Systems and methods for efficiently capturing carbon dioxide

Abstract

A system and method for efficiently capturing CO2 is disclosed. The system includes a subsystem having a condenser and an evaporator, and multiple vessels, each having a sorbent and configured to transition between a gas collection phase, a gas capture phase, and a heat recovery phase. The gas collection phase includes a sorbent that absorbs CO2. The gas capture phase has N stages, with the vessels releasing product gas, receiving vapor, and desorbing captured CO2. The first (N-1) gas capture stage includes a vessel connected to the subsystem at a downstream pressure and a vessel in the heat recovery phase at an upstream pressure. The Nth gas capture stage includes a vessel connected to a condenser at a downstream pressure and an evaporator at an upstream pressure. The heat recovery phase has (N-1) stages, each including a vessel connected to a vessel in the gas capture phase.

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] Related Application

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 123,219, filed on December 9, 2020, and entitled "System and Method for Energy-Efficient Carbon Dioxide Capture", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002]

[0002] Aspects of this document generally relate to carbon dioxide capture. [[Background Art]]

[0003]

[0003] The need for technology to remove carbon dioxide from ambient air is well established. Avoiding the impending climate change crisis requires removing significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in addition to conservation, carbon reduction processes and on-site capture efforts. Nevertheless, these technologies are still new, and the operation of conventional air capture processes requires a large amount of energy. Because carbon dioxide in ambient air is extremely dilute, atmospheric carbon dioxide collection devices can quickly exceed the stringent energy budget for drawing in and processing large volumes of air.

[0004]

[0004] Capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is difficult due to the low concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Although the theoretical minimum energy requirement for removing carbon dioxide from air is very small (about 22 kJ / mol), most practical processes involve significant inefficiencies that make it difficult to operate close to the theoretical optimum. Efficient capture and separation of useful product streams is essential for the widespread adoption of new carbon capture technologies. [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Means for Solving the Problems]]

[0005]

[0005] According to one embodiment, a system for efficiently collecting carbon dioxide includes a recovery subsystem, the recovery subsystem includes a heat pump that is thermally in communication with a condenser and an evaporator, the condenser being in fluidic communication with a reservoir. The recovery subsystem also includes a liquid pump that is in fluidic communication with the reservoir and the evaporator, the liquid pump being configured to pump condensate from the reservoir to the evaporator and to re-evaporate the condensate to form steam, and a vacuum compressor that is in fluidic communication with a product outlet that provides a product flow and is also in fluidic communication with the reservoir. The system includes a plurality of sorbent containers, each including an sorbent structure having an sorbent material. Each sorbent container is in fluidic communication with the vacuum compressor, condenser and evaporator of the recovery subsystem and with at least a subset of the plurality of sorbent containers. Fluid communication of each sorbent container is controlled through a plurality of valves. Each of the multiple sorbent containers is configured to transition between the gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase, and the multiple sorbent containers simultaneously contain the gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase. The gas collection phase contains the sorbent material of the sorbent container, which is in fluid communication with the atmosphere and absorbs carbon dioxide. The gas recovery phase has N gas recovery stages. Each sorbent container is configured to sequentially transition through each of the N gas recovery stages, and the sorbent container releases the product gas mixture, receives water vapor, and desorbs the captured carbon dioxide from the sorbent material. The first (N-1) gas recovery stage includes an sorbent container in fluid communication with the recovery subsystem at downstream pressure and another sorbent container of the heat recovery phase at upstream pressure. The nth gas recovery stage includes an sorbent container in fluid communication with a condenser at downstream pressure and an evaporator at upstream pressure, where the upstream pressure is greater than the downstream pressure in each gas recovery stage. The upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is higher than the upstream pressure of the previous gas recovery stage. The heat recovery phase has (N-1) heat recovery stages. Each heat recovery stage includes an sorbent container that is in fluid communication with a different sorbent container in the gas recovery phase at heating pressure. The heating pressure decreases in each subsequent heat recovery stage, and the sorbent containers are configured to sequentially transition through each of the (N-1) heat recovery stages.

[0006]

[0006] A particular embodiment may have one or more of the following features: The liquid pump of the recovery subsystem is coupled to a makeup water valve, and liquid water is added to the condensate pumped to the evaporator, vaporized, and used in the gas recovery phase. The evaporator of the recovery subsystem may be coupled to a heat source. The heating pressure of the first heat recovery stage of the (N-1) heat recovery stages may be lower than any downstream pressure of the N gas recovery stages. The product flow may be continuous. The plurality of sorbent containers may include at least six sorbent containers. The gas collection phase may include separating the sorbent structure from the sorbent containers. Each sorbent container may be coupled to all other sorbent containers of the plurality of sorbent containers. The sorbent material may be a temperature swing sorbent material. The sorbent material may be a moisture swing sorbent material. Each sorbent container may include a spray nozzle coupled to a liquid water supply device. In each gas recovery stage, liquid water is sprayed through a spray nozzle, generating a spray of liquid water droplets suspended in water vapor with upstream pressure. As a result, the liquid water is supplied to the sorbent material and deposited on it, and carbon dioxide is desorbed from the sorbent material.

[0007]

[0007] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for efficiently collecting carbon dioxide includes a recovery subsystem having a heat pump thermally communicating with a condenser and an evaporator. The condenser is in fluid communication with a reservoir. The recovery subsystem also includes a liquid pump in fluid communication with the reservoir and the evaporator. The liquid pump is configured to pump the condensate from the reservoir to the evaporator and to re-evaporate the condensate to form steam. The recovery subsystem also includes a vacuum compressor in fluid communication with a product outlet that provides a product flow, and also in fluid communication with the reservoir. The system includes a plurality of sorbent containers having at least six sorbent containers, each sorbent container including a spray nozzle and an sorbent structure having a moisture-swinging sorbent material. The spray nozzle is coupled to a liquid water supply device. Each sorbent container is in fluid communication with the vacuum compressor, condenser, and evaporator of the recovery subsystem, and also with at least a subset of the plurality of sorbent containers. Fluid communication of each sorbent container is controlled through a plurality of valves. Each of the multiple sorbent containers is configured to transition between the gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase, and the multiple sorbent containers simultaneously contain the gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase. The gas collection phase contains the sorbent material of the sorbent container, which is in fluid communication with the atmosphere and absorbs carbon dioxide. The gas recovery phase has N gas recovery stages. Each sorbent container is configured to sequentially transition through each of the N gas recovery stages, and the sorbent container releases the product gas mixture, receives water vapor, and desorbs the captured carbon dioxide from the sorbent material. The first (N-1) gas recovery stage includes an sorbent container in fluid communication with the recovery subsystem at downstream pressure and another sorbent container in the heat recovery phase at upstream pressure. The nth gas recovery stage includes an sorbent container in fluid communication with a condenser at downstream pressure and an evaporator at upstream pressure. The upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is higher than the downstream pressure. The upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is higher than the upstream pressure of the previous gas recovery stage. The steam with upstream pressure is a carrier gas that pushes liquid water out of the spray nozzle from the liquid water supply device, generating a spray of liquid water droplets and desorbing carbon dioxide from the sorbent material. The heat recovery phase has (N-1) heat recovery steps.Each heat recovery stage includes an sorbent container that is in fluid communication with a different sorbent container during the gas recovery phase at heating pressure. The heating pressure decreases in each subsequent heat recovery stage. The sorbent container is configured to pass through each of the (N-1) heat recovery stages in sequence.

[0008]

[0008] A particular embodiment may have one or more of the following features: The liquid pump of the recovery subsystem may be coupled to a makeup water valve, and liquid water is added to the condensate pumped to the evaporator, vaporized, and used in the gas recovery phase. The evaporator of the recovery subsystem may be coupled to a heat source. The heating pressure of the first heat recovery stage of the (N-1) heat recovery stages may be lower than any downstream pressure of the N gas recovery stages. The product flow may be continuous. The gas collection phase may include separating the sorbent structure from the sorbent container. Each sorbent container may be coupled to all other sorbent containers of a plurality of sorbent containers.

