Co2 separation apparatus for separating co2 from a supplied air stream

Abstract

The invention relates to a CO2 separation apparatus (10) for separating CO2 from a supplied air stream (104), with at least one separation chamber (12) having a chamber volume (14) for receiving a CO2 separation means (16), wherein the chamber volume (14) is delimited by at least one chamber element (18, 20, 21), in particular a chamber ceiling (18) and / or a chamber floor (20) and / or a chamber wall (21), wherein the chamber volume (14) of the at least one separation chamber (12) can be variably adjusted by means of a volume change unit between a CO2 separation process and a CO2 release process.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] title

[0003] C02-Abtr for separating CO2 from a

[0004] Airflow

[0005] State of the art

[0006] The invention relates to a CO2 separation device for separating CO2 (carbon dioxide) from a supplied air stream and a method for separating CO2 from a supplied air stream by means of a CO2 separation device with at least one separation chamber having a chamber volume for accommodating a CO2 separation agent, wherein the chamber volume is delimited by at least one chamber element, in particular a chamber ceiling and / or a chamber floor and / or a chamber wall.

[0007] In order to limit the warming of the Earth's atmosphere, so-called DAC systems (Direct Air Capture) are used to separate or remove CO2 (carbon dioxide) from the air.

[0008] Since the binding of CO2 and possibly water to an adsorbent material depends on temperature, pressure, concentration, humidity, etc., all adsorption and desorption systems cyclically adjust different conditions to capture CO2 through the resulting hysteresis. To adjust the desorption conditions, the adsorbent material must be temporarily sealed off from the environment and is therefore located in a chamber.

[0009] The chamber usually goes through the following steps cyclically:

[0010] (1) Adsorption of ambient air with the chamber open;

[0011] (2) Closing the chamber and heating the adsorber material and, inevitably, also the metallic chamber structure; (3) Desorption of the CO2 and the bound water by supplying heat at reduced pressure (e.g., 200 to 400 mbar) and pumping out the CO2 and the vaporous water by means of a vacuum pump;

[0012] (4) Cooling the adsorber material and the chamber and optionally drying the adsorber material to below a critical temperature below which contact with ambient air no longer leads to increased degeneration of the adsorber material by atmospheric oxygen;

[0013] (5) Opening the chamber to the environment, cooling to ambient temperature and thus resuming adsorption of CO2 and water from the ambient air.

[0014] WO 2020 / 212146 A1 discloses a DAC (Direct Air Capture) system with a container solution, wherein six separation chambers arranged in series and operable in parallel with a constant chamber volume are provided inside the container.

[0015] WO 2021 / 239747 A1 discloses a process for the adsorption and desorption of a sorbent used in cyclic adsorption-desorption for capturing CO2 directly from atmospheric ambient air or highly diluted sources. After closing the adsorption chamber, water vapor is injected while maintaining a constant chamber volume to displace residual oxygen, which would lead to adsorbent material degradation at elevated temperatures.

[0016] Disclosure of the invention

[0017] The present invention relates to a CO2 separation device according to the type described in the introduction, wherein the chamber volume of the at least one separation chamber can be variably adjusted between a CO2 separation process and a CO2 release process by means of a volume change unit.

[0018] The present invention further relates to a method according to the type described in the introduction, comprising the steps:

[0019] - Carrying out a CO2 separation process or a CO2 release process in the chamber volume; - Adjusting the chamber volume, in particular reducing the chamber volume for a subsequent CO2 release process or increasing the chamber volume for a subsequent CO2 separation process by means of a volume change unit; and

[0020] - Carrying out the CO2 release process or the CO2 separation process in the set chamber volume.

[0021] For a CO2 separation or sorption process, the supplied air stream for CO2 separation / binding should generally flow through or past the CO2 separation agent with the lowest possible pressure loss. Therefore, a large chamber volume is desirable or advantageous for a correspondingly airy, loose, or voluminous arrangement of the CO2 separation agent. For a CO2 release or desorption process, the chamber volume must be evacuated, and the CO2 separation agent must be heated and then cooled again for the subsequent CO2 separation or sorption process. Therefore, in terms of energy, a small chamber volume is desirable or advantageous for efficient evacuation and energy input.

[0022] Consequently, the variably adjustable chamber volume according to the invention enables an energetically advantageous process implementation, since the chamber volume can be optimally adapted for the respective process, i.e., the CO2 separation process and the CO2 release process. In particular, by reducing the chamber volume, the CO2 release process can be carried out much more energy-efficiently, since in the smaller volume, both the effort required to generate vacuum and steam and the energy input required for heating and, if necessary, cooling the correspondingly adapted CO2 separation agent are significantly reduced. Subsequently, the CO2 separation process can be optimized again by increasing the chamber volume.

