking in air, etc., into the inside of the reactor 11. The fourth valve 24 is an on-off valve located at the connection point between the adsorption line 101 and the reactor 11. A fan 61 is located on the adsorption line 101.

[0028] The first valve 21, the second valve 22, the third valve 23, and the fourth valve 24 are all controlled to open and close by the control device 90. The first valve 21, the second valve 22, the third valve 23, and the fourth valve 24 are, for example, normally open butterfly valves.

[0029] The adsorbent temperature sensor 27 measures the temperature of the adsorbent 12. The measurement information from the adsorbent temperature sensor 27 is transmitted to the control device 90.

[0030] The vacuum line 102 is branched and connected to each of the reactors 11. The vacuum pump 62 is located at the point where the branched portions of the vacuum line 102 converge. When driven, the vacuum pump 62 draws gas from inside the reactor 11 through the vacuum line 102, bringing the inside of the reactor 11 into a vacuum state or close to a vacuum state.

[0031] The carbon dioxide line 103 is branched and connected to each of the reactors 11. A carbon dioxide capture pump 63 is located where the branched sections of the carbon dioxide line 103 converge. The carbon dioxide capture pump 63 applies suction force to the carbon dioxide flowing through the carbon dioxide line 103 and stores the captured carbon dioxide in a tank (not shown) for carbon dioxide storage.

[0032] Next, the control device 90 will be described. The control device 90 controls the operation of each part of the carbon dioxide recovery device 1. The control device 90 controls the operation of devices used for carbon dioxide adsorption and desorption, such as driving and stopping. The control device 90 controls the opening and closing of the first valve 21, second valve 22, third valve 23, and fourth valve 24 provided in each reactor 11. The control device 90 also controls the fan 61, vacuum pump 62, and carbon dioxide recovery pump 63.

[0033] The control device 90 is, for example, a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The control device 90 may consist of one unit or multiple units.

[0034] <Carbon dioxide capture> Next, the control for carbon dioxide recovery by the control device 90 will be described. The carbon dioxide recovery device 1 alternately performs an adsorption step in which carbon dioxide from a gas such as the intake atmosphere is adsorbed onto an adsorbent 12 in the reactor 11, and a desorption step in which the carbon dioxide adsorbed onto the adsorbent 12 is desorbed. The desorbed carbon dioxide is compressed and stored in a tank (not shown), thereby removing and recovering carbon dioxide from the air. In this embodiment, the adsorption step and the desorption step are performed in a ratio of 7:1 between the adsorption step time and the desorption step time.

[0035] The adsorption process involves adsorbing carbon dioxide onto the adsorbent material 12 inside the reactor 11. During the adsorption process, the third valve 23 and fourth valve 24 of the reactor 11 are opened, and the first valve 21 and second valve 22 are closed. The fan 61 is driven, generating a gas flow from upstream to downstream, and drawing in a gas containing carbon dioxide (e.g., air) through the third valve 23. The drawn-in gas passes through the adsorbent material 12 inside the reactor 11. At this time, the temperature inside the reactor 11 is ambient (25°C), and the carbon dioxide in the gas is adsorbed onto the adsorbent material 12. Other gases, such as nitrogen and oxygen, are exhausted to the outside of the carbon dioxide recovery device 1 through the fourth valve 24 and the adsorption line 101.

[0036] The desorption process is a process of desorbing carbon dioxide from the adsorbent 12 inside the reactor 11. In the desorption process, the first valve 21, third valve 23, and fourth valve 24 of the reactor 11 are closed, and the second valve 22 is opened. The vacuum pump 62 is operated to draw air into the inside of the reactor 11, reducing the pressure to a vacuum state or close to a vacuum state. At the same time, a heat transfer medium, which acts as a heat source, flows inside the reactor 11 to supply thermal energy and raise the temperature of the adsorbent 12 inside the reactor 11.

[0037] By controlling the temperature rise of the adsorbent 12, the adsorbent 12 is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 80°C) sufficient for the desorption process, and the carbon dioxide adsorbed on the adsorbent 12 is desorbed. Next, the second valve 22, the third valve 23, and the fourth valve 24 are closed, the first valve 21 is opened, and the carbon dioxide recovery pump 63 is driven, and the carbon dioxide desorbed through the carbon dioxide line 103 is stored in a tank (not shown). In this embodiment, of the 16 reactors 11, 12 perform the adsorption process and the remaining 4 perform the desorption process, with each process controlled accordingly.