[0009]

[0009] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for efficiently collecting carbon dioxide includes arranging a plurality of sorbent containers in fluid communication with a recovery subsystem of a system. The sorbent containers belong to a system and each includes an sorbent structure having an sorbent material. The recovery subsystem includes a heat pump that is thermally in communication with a condenser and an evaporator. The condenser is in fluid communication with a reservoir. The recovery subsystem also includes a liquid pump that is in fluid communication with the reservoir and the evaporator. The liquid pump is configured to pump condensate from the reservoir to the evaporator and to re-evaporate the condensate to form steam. The recovery subsystem includes a vacuum compressor that is in fluid communication with a product outlet that provides a product flow and is also in fluid communication with the reservoir. The method includes arranging each sorbent container of a first subset of a plurality of sorbent containers in a gas collection phase by arranging the sorbent material of the sorbent containers in fluid communication with the atmosphere and absorbing carbon dioxide. This method also involves sequentially moving each sorbent container of a second subset of multiple sorbent containers through N gas recovery stages of the gas recovery phase, gradually increasing the sorbent container pressure and sorbent container temperature. Each gas recovery stage includes an sorbent container that receives water vapor and desorbs the captured carbon dioxide from the sorbent material, and an sorbent container that releases a product gas mixture containing water vapor and carbon dioxide. The first (N-1) gas recovery stage includes placing an sorbent container in fluid communication with a downstream pressure recovery subsystem and another sorbent container in an upstream pressure heat recovery phase. The nth gas recovery stage includes placing an sorbent container in fluid communication with a downstream pressure condenser and an upstream pressure evaporator. The upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is higher than the downstream pressure. The upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is higher than the upstream pressure of the previous gas recovery stage. This method further includes sequentially moving each sorbent container of a third subset of multiple sorbent containers to (N-1) heat recovery stages of the heat recovery phase, gradually decreasing the pressure and temperature of the sorbent containers. Each heat recovery stage involves arranging an sorbent container in fluid communication with a different sorbent container of the gas recovery phase at a heating pressure, the heating pressure decreasing in each subsequent heat recovery stage. The gas collection phase, gas recovery phase, and heat recovery phase all exist simultaneously in the multiple sorbent containers.

[0010]

[0010] A particular embodiment may have one or more of the following features. The method may further include replacing water lost from the system by adding liquid water from a makeup water valve to the condensate that is pumped into the evaporator for vaporization and use in the gas recovery phase. The evaporator of the recovery subsystem may be coupled to a heat source. The heating pressure of the first heat recovery stage of the (N-1) heat recovery stages may be lower than any downstream pressure of the N gas recovery stages. The product flow may be continuous. The plurality of sorbent containers may include at least six sorbent containers. Placing each sorbent container of the first subset in the gas recovery phase may include separating the sorbent structure from each sorbent container. Each sorbent container may be coupled to all other sorbent containers of the plurality of sorbent containers. The sorbent material may be a temperature swing sorbent material. The sorbent material may be a moisture swing sorbent material. Each sorbent container may include a spray nozzle coupled to a liquid water supply device. In each gas recovery stage, liquid water is sprayed through a spray nozzle, generating a spray of liquid water droplets suspended in water vapor with upstream pressure. As a result, the liquid water is supplied to the sorbent material and deposited on it, and carbon dioxide is desorbed from the sorbent material.

[0011]

[0011] The aspects and applications of the disclosure presented herein are illustrated by the following drawings and detailed description. Unless otherwise specified, the terms in this specification and claims are intended to have meanings that are obvious, ordinary, and familiar to those skilled in the art. The inventors are well aware that they can be their own lexicographers as needed. As their own lexicographers, the inventors expressly choose to use only the obvious and ordinary meanings of terms in the specification and claims unless otherwise specified, and further expressly indicate any “special” definitions of those terms and explain how they differ from the obvious and ordinary meanings. Where there is no such explicit expression of intent to apply a “special” definition, it is the inventors’ intention and desire that the simple, obvious, and ordinary meanings of the terms apply to the interpretation of the specification and claims.

[0012]

[0012] The inventors also recognize the ordinary principles of English grammar. Therefore, where a noun, term, or phrase is intended to be further characterized, specified, or narrowed down in any way, then such a noun, term, or phrase will explicitly include additional adjectives, descriptive terms, or other modifiers in accordance with the ordinary rules of English grammar. Where such adjectives, descriptive terms, or modifiers are not used, such a noun, term, or phrase is intended to be given an ordinary English meaning that is obvious to those skilled in the art of the subject.

[0013]

[0013] Furthermore, the inventors are well aware of the standards and application of the special provisions of § 112(f) of the United States Patent Act. Therefore, the use of the terms “function,” “means,” or “step” in the detailed description or the description of the drawings or in the claims is not intended to indicate any desire to invoke the special provisions of § 112(f) of the United States Patent Act in any way to define the invention. On the contrary, the provisions of § 112(f) of the United States Patent Act are required to be invoked to define the invention, and the claims specifically and explicitly include the exact phrases “means” or “step,” as well as the word “function” (i.e., “means for performing the function of [inserted function]”), and do not describe any structure, material, or action supporting the function in such terms. Therefore, even if the claims include “means for performing the function of ~” or “steps for performing the function of ~,” if the claims also include any structure, material, or act that supports that means or step, or that performs the described function, then it is the inventor’s clear intention not to invoke Section 112(f) of the U.S. Patent Act. Furthermore, even if Section 112(f) of the U.S. Patent Act is invoked to define the claimed embodiments, these embodiments are not limited to the specific structures, materials, or acts described in the preferred embodiments, but include, in addition, any structure, material, or act that performs the claimed function described in alternative embodiments or forms of this disclosure, or that are intended to be equivalent structures, materials, or acts that are currently well known or will be developed in the future to perform the claimed function.

[0014]

[0014] The foregoing and other embodiments, features, and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the specification and drawings and the claims.

[0015]

[0015] The present disclosure will be described below in conjunction with the attached drawings, and the same reference numerals indicate the same elements. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1]

[0016] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a single capture device. [Figure 2]

[0017] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of two capture devices that recover heat during operation. [Figure 3A]

[0018] Fig. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a system contemplated for efficiently capturing carbon dioxide. [Figure 3B]

[0019] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the contemplated system during operation. [Figure 4A]

[0020] Fig. 4A is a schematic diagram of the three-phase stages of an exemplary system as viewed from the perspective of a single sorbent container in the system. [Figure 4B] Fig. 4B is a schematic diagram of the three-phase stages of an exemplary system as viewed from the perspective of a single sorbent container in the system. [Figure 4C] Fig. 4C is a schematic diagram of the three-phase stages of an exemplary system as viewed from the perspective of a single sorbent container in the system. [Figure 4D] Fig. 4D is a schematic diagram of the three-phase stages of an exemplary system as viewed from the perspective of a single sorbent container in the system. [Figure 4E] Fig. 4E is a schematic diagram of the three-phase stages of an exemplary system as viewed from the perspective of a single sorbent container in the system. [Figure 4F] Fig. 4F is a schematic diagram of the three-phase stages of an exemplary system as viewed from the perspective of a single sorbent container in the system. [Figure 5A]

[0021] Fig. 5A is a schematic diagram of the contemplated system of Figs. 4A to 4F, showing the relative pressures of various sorbent containers throughout the three-phase stages. [Figure 5B] Fig. 5B is a schematic diagram of the contemplated system of Figs. 4A to 4F, showing the relative pressures of various sorbent containers throughout the three-phase stages. [Figure 5C] Fig. 5C is a schematic diagram of the contemplated system of Figs. 4A to 4F, showing the relative pressures of various sorbent containers throughout the three-phase stages. [Figure 5D]It is a schematic diagram of the contemplated system of Figures 4A to 4F, showing the relative pressures of various sorbent containers throughout the three-phase stages. [Figure 5E] It is a schematic diagram of the contemplated system of Figures 4A to 4F, showing the relative pressures of various sorbent containers throughout the three-phase stages. [Figure 5F] It is a schematic diagram of the contemplated system of Figures 4A to 4F, showing the relative pressures of various sorbent containers throughout the three-phase stages. [Figure 6]

[0022] It is a schematic diagram of a sorbent container provided with a spray nozzle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0017]

[0023] The present disclosure, aspects thereof and implementations are not limited to the specific material types, components, methods, or other examples disclosed herein. Many additional material types, components, methods, and procedures known in the art are contemplated for use in particular implementations of the present disclosure. Accordingly, for example, although particular implementations are disclosed, such implementations and implementation components may include any component, model, type, material, version, quantity, and the like known in the art for such systems and implementation components consistent with the intended operation.

[0018]

[0024] The terms "exemplary", "example", and various forms thereof are used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as "exemplary" or as an "example" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Furthermore, examples are provided solely for purposes of clarity and understanding, and are not intended to limit or restrict the disclosed subject matter or relevant portions of the present disclosure in any way. It should be understood that countless additional or alternative examples falling within various ranges could be presented, but have been omitted for brevity.

[0019]

[0025] While this disclosure includes many embodiments in many different forms, it should be considered as illustrative of the principles of the disclosed methods and systems, and is not intended to limit the broader aspects of the disclosed concepts to the illustrated embodiments, as shown in the drawings and described herein in detail.