[0023] The CO2 separation device is designed to separate CO2 from a supplied air stream by means of a CO2 separation process. Within the scope of the present invention, the term "separation" encompasses any reasonable method of separating or capturing CO2 (carbon dioxide) from the air, whereby CO2 molecules bind and / or adhere and / or are stored and / or absorbed by a CO2 separation agent.

[0024] In this case, the CO2 separation device can be designed, in particular, to separate the CO2 from the supplied air stream by means of a CO2 separation process, in which the separation takes place with the release of energy or heat to the air stream. The CO2 separation process is preferably a sorption process, in particular an adsorption process and / or an absorption process. Accordingly, the CO2 separation can be carried out, in particular, by means of at least one of the following processes or combinations thereof:

[0025] - chemical adsorption process

[0026] - physical adsorption process

[0027] - chemical absorption process

[0028] - physical absorption process

[0029] The CO2 separation device is further configured to release CO2 from the CO2 separation medium by means of a CO2 release process. Within the scope of the present invention, the term "release" encompasses any reasonable method of releasing or expelling CO2 (carbon dioxide) from the CO2 separation medium, whereby a dissolution and / or release and / or discharge of CO2 molecules from the CO2 separation medium occurs.

[0030] In this case, the CO2 separation device is particularly designed to release or dissolve the CO2 from the CO2 separation agent by means of a CO2 release process in which the CO2 is released from the CO2 separation agent by introducing energy or heat into the CO2 separation agent.

[0031] The CO2 separation process is preferably a desorption process. Accordingly, the CO2 can be released using at least one of the following processes or combinations thereof:

[0032] - chemical desorption process

[0033] - Physical desorption process. Preferably, the CO2 separation device is designed to perform the CO2 separation process and the CO2 release process cyclically. In this case, the CO2 separation device is particularly designed to perform the sorption process and the desorption process cyclically. The basic functionality of the CO2 separation device can be implemented, for example, analogously to the aforementioned WO 2020 / 212146 A1.

[0034] Within the scope of the present invention, the term "supply" or "supplied" primarily encompasses an actively conducted or initiated, and thus technically controlled or regulated, supply of the air flow by means of a blower unit or fan unit of the CO2 separation device. However, the term "supply" or "supplied" can also encompass a passively conducted or initiated supply of the air flow without departing from the scope of the present invention. Consequently, the air flow can be supplied in any desired manner, for example, naturally (as wind).

[0035] The CO2 separation device has at least one separation chamber. The separation chamber has a chamber volume that is delimited or enclosed by at least one chamber element. The chamber element is in particular a chamber ceiling and / or a chamber floor and / or a chamber wall. The separation chamber is preferably delimited by a chamber ceiling and a chamber floor and four chamber walls.

[0036] The CO2 separation device can have a valve unit with a plurality of, in particular controllable, valves to close the separation chamber for the CO2 release process. The valve unit can have an inlet valve, which is arranged in an inlet channel for the supplied or sucked-in air flow and is designed to close the inlet channel and to isolate the separation chamber upstream. The valve unit can further have an outlet valve, which is arranged in an outlet channel for the CO2-reduced air flow and is designed to close the outlet channel and to isolate the separation chamber downstream. The valve unit can also have a CO2 valve, which is arranged in a CO2 discharge channel for discharging separated CO2 and is designed to open the CO2 discharge channel in order to specifically discharge the separated / bound and released CO2 from the separation chamber.The CO2 separation device preferably has a plurality of separation chambers which are arranged one above the other and / or next to one another, wherein in particular separation chambers arranged adjacent to one another have at least one common chamber element and / or are fluidically connected and / or connectable to one another for the CO2 separation process and / or for the CO2 release process.

[0037] The separation chambers can be operated in groups in parallel for the CO2 separation process and the CO2 release process. In other words, if one group of separation chambers is operating in the CO2 separation process, the other group of separation chambers can be operated in the CO2 release process, and vice versa.

[0038] According to the invention, the chamber volume of the at least one separation chamber can be variably adjusted between a CO2 separation process and a CO2 release process using a volume change unit. In other words, the chamber volume can be variably or differently adjusted for the CO2 separation process and for the CO2 release process using the volume change unit. The chamber volume is the volume in or within the chamber, or a type of "capacity" of the chamber. The chamber volume is limited by the chamber elements.

[0039] In this case, the volume change unit is preferably designed to reduce the chamber volume, in particular cyclically from a separation volume for the CO2 separation process to a release volume for the following CO2 release process and to increase it back again to the separation volume for the subsequent CO2 separation process.