[0038] The carbon dioxide recovery device 1 of this embodiment, with the configuration described above, desorbs carbon dioxide from the reactor 11 and recovers it in a carbon dioxide tank (not shown) via the carbon dioxide line 103. Therefore, during the desorption process, high-concentration carbon dioxide flows through the line from the reactor 11 to the carbon dioxide tank via the carbon dioxide line 103. Since high-concentration carbon dioxide is harmful to the human body, it is undesirable for the inside of the outer casing 1000 to be filled with carbon dioxide, even in the event of an emergency. Therefore, the carbon dioxide recovery device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a flow divider 1040 to ventilate the inside of the outer casing 1000 during operation.

[0039] The flow diversion section 1040 is a flow diversion plate composed of a substantially plate-shaped member located downstream of the fan 61 in the adsorption line 101. One end of the flow diversion section 1040 protrudes into the adsorption line 101, and the other end is located outside the adsorption line 101 and inside the outer casing 1000. An opening 101a is also provided in the portion of the adsorption line 101 where the flow diversion section 1040 is located. The flow diversion section 1040 diverts a portion of the gas flowing through the adsorption line 101 to the outside of the adsorption line 101 and into the outer casing 1000. The flow diversion section 1040 is also curved so that the diverted gas proceeds toward the back surface 1002.

[0040] In Figure 3, the original flow for carbon dioxide capture generated by the fan 61 is shown by a white arrow, and the flow of gas diverted by the diversion section 1040 is shown by a black arrow. When the fan 61 operates, outside air is introduced into the reactor 11 from the intake port 1010, carbon dioxide is absorbed by the adsorbent material 12, and the gas that leaves the reactor 11 is exhausted from the exhaust port 1020 through the adsorption line 101. In addition, a portion of the gas pushed out by the fan 61 is diverted by the diversion section 1040, proceeds from the diversion section 1040 toward the rear side 1002, and is exhausted from the second exhaust port 1030 located on the rear side 1002. This flow of gas from the diversion section 1040 to the second exhaust port 1030 ventilates the inside of the outer casing 1000.

[0041] In this embodiment, the rear surface 1002 is provided with a second exhaust port 1030, consisting of a second exhaust port 1031 located below the rear surface 1002 and a second exhaust port 1032 located above the rear surface 1002. The arrangement and number of these second exhaust ports 1030 can be changed as appropriate.

[0042] As described above, the carbon dioxide recovery device 1 of this embodiment, by providing a flow divider 1040, does not require an exhaust fan and uses a portion of the gas exhausted by the fan 61 to ventilate the inside of the outer casing 1000. Therefore, the carbon dioxide recovery device 1 of this embodiment can ventilate the inside of the outer casing 1000 without increasing energy consumption.

[0043] (Transformed form) The embodiments described above are not limited to those described above, and various modifications and changes are possible, which are also within the scope of this disclosure.

[0044] (1) In the embodiment, the flow diversion section 1040 was described as an example in which a plate-shaped member is curved. However, it is not limited to this, and for example, the flow diversion section may be a flat plate-shaped member. Furthermore, the flow diversion section is not limited to a plate-shaped member, but may be a tubular member (flow diversion pipe) through which the gas to be diverted can pass, and any form is acceptable as long as it can divert the flow of gas from the adsorption line 101.

[0045] (2) In the embodiment, the outer casing 1000 was described as being in the form of a container. However, it is not limited to this, and for example, the outer casing may be cylindrical or have other shapes.

[0046] While each embodiment and its variations can be used in combination as appropriate, a detailed explanation is omitted. Furthermore, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] 1. Carbon dioxide capture device 10 Reactor Units 11 Reactors 12 Adsorbent 101 Adsorption Line 101a opening 1000 Exterior 1001 Front 1002 Back 1003 Right side 1004 Left side 1010 Air intake 1020 Exhaust port 1030 Second exhaust port 1031 Second exhaust port 1032 Second exhaust port 1040 Diversion section

Claims

1. A plurality of reactors having an adsorbent material inside, which perform an adsorption step of drawing a gas containing carbon dioxide onto the adsorbent material to adsorb carbon dioxide, and a desorption step of heating the adsorbent material under reduced pressure to desorb carbon dioxide from the adsorbent material. A fan that provides a gas flow to multiple reactors, An outer casing that houses the reactor and the fan inside, A conduit is housed in the outer casing, connects the plurality of reactors and the fan, and guides the gas exhausted from the reactors during the adsorption process to an exhaust port provided in the outer casing, A diversion section that diverts a portion of the gas flowing through the pipeline to the outside of the pipeline and into the outer casing, Equipped with, The exterior body includes a second exhaust port located at a different position from the exhaust port, The aforementioned flow splitting section is a carbon dioxide recovery device that generates a gas flow within the outer casing so that the split gas flows toward the second exhaust port.

2. In the carbon dioxide recovery apparatus according to claim 1, The aforementioned diversion section is a diversion plate positioned to partially protrude into the pipeline, or a diversion pipe branched off from the pipeline. A carbon dioxide capture device characterized by the following.

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