[0020]

[0026] The need for technologies to remove carbon dioxide from the ambient air is well-established. To avert the imminent climate change crisis, significant amounts of carbon dioxide must be removed from the atmosphere, in addition to conservation, carbon reduction processes, and on-site capture efforts. Nevertheless, these technologies are still new, and the operation of initial air capture processes requires enormous amounts of energy. Because carbon dioxide in the ambient air is so dilute, atmospheric carbon capture systems could quickly exceed the already tight energy budgets required to extract and process large volumes of air.

[0021]

[0027] Due to the low concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, capturing it from the atmosphere is difficult. Despite the theoretical minimum energy requirement for removing carbon dioxide from the air being very small (approximately 22 kJ / mol), most practical processes involve significant inefficiencies, making it difficult to operate near the theoretical optimal value. For the widespread adoption of new carbon capture technologies, it is essential to efficiently capture and separate the useful product stream.

[0022]

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a non-definitive example of a single capture device 100. This exemplary device 100 demonstrates the basic operation of a single capture device and provides context for explaining the advantages of implementing this process with multiple instances working together and the obstacles to streamlining such integration.

[0023]

[0029] As shown in the illustration, the capture device 100 comprises an sorbent container 102 coupled to a water container 104. In the context of this specification and the following claims, the sorbent container 102 is an insulated container having a void 106 and an sorbent structure 108 containing an sorbent material 110 (e.g., a temperature swing sorbent, a moisture swing sorbent, etc.).

[0024]

[0030] As shown in the figure, the water container 104 is partially filled with liquid water 112. According to various embodiments, the water container 104 may have a heating element 118 controlled to maintain a setpoint temperature 120 of the liquid water 112, and a makeup water valve 122 whose level is controlled to keep the amount of liquid constant. Once all other vapor components have been exhausted, the water boils and some of the liquid evaporates to fill the headspace of the water container until the pressure of the apparatus is in equilibrium with the saturated vapor pressure associated with the setpoint temperature 120, while the heating element 118 adds the heat necessary to maintain this temperature. The makeup water valve 122 allows for the addition of liquid water 112 in an amount equal to the amount evaporating into the headspace. Once the pressure and temperature are in equilibrium, no further heat or water is added.

[0025]

[0031] According to some embodiments, the apparatus 100 also includes a controlled vacuum compressor 124 connected to the sorbent container 102, so that sufficient steam 114 is drawn in by the vacuum compressor 124 and the total pressure of the sorbent container 102 is maintained below the setpoint pressure or the saturated vapor pressure of the water container.

[0026]

[0032] Next, the connector valve is opened to connect the steam space of the water container 104 to the sorbent container 102. According to various embodiments, the sorbent container 102 is first completely evacuated so that the sorbent material 110 is at a temperature somewhat lower than the setpoint temperature 120 of the water container. In some embodiments, the connector valve 116 may simply be piping, but in other embodiments, the two containers may be integrated into a single housing such that the water liquid reservoir is in the base and the sorbent is in the headspace.

[0027]

[0033] When the connector valve 116 opens, water vapor 114 flows into the sorbent container 102, filling its vacuum gap 106. Due to adiabatic expansion, the water vapor 114 is slightly cooled as it experiences a pressure drop. However, the degree of cooling is so small that it is not as significant as the decrease in the water dew point, and the water vapor 114 is actually superheated. For example, water vapor 114 saturated at 60°C and 20kPa, and then expanding to 5kPa, will cool to 58°C, but its dew point will drop to 33°C. Once the sorbent container 102 is filled and the water vapor 114 already inside the sorbent container 102 is adiabatically compressed, cooling due to adiabatic expansion is prevented. As water vapor 114 continues to flow into the sorbent container, the pressure in the sorbent container increases, and the dew point temperature of the water vapor rises.

[0028]

[0034] Some of the water vapor 114 bypasses the sorbent structure 108 and is drawn directly through the vacuum compressor 124. The water also condenses or adsorbs onto the sorbent material 110, and the temperature of the sorbent 110 rises until it reaches a saturation temperature related to the setpoint pressure. The final temperature of the sorbent is maximized when the setpoint pressure is kept close to the saturation vapor pressure of the water container.

[0029]

[0035] When the sorbent 110 reaches its maximum temperature and maximum water volume, the makeup water and vacuum suction mass flow rate become equal. At this point, additional water evaporates in proportion to the amount of water drawn in from the vacuum outlet, so the total amount of added heat and water is greater than in the apparatus 100 without a vacuum compressor.

[0030]

[0036] As described above, in the CO2 recovery stage of the capture device 100, carbon dioxide is initially filled into the sorbent material 110 and released by the addition of water, temperature increase, depressurization, or some combination thereof. Heat is consumed in the endothermic desorption of CO2. The partial pressure of the desorbed CO2 contributes to the total pressure in the sorbent container 102 and the composition of the exhaust gas. In a well-mixed system, the total pressure does not exceed the sum of the equilibrium partial pressures of CO2 and water (at the temperature of the sorbent container). Water vapor 114 does not flow out of the water container 104 unless its saturated vapor pressure exceeds this total pressure in the sorbent container. As the degree of vacuum increases, the pressure in the sorbent container decreases. Subsequently, the total pressure in the sorbent container decreases. At a certain CO2 partial pressure, the outlet concentration increases. However, because the condensation temperature of water is low, the CO2 sorbent equilibrium pressure decreases.

[0031]

[0037] In some embodiments, heat can be recovered in the heat recovery stage, which involves a reversal of water condensation / sorption, by continuing exhaust after CO2 has been removed. According to various embodiments, by closing the connector valve 116 and continuing exhaust from the sorbent container 102, the sorbent 110 undergoes evaporative cooling. The energy originally required to evaporate this water can be partially recovered by diverting the discharge of high-temperature steam from the vacuum compressor 124 to a second device 100b that is still in the CO2 recovery stage of the cycle. According to various embodiments, this can reduce, or even eliminate, the heat load required to evaporate the water in the water container 104.

[0032]

[0038] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a non-limiting example of heat recovery between two capture devices 100a and 100b. According to various embodiments, the compression energy required at the start of the heat recovery operation is minimal, just enough to overcome the transfer pressure drop. As the sorbent 110 cools, the water vapor pressure decreases, and the required compression energy increases. In a particular example, in one embodiment, for a heat recovery phase operating between 60°C and 25°C (i.e., 20kPa and 3kPa), considering a transfer pressure drop of 4kPa and an isentropic compression efficiency of 75%, the compression energy requirement starts at about 700 J / mol H2O and eventually increases to about 8600 J / mol H2O. This, in total, is only about 10% of the energy required to evaporate the water in the water container 104, a reduction of an order of magnitude. Further advantages of the energy recovery system coupling include, but are not limited to, the recovery of water 112 (at least the portion related to heating and cooling the sorbent 110) and the recovery of residual CO2.

[0033]

[0039] As a practical issue, the adiabatic heat of compression generates superheated steam at the compressor outlet. Continuing with the specific example above, operating between an initial sorbent temperature of 60°C and a final sorbent temperature of 25°C, the steam at compressor outlet changes from 80°C to 275°C during the water extraction process, thus requiring some cooling of this flow. In some embodiments, this cooling can be provided by thermal integration with the operation of a downstream refining unit.

[0034]

[0040] In some embodiments, more complex configurations, including modifications to the heating method in the CO2 recovery stage, can substantially reduce superheating and compression energy. Instead of supplying saturated steam 114 at a fixed temperature, it is advantageous to increase the steam temperature as the sorbent temperature rises, so that the pressure and temperature differences between the sorbent containers remain small and nearly constant. This reduces entropy loss. This can be achieved by combining it with heat recovery steam recycling. According to various embodiments, during the heat recovery stage, the discharge pressure of the compressor 124 gradually decreases as the sorbent 110 cools, resulting in low output and outlet superheating of the compressor 124.

[0035]

[0041] By connecting multiple capture devices at different levels of CO2 capture progress, fluctuations in the flow rate and composition of the combined outlet flow can be minimized, potentially achieving near-steady-state conditions. However, from an efficiency standpoint, mixing different flows (e.g., temperature, pressure) can be costly.

[0036]

[0042] This specification envisions a system and method for efficiently capturing carbon dioxide using multiple sorbent containers. While advantageous compared to conventional methods and easy to operate as individual devices such as apparatus 100 in Figure 1, the envisioned system and method integrates multiple capture "units," which may be as complex as apparatus 100 described above, but in some embodiments, it can be simplified to the collection of a single sorbent container 102. By pairing the containers 102 based on their positions within different phases of the capture / release cycle, inefficiencies caused by mixing different elements can be mitigated, or even completely avoided.