[0040] The separation volume represents a maximum adjustable chamber volume and the release volume represents a minimum adjustable chamber volume.

[0041] It should be noted that the separation volume, i.e., the chamber volume during the CO2 separation process, is designed to be "open" to the environment of the CO2 separation device for supplying the air flow, and the release volume, i.e., the chamber volume during the CO2 release process, is designed to be closed to the environment of the CO2 separation device. The respective chamber volume always refers to the volume in or within the chamber, even if it is designed to be "open."

[0042] Advantageously, at least one of the chamber elements is designed to be movable. Preferably, a distance between at least two of the chamber elements, in particular between the chamber ceiling and the chamber floor and / or between two opposing chamber walls, is variable. For example, only the chamber ceiling or the chamber floor, or only one of the chamber walls, can be designed to be movable. The remaining chamber elements are then consequently immobile or only partially movable. Preferably, the chamber ceiling and the chamber floor, or the two opposing chamber walls, are designed to be rigid, whereas the remaining chamber elements are designed to be flexible or foldable.

[0043] Accordingly, the volume-changing unit is preferably designed to displace the respective chamber element(s), in particular to change the distance, in order to adjust the chamber volume. In other words, at least one of the chamber elements is designed to be displaceable or movably mounted accordingly, so that it can be manipulated by the volume-changing unit in such a way that the chamber volume can be variably adjusted. For example, the chamber ceiling and / or the chamber floor can be movably mounted centrally or at the four outer corners (or similarly).

[0044] If the CO2 separation chamber comprises several separation chambers arranged one above the other, the additional weight of a separation chamber due to the absorbed CO2 can be utilized to displace a chamber element or "compress" a separation chamber located below it. The volume change unit preferably comprises an actuator and / or a vacuum unit for variably adjusting the chamber volume. However, the volume change unit can be configured in any manner known to those skilled in the art, by which a change in the chamber volume can be realized, in particular by manipulating at least one of the chamber elements.

[0045] It is advantageous if the CO2 separation device has a heating unit for heating the CO2 separation agent for the CO2 release process.

[0046] In this case, the heating unit can have at least one heating surface, which is arranged in particular on or in at least one of the chamber elements. The heating surface can in particular be arranged in or on a stationary chamber element, e.g. the chamber floor. The heating surface is preferably designed so that it can be actively heated, e.g. by means of heating coils and / or electrical heating elements (e.g. resistance heating elements, Peltier elements, etc.). The introduction of heat using, for example, heating coils is extremely difficult in a large, airy chamber volume, since the heating coils in the separation chamber have to be led directly to the CO2 separation agent due to the low thermal conductivity. By adjusting or reducing the chamber volume, the distance between the CO2 separation agent and the chamber elements and, if applicable,The volume of the CO2 separation agent is also reduced, so that high heat transfer rates are achieved and the heat can be coupled directly from the chamber elements.

[0047] Alternatively or additionally, the heating unit can have a steam generation unit for introducing hot steam or a purge gas generation unit for introducing a purge gas into the chamber volume. In this case, a corresponding connection for the steam generation unit for introducing the steam can be provided on at least one of the chamber elements, in particular a stationary chamber element, e.g., the chamber floor. By adjusting or reducing the chamber volume, less steam advantageously needs to be introduced. Alternatively or additionally, the heating unit can have a microwave unit. In other words, heat can be introduced using microwaves, which is significantly more difficult in a large volume. In this case, the CO2 separation means must be designed accordingly or have a correspondingly designed carrier medium (e.g., metallic structures, threads, etc.).

[0048] It is further advantageous to have a cooling unit for cooling the CO2 separation agent for the CO2 separation process, wherein the cooling unit has at least one cooling surface, which is arranged in particular on or in at least one of the chamber elements. Similar to the heating surface, this also allows for significantly more energy-efficient cooling.

[0049] Furthermore, it is advantageous if a sealing unit is provided which is designed to seal the chamber volume for the CO2 release process from the environment of the CO2 separation device. In this case, it is particularly advantageous if the sealing unit

[0050] - has a static seal, which is designed in particular as a profile seal and is arranged on at least one of the chamber elements; and / or

[0051] - has a dynamic seal, which is designed in particular as a sealing bellows and is fastened to at least two of the chamber elements.

[0052] The static seal can in particular be a profile seal.

[0053] Preferably, at least one of the chamber elements is further designed as a dynamic seal, in particular as a sealing bellows.

[0054] With these types of seals, sealing can be provided very easily, for example by moving a chamber element, so that valves can sometimes be dispensed with.