[0037]

[0043] Sharing equipment and resources such as compressors, pumps, and makeup water among capture units can potentially reduce the capital costs required to start up and operate the system. When a sufficient number of devices are working together, capture units that provide intermittent product flows in other ways can work together to provide a continuous product flow, expanding the potential uses of the recovered gas.

[0038]

[0044] Figures 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams of non-limiting examples of a possible efficient carbon dioxide capture system 100 (hereinafter referred to as System 300). Specifically, Figure 3A shows a schematic diagram of the architecture of System 300, and Figure 3B shows a schematic diagram of System 300, which, during operation, divides multiple capture units (in this case, sorbent containers 102) into three subsets.

[0039]

[0045] This specification contemplates systems and methods for efficiently integrating multiple carbon dioxide capture devices or units so that they operate more efficiently as a group than as individual units. In the context of this specification and the subsequent claims, a capture unit is a device or part of a device or system capable of capturing carbon dioxide from a source such as the atmosphere. The capture device 100 described with respect to Figures 1 and 2 is a non-limiting example of a capture unit. It should be noted that one of the advantages of integrating multiple capture units as part of the contemplated system and method is that, in some embodiments, the capture units themselves can be simplified without sacrificing functionality. Such simplification can improve efficiency in terms of performance as a function of resources consumed, operating costs, and / or capital costs. Much of the following description is made in relation to embodiments in which the capture unit is simplified to only an sorbent container 102, but those skilled in the art will recognize that these systems and methods can be adapted for use with other capture units, including capture units that include more complex or more interconnected elements.

[0040]

[0046] For example, in some embodiments, the water container 104 paired with the sorbent container 102 in Figures 1 and 2 can be completely removed and replaced with multiple steam headers in the sorbent container 102 at varying pressures. In some embodiments, during the CO2 recovery stage, after the sorbent container 102 is evacuated, steam 114 is initially supplied from a low-pressure header (i.e., steam 114 from an sorbent container 102 with a low-pressure header), and then switched to a high-pressure header, gradually increasing the internal pressure of that particular container 102.

[0041]

[0047] In addition to eliminating the water container 104 and associated heater 118 (i.e., the heater 118 included in all devices 100), in some embodiments the vacuum compressor 124 may also be omitted and replaced with a simple recycle blower, as the recovery subsystem 302 integrates enough units to overcome only small pressure differences. During each step, the pressure in the sorbent container 102 increases in the gas recovery phase, while in the heat recovery phase the pressure in the sorbent container 102 decreases. The more pressure steps included in the cycle, the smaller the energy requirements for the blower. Optionally, since it is not possible to recover all of the water 112, in some embodiments makeup water can be dispersed directly into the blower.

[0042]

[0048] As shown, the system 300 comprises a plurality of sorbent containers 102, each sorbent container 102 comprising an sorbent structure 108 having an sorbent material 110. In some embodiments, the sorbent structure 108 remains sealed within the sorbent container 102 for all three phases, and the container 102 may be opened to expose the sorbent structure 108 to atmospheric carbon dioxide. In other embodiments, the sorbent structure 108 is removed from the sorbent container 102 during the gas collection phase and then resealed within the container 102 for the gas and heat recovery phases.

[0043]

[0049] Examples of the sorbent material 110 include, but are not limited to, a moisture swing sorbent, a temperature swing sorbent 322, and a pressure swing sorbent. In some embodiments, the sorbent material 110 is solid, but in other embodiments, the sorbent material 110 may be a liquid fixed within the sorbent structure 108.

[0044]

[0050] In the context of this specification and the subsequent claims, the sorbent structure 108 is simply a structure sized to fit inside the sorbent container 102 and can be fixed in a configuration that facilitates exposure of the sorbent material 110 to the sorbent and release medium (e.g., liquid water).

[0045]

[0051] According to various embodiments, each sorbent container 102 is fluidically coupled to a recovery subsystem 302, more specifically, to an element within the recovery subsystem 302. In some embodiments, each sorbent container 102 may also be coupled to a subset 324 of multiple sorbent containers 102, while in other embodiments, each sorbent container 102 may be fluidically coupled to every other container 102 within the multiple sorbent containers 102. These fluid couplings are controlled by one of a plurality of valves 116, according to various embodiments.

[0046]

[0052] A non-limiting example of the intended system 300 shown in Figure 3A has 21 sorbent containers 102. According to various embodiments, there are advantages to increasing the number of capture units (e.g., sorbent containers 102, capture devices 100, etc.) integrated into the same system 300. Increasing the number of units reduces the pressure / temperature difference at each stage of the gas and recovery phase, reducing the power required and improving efficiency. However, there is a point at which the benefits diminish due to the increased cost and complexity required to implement a large network of fluidly interconnected elements. As a specific example, in one embodiment, the intended system 300 may have 6 to 36 sorbent containers 102 (i.e., collection units, etc.) supplying a single recovery subsystem 302. In another embodiment, the system 300 may have hundreds of capture units.

[0047]

[0053] According to various embodiments, all sorbent containers 102 (i.e., capture units) within the system 300 are in fluid communication with the recovery subsystem 302. In the context of this specification and the following claims, the recovery subsystem 302 is a collection of devices and resources used to facilitate the sorbent containers 102 through various stages of both the gas recovery phase and the heat recovery phase. These two phases and the gas recovery phase will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 4A–4F.

[0048]

[0054] As shown, in some embodiments, the recovery subsystem 302 may include a heat pump 304 that is thermally connected to the condenser 306 and the evaporator 308. The recovery subsystem 302 also includes a two-stage vacuum compressor 124 and a liquid pump 312. Each element will be described in turn.

[0049]

[0055] According to various embodiments, the heat pump 304 is in thermal contact with both the condenser 306 and the evaporator 308, and indirectly exchanges heat between them. Because this configuration itself can generate excess heat, in some embodiments the overall efficiency of the system can be further improved by thermal integration with the operation of other capture units.

[0050]

[0056] The condenser 306 is in fluid communication with a reservoir 310 that receives condensate 314 (i.e., liquid water 112) from the condenser 306 when condensing the product gas containing thermal moisture from the gas recovery phase. The reservoir 310 also receives a product gas mixture containing water vapor 114 and carbon dioxide 336 from the container 102. In some embodiments, the condenser 306 can be used in the heat recovery phase instead of a vacuum compressor 124 or a recycle blower to extract water vapor 114 from the container 102.

[0051]

[0057] The evaporator 308 can also be considered a re-evaporator and, according to various embodiments, is in fluid communication with the reservoir 310 via a liquid pump 312. The liquid pump 312 is configured to deliver the condensate 314 of the liquid water 112 to the evaporator 308, which returns it to steam 114 for further use in the gas recovery phase.

[0052]

[0058] According to various embodiments, all of the net energy associated with the sorbent swing cycle may be supplied by a compressor in the heat pump 304. If additional heat is required to completely re-evaporate the condensate 314, it can be added from a separate heat source 118, such as the heat of compression in a subsequent compression stage, or from a separate heating element, via the same evaporator-coupled heat exchanger in the heat pump 304.

[0053]

[0059] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the liquid pump 312 is also in fluid communication with a makeup water valve 122, which can provide liquid water 112 to replenish water lost elsewhere in the system 300. This condenser / re-evaporator loop also provides an opportunity to provide makeup water, which can simultaneously evaporate and lead to the high-pressure heat recovery stage sorbent container 102, as shown in the figure.

[0054]

[0060] In some embodiments, the condenser 306, together with the evaporator 308, helps to further simplify the structure of the system 300. As will be discussed in more detail with respect to Figures 4A–4F and 5A–5F, the efficient integration of the capture units by the intended system 300 is made possible by the inverse pairing of the capture units (e.g., sorbent container 102) in the CO2 recovery / heat recovery phase. In some embodiments, including the non-limiting example shown in Figure 3A, the condenser 306 and evaporator 308 are used in combination with the heat pump 304 as the final step in the gas recovery phase / heat recovery phase pair. This provides a one-step offset so that the high-pressure heat recovery stage is essentially at a higher pressure than the high-pressure CO2 recovery stage. As a result, in some embodiments, the use of a recycle blower (replacing the vacuum compressor 124 in some embodiments) can be completely omitted.

[0055]

[0061] According to various embodiments, the recovery subsystem 302 comprises a vacuum compressor 124. Optionally, the vacuum compressor 124 may be multi-stage, which may be advantageous for exposing different parts of the system 300 to different pressures. In other embodiments, the recovery subsystem 302 may comprise multiple vacuum compressors 124 operating at different pressures. As shown, the vacuum compressor 124 may be used to deliver a product flow 320 (e.g., a CO2-rich gas) through a product outlet 318. In some embodiments, the system 300 may comprise an sorbent container 102 sufficient to provide a continuous product flow 320. Furthermore, in some embodiments, as previously stated, the pressure difference within the inverse pair may be small enough to replace the vacuum compressor 124 with a recycling blower or other less power-consuming device.

[0056]

[0062] Figure 3B is a schematic diagram of a non-limiting example of the system shown in Figure 3A during operation. Each of the multiple sorbent containers 102 is configured to transition between the gas collection phase (i.e., extracting carbon dioxide 336 from the atmosphere), the gas recovery phase (i.e., causing the sorbent material 110 to release the carbon dioxide 336 captured from the atmosphere), and the heat recovery phase (i.e., taking hot water vapor from a container where the carbon dioxide 336 has been depleted and using it in the gas recovery phase elsewhere in the system 300). As shown, the multiple sorbent containers 102 have a container 102 in each of the three phases simultaneously.

[0057]

[0063] More specifically, the multiple sorbent containers 102 can be divided into three subsets: a first subset 330 consisting of containers 102 in the gas collection phase, a second subset 332 consisting of containers 102 in the gas recovery phase, and a third subset 334 consisting of containers 102 in the heat recovery phase.

[0058]

[0064] As shown, the gas collection phase vessel 102 is not in fluid communication with the interior of the other vessels of the other phases. The vessel of the first subset 330 is exposed to the atmosphere, while the rest of the system 300 (more specifically, the interior of the rest of the system 300) is closed and isolated from the atmosphere. The heat recovery phase vessel 102 is in fluid communication with the gas recovery phase vessel 102 (the second subset 332), but only in one direction. The third subset 334 provides pressurized heated steam 114 to the vessel 102 that is still emitting the captured carbon dioxide 336, but does not take in any fluid from the other vessel 102. Finally, the vessel 102 in the gas recovery phase (i.e., the second subset 332) is in fluid communication with the recovery subsystem 302 that receives pressurized fluid from the third subset 334 and drives the release of captured carbon dioxide 336.

[0059]

[0065] Figures 4A–4F are schematic diagrams of the different stages of the three phases implemented in a non-limiting example of the intended system 300, viewed from the perspective of a single sorbent container 102a within the system 300. Figures 5A–5F are schematic diagrams of the same stages, but instead show the relative pressures of all sorbent containers 102 within the system 300 for each stage.

[0060]

[0066] Note that the non-limiting examples of the intended system 300 shown in Figures 4A-4F and 5A-5F have been selected for clarity and ease of depiction. This system 300 comprises six sorbent containers 102a-102f. At any given time, three of the containers 102 will be in the gas recovery phase 400, two in the heat recovery phase 408, and one in the gas collection phase 414. Note that, according to various embodiments, considering the typical time lengths each stage takes over these phases, the gas collection phase 414 usually contains more containers 102 than either of the other two phases.

[0061]

[0067] According to various embodiments, the gas recovery phase 400 has one more gas recovery stage 402 than the heat recovery stage 410 of the heat recovery phase 408. In other words, if the gas recovery phase 400 has N gas recovery stages 402, according to various embodiments, the heat recovery phase 408 will have (N-1) heat recovery stages 410.

[0062]

[0068] In the non-limiting examples shown in Figures 4A-5F, the system 300 comprises three gas recovery stages 402a-402c and two heat recovery stages 410a and 410b. The gas collection phase 414 typically has a single stage comprising an sorbent material 110 of a container 102 that is exposed to a fluid containing a target sorbate (i.e., carbon dioxide).

[0063]

[0069] The following description is made in relation to a single sorbent container 102a. Figures 4A–4F illustrate the nature of the fluid communication between the container 102a and the rest of the system 300 at each stage. In the context of this specification and the subsequent claims, a stage is simply a part of a phase. It can be thought of as an intermediate point in a path through state space to achieve the objective of that phase, of a part of the system 300 (i.e., a subset of containers 102, a recovery subsystem 302, etc.). For example, the objective of the gas recovery phase 400 is to recover the sorbent material sorbed onto the sorbent material 110 of a subset of containers 102. As a container 102 progresses through the stages 402 that constitute the phase 400, the pressure 418 and temperature 420 of that container 102 increase as the solvent is released.

[0064]

[0070] Non-limiting examples of a pair of intended gas recovery and heat recovery cycles are shown in Figures 4A–5F. Figures 4A–4C and 5A–5C show three gas recovery stages 402a–402c of the first sorbent container 102a.

[0065]

[0071] After the completion of the CO2 capture step (i.e., exposing the sorbent material 110 to a carbon dioxide source), the first sorbent container 102a encloses the sorbent structure 108, and the sorbent material 110 is filled with carbon dioxide 336. In some embodiments, this involves returning the sorbent structure 108 to the inside of the container 102a, while in other embodiments, it is only necessary for the container 102a to close any openings that exist to allow the structure 108 to fluidly contact the atmosphere 416 or other CO2 source.

[0066]

[0072] According to various embodiments, the container 102a is then first evacuated. To avoid air contamination within the product, the sorbent container 102a can be pre-rinsed with CO2 or evacuated through a dedicated vacuum compressor (not shown).

[0067]

[0073] One strategy that does not require a dedicated compressor requires pre-rinsing with low-pressure CO2 recirculated from the product outlet 318 (i.e., the outlet of the vacuum compressor), which equalizes the pressure as the sorbent container 102a exits the CO2 capture stage, and is then continuously exhausted to the second stage 124b and then to the first stage vacuum compressor 124a.

[0068]

[0074] The first stage 402a of the gas recovery phase 400, or more specifically, the equilibrium achieved after the fluid contact constituting this first stage 402a has been established, includes the fifth vessel 102e and the vessel 102a in fluid contact with the first stage of the vacuum compressor 124a. The first stage of the vacuum compressor 124a is at a first pressure 422. The fifth vessel 102e is at the final stage 410b of the heat recovery phase 408, at a second pressure 424.

[0069]

[0075] In this first gas recovery stage 402a, the first container 102a has a pressure 418 between the first pressure 422 and the second pressure 424. Note that in the following description, various elements will be described as having one of six different pressures. The first pressure 422, the second pressure 424, the third pressure 426, the fourth pressure 428, the fifth pressure 430, and the sixth pressure 432 are each increasing in pressure, with the first pressure 422 being the lowest and the sixth pressure 432 being the highest. A balanced pressure between two of these six pressures is also utilized.

[0070]

[0076] It should be noted that the following description of the various stages of the container 102 of the intended system 300 is presented as if all containers transition between stages simultaneously or at the same rhythm. This should not be interpreted as a limitation, but rather as a simplification of the diagram. In some embodiments, the elements of system 300 may transition between stages almost simultaneously, while in other embodiments, at least some of the stage transitions within the system may be asynchronous, at least partially, with other phase transitions or transient events within system 300.

[0071]

[0077] While in the gas recovery phase 400, the container 102 releases the product gas mixture 316, receives water vapor 114, and desorbs the captured carbon dioxide 336 from the sorbent material 110.

[0072]

[0078] The first (N-1) gas recovery stages 402 will comprise a container 102a that is in fluid communication with the recovery subsystem 302 at a downstream pressure 404, and another container 102 for the heat recovery phase 408 at an upstream pressure 406. The upstream pressure 406 of each gas recovery stage 402 is greater than the upstream pressure 406 of the previous gas recovery stage 402.

[0073]

[0079] The second gas recovery stage 402b of the first vessel 102a includes the first vessel 102a, which is in fluid communication with the second stage 124b of the vacuum compressor at a third pressure 426 (downstream pressure 404), and similarly, the third vessel 102c, which is in the first heat recovery stage 410a and is therefore at a fourth pressure 428 (upstream pressure 406).

[0074]

[0080] It should be noted that in various embodiments, there are no strictly series-connected sorbent containers 102, and the "pairs" may be virtual. Any individual sorbent container 102 can be connected to any header at any time. Many sorbent containers 102 can be associated with the same recovery system and header set. The number of sorbent containers 102 in the gas capture phase can be changed independently of the number of sorbent containers 102 in the gas / heat recovery phase. In fact, this can be dynamically adjusted depending on the ambient operating conditions.

[0075]

[0081] The nth gas recovery stage 402, in this case the third gas recovery stage 402c, comprises a vessel 102a that is in fluid communication with a condenser 306 at a downstream pressure 404 equal to the fifth pressure 430 and an evaporator 308 at an upstream pressure 406 equal to the sixth pressure 432.

[0076]

[0082] Next, the first vessel 102a moves to the heat recovery phase 408. In this non-limiting example, the heat recovery phase 408 has two stages 410a and 410b. If the gas recovery phase 400 has N stages 402, then the heat recovery phase 408 has (N-1) heat recovery stages 410, each heat recovery stage 410 comprising a vessel 102a that is in fluid communication with a different vessel 102 in the gas recovery phase 400 at a heating pressure 412. The heating pressure 412 decreases with each subsequent heat recovery stage 410.

[0077]

[0083] In the first heat recovery stage 410a, the first vessel 102a is in fluid contact with the fifth vessel 102e, which has a heating pressure 412 between the fifth pressure 430 and the sixth pressure 432. According to various embodiments, the heating pressure 412 of the first heat recovery stage 410a of the (N-1) heat recovery stages 410 is lower than the downstream pressure 404 of any of the N gas recovery stages 402.

[0078]

[0084] In the final heat recovery stage 410b, the first container 102a is in fluid contact with the third container 102c, which has a heating pressure 412 between a first pressure 422 and a second pressure 424. Finally, the first container 102a enters the gas collection phase 414, where its sorbent material 110 is in fluid communication with the atmosphere 416 and absorbs carbon dioxide 336 according to various embodiments.

[0079]

[0085] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a non-limiting example of an sorbent container 102 equipped with a spray nozzle 600. In embodiments using a moisture swing sorbent material 608, the delivery of liquid water 112 is an important consideration.

[0080]

[0086] According to various embodiments, the method for delivering the liquid within the sorbent container 102 may be immersion, spraying, or aerosolization, each of which is described below. Immersion has the advantage of completely wetting all surfaces while simultaneously expelling all air and creating an initial vacuum during removal. This presents some mechanical challenges, as it requires either transferring the sorbent 110 to a water container or transferring water to the sorbent container 102. In one embodiment, even with a moderately high flow rate of 100 lpm, it would take approximately 30 minutes to fill a typical sorbent container 102. Drainage requires additional time, which is longer than the entire recovery phase period intended for a particular embodiment. Immersion also increases the water demand as free water remains on the wetted surfaces.

[0081]

[0087] The amount of water required for spraying is significantly reduced. While the geometric shape of the sorbent structure 108 makes it difficult for the spray line of sight to reach all sorbent surfaces, if an sorbent structure 108 with multiple planes is used, it may be possible to wet most of the sorbent 110 by spraying laterally between the surfaces. Water can then be more easily sprayed onto the top surface and drip through the space between the sorbent and the support. All water that has completely passed through the sorbent 110 can be recovered. A considerable amount of residual water may still remain on the wetted surface.

[0082]

[0088] Water as suspended droplets in vapor (aerosol, fog, mist) can move much less, potentially reducing the amount of free water remaining. Water vapor 114 can be a suspended gas.

[0083]

[0089] The high surface-to-volume ratio of water 112 in system 300 ensures that some of the water 112 evaporates when the ambient water vapor pressure falls below its saturation pressure, whether as droplets 606 or on a wet surface. Evaporative cooling lowers the temperature of the container. The same amount of heat is consumed in each case. In the case of immersion, the temperature change is small because the sensible heat plate of the liquid water mass is large. In the case of aerosol, if the vapor 114 is superheated, the evaporative cooling of the droplets and the corresponding cooling of the vapor can be substantial. This cooling is then reversed when it condenses or is adsorbed onto an sorbent. Some embodiments employ this as a means of delivering liquid water 112 to an sorbent 110 by evaporating the liquid water 112 in situ and then recondensing it without adding or removing heat from the outside.

[0084]

[0090] As shown in Figure 6, in some embodiments, each container 102 may be equipped with a spray nozzle 600 coupled to a liquid water supply device 602. In some embodiments, the liquid water supply device 602 may be liquid water 112 in the reservoir 310 of the recovery subsystem 302, in other embodiments it may come from a makeup water valve 122, and in yet other embodiments the liquid water 112 for the spray nozzle 600 may come from a completely different source.

[0085]

[0091] For each gas recovery stage 402, steam 114 having an upstream pressure 406 may be used as a carrier gas 604 to push liquid water 112 from the liquid water supply device 602 out of the spray nozzle 600, generating a spray of liquid water droplets 606 to desorb carbon dioxide 336 from the sorbent material 110. In the context of this specification and the subsequent claims, the spray of liquid water droplets may refer to fog, mist, cloud, etc. In some embodiments, the steam is superheated as in any of the above cases (e.g., vaporized in a separate housing, transported by pressure drop, recirculated by a blower, and recirculated in a condenser / evaporator and superheater).

[0086]

[0092] The resulting droplets evaporate completely or partially and then recondense or sorb onto the sorbent 110. This reduces the likelihood of this aerosol liquid water being lost due to collisions with inactive surfaces. If the droplets undergo an intermediate conversion to vapor 114, this vapor bypasses already warm surfaces or surfaces in water absorption equilibrium and proceeds to the sorbent 110, which still has water capacity or is below its saturation temperature. If the aerosol droplets evaporate only partially, they become smaller and more stable.

[0087]

[0093] The smaller the droplet, the slower the settling velocity. Droplets with very small diameters (e.g., Knudsen number much greater than 1) are in the free molecular region, follow the vapor streamlines, bypass the warm, inactive surface, and are attracted by the vapor to the sorbent surface where water is still condensing / adsorbing. For example, in one embodiment, at 60°C, a 1-micron diameter water droplet in saturated water vapor has a Kn = 1470. By controlling the superheating rate of the carrier water vapor, the diameter, stability, degree of evaporation / recondensation, and subsequent delivery to a preferred surface of the aerosol droplet can be optimized.

[0088]

[0094] Where the above examples, embodiments, and implementations are for reference only, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that other carbon dioxide capture units, sorbent containers, systems, and methods can be mixed with or substituted for those provided. Where the above description refers to specific embodiments of systems and methods for efficient carbon dioxide capture, many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and it will be readily apparent that these embodiments and implementations can similarly be applied to other carbon dioxide capture technologies. Accordingly, the disclosed subject matter is intended to encompass the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as well as all such changes, modifications, and variations that are in the knowledge of those skilled in the art. <Note> [Form 1] Recovery subsystem, A heat pump is thermally connected to a condenser and an evaporator, and the condenser is fluidly connected to a reservoir. A liquid pump is configured to communicate fluidly with the reservoir and the evaporator, to pump the condensate from the reservoir to the evaporator, and to re-evaporate the condensate to form water vapor, A vacuum compressor is in fluid communication with a product outlet that provides product flow, and is also in fluid communication with the reservoir. A recovery subsystem including, A plurality of sorbent containers, each comprising an sorbent structure having an sorbent material, wherein each sorbent container is in fluid communication with the vacuum compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator of the recovery subsystem, and with at least a subset of the plurality of sorbent containers, the fluid communication of each sorbent container is controlled via a plurality of valves, each sorbent container of the plurality of sorbent containers is configured to transition between a gas collection phase, a gas recovery phase, and a heat recovery phase, and the plurality of sorbent containers simultaneously include the gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase. Includes, The gas collection phase includes the sorbent material of the sorbent container which is in fluid communication with the atmosphere and absorbs carbon dioxide. The gas recovery phase has N gas recovery steps, Each sorbent container is configured to sequentially progress through each of the N gas recovery steps. The aforementioned sorbent container releases the product gas mixture, receives water vapor, and desorbs the captured carbon dioxide from the sorbent material. The first (N-1) gas recovery step is: The sorbent container is in fluid communication with the recovery subsystem at downstream pressure, Another sorbent container for the heat recovery phase at upstream pressure and Includes, The Nth gas recovery step includes the sorbent container which is in fluid communication with the downstream pressure condenser and the upstream pressure evaporator, The upstream pressure at each gas recovery stage is greater than the downstream pressure. The upstream pressure in each gas recovery stage is greater than the upstream pressure in the previous gas recovery stage. The heat recovery phase has (N-1) heat recovery steps, Each heat recovery stage includes an sorbent container that is in fluid communication with a different sorbent container in the gas recovery phase at heating pressure, The aforementioned heating pressure decreases in each subsequent heat recovery stage. The sorbent container is configured to sequentially transition through each of the (N-1) heat recovery steps. A system for efficiently collecting carbon dioxide. [Form 2] The liquid pump of the recovery subsystem is connected to the makeup water valve. Liquid water is added to the condensate, and it is vaporized and pumped into the evaporator for use in the gas recovery phase. The system described in Form 1. [Form 3] The evaporator of the recovery subsystem is coupled to a heat source. The system described in Form 1. [Form 4] The heating pressure of the first heat recovery stage among the (N-1) heat recovery stages is lower than the downstream pressure of any of the N gas recovery stages. The system described in Form 1. [Form 5] The product flow is continuous. The system described in Form 1. [Form 6] The plurality of sorbent containers include at least six sorbent containers. The system described in Form 1. [Form 7] The gas collection phase includes the step of separating the sorbent structure from the sorbent container. The system described in Form 1. [Form 8] Each sorbent container is connected to all other sorbent containers of the plurality of sorbent containers. The system described in Form 1. [Form 9] The aforementioned sorbent material is a temperature swing sorbent material. The system described in Form 1. [Form 10] The aforementioned sorbent material is a moisture swing sorbent material. The system described in Form 1. [Form 11] Each sorbent container includes a spray nozzle connected to a liquid water supply device. In each gas recovery stage, liquid water is sprayed through the spray nozzle, generating a spray of liquid water droplets suspended in the water vapor having the upstream pressure, and as a result, the liquid water is supplied to the sorbent material and deposited on the sorbent material, and carbon dioxide is desorbed from the sorbent material. The system described in form 1 or 10. [Form 12] Recovery subsystem, A heat pump is thermally connected to a condenser and an evaporator, and the condenser is fluidly connected to a reservoir. The liquid pump is in fluid communication with the reservoir and the evaporator, and is configured to pump the condensate from the reservoir to the evaporator and re-evaporate the condensate to form water vapor. A vacuum compressor is in fluid communication with a product outlet that provides product flow, and is also in fluid communication with the reservoir. A recovery subsystem including, Multiple sorbent containers having at least six sorbent containers and It has, Each sorbent container includes a spray nozzle and an sorbent structure having a moisture-swinging sorbent material. The spray nozzle is connected to a liquid water supply device. Each sorbent container is in fluid communication with the vacuum compressor, condenser, and evaporator of the recovery subsystem, and with at least a subset of the plurality of sorbent containers. The fluid communication in each sorbent container is controlled through a plurality of valves. Each of the plurality of sorbent containers is configured to move between the gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase. The plurality of sorbent containers simultaneously contain the gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase. The gas collection phase includes the sorbent material of the sorbent container which is in fluid communication with the atmosphere and absorbs carbon dioxide. The gas recovery phase has N gas recovery stages, and each sorbent container is configured to sequentially transition through each of the N gas recovery stages, the sorbent container releases a product gas mixture, receives water vapor, and desorbs captured carbon dioxide from the sorbent material, the first (N-1) gas recovery stage includes the sorbent container fluidly communicating with the recovery subsystem at a downstream pressure and another sorbent container of the heat recovery phase at an upstream pressure, the Nth gas recovery stage includes the sorbent container fluidly communicating with the condenser at the downstream pressure and the evaporator at the upstream pressure, the upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is greater than the downstream pressure, the upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is greater than the upstream pressure of the previous gas recovery stage, the water vapor having the upstream pressure is a carrier gas that pushes liquid water out of the spray nozzle from the liquid water supply device, generating a spray of liquid water droplets and desorbing the carbon dioxide from the sorbent material, The heat recovery phase has (N-1) heat recovery stages, each heat recovery stage includes an sorbent container that is in fluid communication with a different sorbent container of the gas recovery phase at a heating pressure, the heating pressure decreases in each subsequent heat recovery stage, and the sorbent container is configured to sequentially transition through each of the (N-1) heat recovery stages. A system for efficiently collecting carbon dioxide. [Form 13] The liquid pump of the recovery subsystem is connected to a makeup water valve, liquid water is added to the condensate, vaporizes, and is pumped to the evaporator for use in the gas recovery phase. The system described in Form 12. [Form 14] The evaporator of the recovery subsystem is coupled to a heat source. The system described in Form 12. [Form 15] The heating pressure of the first heat recovery stage of the (N-1) heat recovery stages is lower than the downstream pressure of any of the N gas recovery stages. The system described in Form 12. [Form 16] The product flow is continuous. The system described in Form 12. [Form 17] The gas collection phase includes the step of separating the sorbent structure from the sorbent container. The system described in Form 12. [Form 18] Each sorbent container is connected to all other sorbent containers of the plurality of sorbent containers. The system described in Form 12. [Form 19] A step of arranging a plurality of sorbent containers so as to be in fluid communication with the recovery subsystem of the system, wherein the sorbent containers belong to the system and each includes an sorbent structure having an sorbent material, and the recovery subsystem is A heat pump is thermally connected to a condenser and an evaporator, and the condenser is fluidly connected to a reservoir. A liquid pump having fluid communication with the reservoir and the evaporator, wherein the liquid pump is configured to pump the condensate from the reservoir to the evaporator and to re-evaporate the condensate to form water vapor, A vacuum compressor is in fluid communication with a product outlet that provides product flow, and is also in fluid communication with the reservoir. Steps including, The steps include: arranging each of the first subset of the plurality of sorbent containers in the gas collection phase by fluidly communicating the sorbent material of the sorbent container with the atmosphere and absorbing carbon dioxide; A step of sequentially moving each sorbent container of a second subset of the plurality of sorbent containers through N gas recovery stages of the gas recovery phase, wherein the pressure and temperature of the sorbent containers are gradually increased, and each gas recovery stage includes the sorbent container that receives water vapor and desorbs captured carbon dioxide from the sorbent material, and the sorbent container that releases a product gas mixture containing water vapor and carbon dioxide, wherein the first (N-1) gas recovery stage includes placing the sorbent container in fluid communication with the recovery subsystem at downstream pressure, and another sorbent container in the heat recovery phase at upstream pressure, wherein the Nth gas recovery stage includes placing the sorbent container in fluid communication with the condenser at downstream pressure and the evaporator at upstream pressure, wherein the upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is greater than the downstream pressure, and the upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is higher than the upstream pressure of the previous gas recovery stage, A step of sequentially moving each sorbent container of a third subset of the plurality of sorbent containers through (N-1) heat recovery stages of the heat recovery phase, wherein the pressure and temperature of the sorbent containers are gradually reduced, and each heat recovery stage is a step of positioning the sorbent containers that are in fluid communication with different sorbent containers in the gas recovery phase at a heating pressure, wherein the heating pressure is reduced in each subsequent heat recovery stage. Includes, The gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase are all present simultaneously in the plurality of sorbent containers. Methods for efficiently collecting carbon dioxide. [Form 20] The process further includes the step of replacing water lost from the system by adding liquid water from a makeup water valve to the condensate that is pumped into the evaporator for evaporation and use in the gas recovery phase. The method described in morphology 19. [Form 21] The evaporator of the recovery subsystem is coupled to a heat source. The method described in morphology 19. [Form 22] The heating pressure of the first heat recovery stage of the (N-1) heat recovery stages is lower than the downstream pressure of any of the N gas recovery stages. The method described in morphology 19. [Form 23] The product flow is continuous. The method described in morphology 19. [Form 24] The plurality of sorbent containers include at least six sorbent containers. The method described in morphology 19. [Form 25] Placing each of the first subset of sorbent containers in the gas collection phase includes the step of separating the sorbent structure from each sorbent container. The method described in morphology 19. [Form 26] Each sorbent container is connected to all other sorbent containers of the plurality of sorbent containers. The method described in morphology 19. [Form 27] The aforementioned sorbent material is characterized by being a temperature swing sorbent material. The method described in morphology 19. [Form 28] The aforementioned sorbent material is a moisture swing sorbent material. The method described in morphology 19. [Form 29] Each sorbent container includes a spray nozzle connected to a liquid water supply device. In each gas recovery stage, liquid water is sprayed through the spray nozzle, generating a spray of liquid water droplets suspended in the water vapor having the upstream pressure, and as a result, the liquid water is supplied to the sorbent material and deposited on the sorbent material, and carbon dioxide is desorbed from the sorbent material. The method according to form 19 or 28.

Claims

1. Recovery subsystem, A heat pump is thermally connected to a condenser and an evaporator, and the condenser is fluidly connected to a reservoir. A liquid pump is configured to communicate fluidly with the reservoir and the evaporator, to pump the condensate from the reservoir to the evaporator, and to re-evaporate the condensate to form water vapor, A vacuum compressor is in fluid communication with a product outlet that provides product flow, and is also in fluid communication with the reservoir. A recovery subsystem including, A plurality of sorbent containers, each containing an sorbent structure, wherein the sorbent structure has an sorbent material, each sorbent container is in fluid communication with the vacuum compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator of the recovery subsystem, and at least a subset of the plurality of sorbent containers, the fluid communication of each sorbent container is controlled via a plurality of valves, each sorbent container of the plurality of sorbent containers is configured to transition between a gas collection phase, a gas recovery phase, and a heat recovery phase, and the plurality of sorbent containers simultaneously contain the gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase. Includes, The gas collection phase includes the sorbent material of the sorbent container which is in fluid communication with the atmosphere and absorbs carbon dioxide. The gas recovery phase has N gas recovery steps, including the first to the Nth gas recovery steps. Each sorbent container is configured to sequentially progress through each of the N gas recovery stages. The aforementioned sorbent container releases the product gas mixture, receives water vapor, and desorbs the captured carbon dioxide from the sorbent material. The first to (N-1)th gas recovery steps are as follows: The sorbent container is in fluid communication with the recovery subsystem at downstream pressure, Another sorbent container for the heat recovery phase at upstream pressure and Includes, The Nth gas recovery step includes the sorbent container which is in fluid communication with the downstream pressure condenser and the upstream pressure evaporator, The upstream pressure at each gas recovery stage is greater than the downstream pressure. The upstream pressure at each gas recovery stage is greater than the upstream pressure at the previous gas recovery stage. The heat recovery phase has (N-1) heat recovery steps, Each heat recovery stage includes an sorbent container that is in fluid communication with a different sorbent container in the gas recovery phase at heating pressure, The aforementioned heating pressure decreases in each subsequent heat recovery stage. The sorbent container is configured to sequentially transition through each of the (N-1) heat recovery steps. A system for efficiently collecting carbon dioxide.

2. The liquid pump of the recovery subsystem is connected to the makeup water valve. Liquid water is added to the condensate, and it is vaporized and pumped into the evaporator for use in the gas recovery phase. The system according to claim 1.

3. The evaporator of the recovery subsystem is coupled to a heat source. The system according to claim 1.

4. The product flow is continuous. The system according to claim 1.

5. The plurality of sorbent containers include at least six sorbent containers. The system according to claim 1.

6. The gas collection phase includes the step of separating the sorbent structure from the sorbent container. The system according to claim 1.

7. Each sorbent container is connected to all other sorbent containers of the plurality of sorbent containers. The system according to claim 1.

8. The aforementioned sorbent material is a temperature swing sorbent material. The system according to claim 1.

9. The aforementioned sorbent material is a moisture swing sorbent material. The system according to claim 1.

10. Each sorbent container includes a spray nozzle connected to a liquid water supply device. In each gas recovery stage, liquid water is sprayed through the spray nozzle, generating a spray of liquid water droplets suspended in the water vapor having the upstream pressure, and as a result, the liquid water is supplied to the sorbent material and deposited on the sorbent material, and carbon dioxide is desorbed from the sorbent material. The system according to claim 1 or 9.

11. Recovery subsystem, A heat pump is thermally connected to a condenser and an evaporator, and the condenser is fluidly connected to a reservoir. A liquid pump is configured to communicate fluidly with the reservoir and the evaporator, to pump the condensate from the reservoir to the evaporator, and to re-evaporate the condensate to form water vapor. A vacuum compressor is in fluid communication with a product outlet that provides product flow, and is also in fluid communication with the reservoir. A recovery subsystem including, Multiple sorbent containers having at least six sorbent containers and It has, Each sorbent container includes a spray nozzle and an sorbent structure, wherein the sorbent structure has an sorbent material which is a moisture swing sorbent material. The spray nozzle is connected to a liquid water supply device. Each sorbent container is in fluid communication with the vacuum compressor, condenser, and evaporator of the recovery subsystem, and with at least a subset of the plurality of sorbent containers. The fluid communication in each sorbent container is controlled through a plurality of valves. Each of the plurality of sorbent containers is configured to move between the gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase. The plurality of sorbent containers simultaneously contain the gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase. The gas collection phase includes the sorbent material of the sorbent container which is in fluid communication with the atmosphere and absorbs carbon dioxide. The gas recovery phase has N gas recovery stages, including the first to the Nth gas recovery stage, and each sorbent container is configured to sequentially transition through each of the N gas recovery stages, the sorbent container releases a product gas mixture, receives water vapor, and desorbs captured carbon dioxide from the sorbent material, the first to (N-1)th gas recovery stages include the sorbent container fluidly communicating with the recovery subsystem at a downstream pressure and another sorbent container of the heat recovery phase at an upstream pressure, the Nth gas recovery stage includes the sorbent container fluidly communicating with the condenser at the downstream pressure and the evaporator at the upstream pressure, the upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is greater than the downstream pressure, the upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is greater than the upstream pressure of the previous gas recovery stage, the water vapor having the upstream pressure is a carrier gas that pushes liquid water out of the spray nozzle from the liquid water supply device, generating a spray of liquid water droplets and desorbing the carbon dioxide from the sorbent material, The heat recovery phase has (N-1) heat recovery stages, each heat recovery stage includes an sorbent container that is in fluid communication with a different sorbent container of the gas recovery phase at a heating pressure, the heating pressure decreases in each subsequent heat recovery stage, and the sorbent container is configured to sequentially transition through each of the (N-1) heat recovery stages. A system for efficiently collecting carbon dioxide.

12. The liquid pump of the recovery subsystem is connected to a makeup water valve, liquid water is added to the condensate, vaporizes, and is pumped to the evaporator for use in the gas recovery phase. The system according to claim 11.

13. The evaporator of the recovery subsystem is coupled to a heat source. The system according to claim 11.

14. The product flow is continuous. The system according to claim 11.

15. The gas collection phase includes the step of separating the sorbent structure from the sorbent container. The system according to claim 11.

16. Each sorbent container is connected to all other sorbent containers of the plurality of sorbent containers. The system according to claim 11.

17. A step of arranging a plurality of sorbent containers in fluid communication with a recovery subsystem of a system, wherein the sorbent containers belong to the system, each containing an sorbent structure, the sorbent structure having an sorbent material, and the recovery subsystem, A heat pump is thermally connected to a condenser and an evaporator, and the condenser is fluidly connected to a reservoir. A liquid pump having fluid communication with the reservoir and the evaporator, wherein the liquid pump is configured to pump the condensate from the reservoir to the evaporator and to re-evaporate the condensate to form water vapor, A vacuum compressor is in fluid communication with a product outlet that provides product flow, and is also in fluid communication with the reservoir. Steps including, The steps include: arranging each of the first subset of the plurality of sorbent containers in the gas collection phase by fluidly communicating the sorbent material of the sorbent container with the atmosphere and absorbing carbon dioxide; A step of sequentially moving each sorbent container of a second subset of the plurality of sorbent containers through N gas recovery stages of the gas recovery phase, including the first to the Nth gas recovery stage, wherein the pressure and temperature of the sorbent containers are gradually increased, and each gas recovery stage includes the sorbent container that receives water vapor and desorbs captured carbon dioxide from the sorbent material, and the sorbent container that releases a product gas mixture containing water vapor and carbon dioxide, wherein the first to (N-1)th gas recovery stage includes placing the sorbent container in fluid communication with the recovery subsystem at downstream pressure, and another sorbent container in the heat recovery phase at upstream pressure, and the Nth gas recovery stage includes placing the sorbent container in fluid communication with the condenser at downstream pressure and the evaporator at upstream pressure, wherein the upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is greater than the downstream pressure, and the upstream pressure of each gas recovery stage is higher than the upstream pressure of the previous gas recovery stage. A step of sequentially moving each sorbent container of a third subset of the plurality of sorbent containers through (N-1) heat recovery stages of the heat recovery phase, wherein the pressure and temperature of the sorbent containers are gradually reduced, and each heat recovery stage is a step of positioning the sorbent containers that are in fluid communication with different sorbent containers in the gas recovery phase at a heating pressure, wherein the heating pressure is reduced in each subsequent heat recovery stage. Includes, The gas collection phase, the gas recovery phase, and the heat recovery phase are all present simultaneously in the plurality of sorbent containers. Methods for efficiently collecting carbon dioxide.

18. The process further includes the step of replacing water lost from the system by adding liquid water from a makeup water valve to the condensate that is pumped into the evaporator for evaporation and use in the gas recovery phase. The method according to claim 17.

19. The evaporator of the recovery subsystem is coupled to a heat source. The method according to claim 17.

20. The product flow is continuous. The method according to claim 17.

21. The plurality of sorbent containers include at least six sorbent containers. The method according to claim 17.

22. Placing each of the first subset of sorbent containers in the gas collection phase includes the step of separating the sorbent structure from each sorbent container. The method according to claim 17.

23. Each sorbent container is connected to all other sorbent containers of the plurality of sorbent containers. The method according to claim 17.

24. The aforementioned sorbent material is characterized by being a temperature swing sorbent material. The method according to claim 17.

25. The aforementioned sorbent material is a moisture swing sorbent material. The method according to claim 17.

26. Each sorbent container includes a spray nozzle connected to a liquid water supply device. In each gas recovery stage, liquid water is sprayed through the spray nozzle, generating a spray of liquid water droplets suspended in the water vapor having the upstream pressure, and as a result, the liquid water is supplied to the sorbent material and deposited on the sorbent material, and carbon dioxide is desorbed from the sorbent material. The method according to claim 17 or 25.

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