[0055] The CO2 separation agent is preferably arranged in the separation chamber. The CO2 separation agent is preferably solid. The CO2 separation agent can, in particular, comprise a solid (appropriately functionalized) sorbent, for example, a solid adsorbent and / or a solid absorbent. Accordingly, the CO2 separation agent can, for example, have a fibrous or nonwoven solid as a carrier structure with a base material selected from the group consisting of: resins, polymers, ceramics, zeolites, silicates, organometallic compounds, organic materials such as cellulose or activated carbon, and combinations thereof. The base material can, in turn, be specifically functionalized with amines, potassium carbonate, or other components designed to chemically or physically bind CO2.

[0056] The CO2 separation agent can also be designed to be air-permeable. The CO2 separation agent can also be designed to be pourable.

[0057] The CO2 separation means is advantageously designed to be compressible and / or flexible and / or foldable and / or rollable.

[0058] The CO2 separation means preferably comprises cotton balls and / or cloths and / or threads and / or a honeycomb structure and / or plates. It is advantageous if

[0059] - the cotton balls are arranged loosely in the chamber volume; and / or

[0060] - the cloths and / or the threads are attached to at least two of the chamber elements, in particular to the chamber ceiling and the chamber floor and / or to two opposing chamber walls, or can be rolled into a receiving unit of the CO2 separation device; and / or

[0061] - the honeycomb structure is attached to at least two of the chamber elements, in particular to the chamber ceiling and the chamber floor and / or to two opposing chamber walls; and / or

[0062] - the panels are foldable, particularly like sectional doors.

[0063] One example is CO2 adsorption / absorption on amine compounds, e.g., Lewatit VP OC 1065. In these compounds, CO2 and water initially adhere to molecules, and then, through a chemical reaction, the CO2 forms a strong bond with the water, thus remaining effective even at low CO2 concentrations. This allows the volume of the CO2 capture agent to be reduced for energy-efficient heating and / or cooling, and, if necessary, it can also be pressed against the heated or cooled chamber element for improved heat transfer.

[0064] The CO2 separation device may further comprise at least one of the following units:

[0065] - blower unit, in particular with a plurality of fans for supplying the air flow;

[0066] - Pump unit or vacuum pump for providing overpressure and / or negative pressure for the CO2 release process or desorption process;

[0067] - Sensor unit for the CO2 separation and CO2 release process;

[0068] - Control unit for controlling and / or regulating the CO2 separation and CO2 release process.

[0069] The control unit can be designed to be connected to other control units and / or a central control unit of the CO2 separation device or a higher-level system by means of radio transmission such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near-field communication, etc.

[0070] The CO2 separation device is preferably designed to be stationary.

[0071] In particular, the CO2 capture device can be part of a building's air conditioning system, particularly integrated into an air conditioning system within a building. The capture chamber of the CO2 capture device can be integrated into the building's air conditioning circuit.

[0072] Drawings

[0073] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:

[0074] Fig. 1 shows a basic structure of a CO2 separation device according to the prior art; Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a CO2 separation device according to the invention;

[0075] Fig. 3 is a sectional view AA of the CO2 separation device from

[0076] Fig. 2;

[0077] Fig. 4a-c representations of a sequence of variable adjustment of the chamber volume of the CO2 separation device from Fig. 2;

[0078] Fig. 5 shows the CO2 separation device from Fig. 4c with a heating surface and a cooling surface;

[0079] Fig. 6a-c representations of a sequence of the variable adjustment of the chamber volume of another embodiment of the CO2 separation device according to the invention;

[0080] Fig. 7a-c representations of a sequence of the variable adjustment of the chamber volume of another embodiment of the CO2 separation device according to the invention;

[0081] Fig. 8a-c representations of a sequence of the variable adjustment of the chamber volume of another embodiment of the CO2 separation device according to the invention;

[0082] Fig. 9 shows a further embodiment of the CO2-

[0083] separation device;

[0084] Fig. 10 shows a further embodiment of the CO2 separation device according to the invention;

[0085] Fig. 11a-b show representations of a sequence of variable adjustment of the chamber volumes of a further embodiment of the CO2 separation device according to the invention with several CO2 separation chambers; Fig. 12a-b show representations of a sequence of variable adjustment of the chamber volumes of a further embodiment of the CO2 separation device according to the invention with several CO2 separation chambers; and

[0086] Fig. 13 is a flow diagram of a method according to the invention for separating CO2 from a supplied air stream by means of a CO2 separation device.

[0087] In the following description of the prior art and preferred embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals are used for the elements shown in the various figures and having a similar effect, whereby a repeated description of the elements is omitted.

[0088] Fig. 1 shows the basic structure of a CO2 separation device 100 according to the prior art. The CO2 separation device 100 is designed to separate CO2 (carbon dioxide) from an air stream 104 supplied by a blower unit 102 using a cyclical CO2 separation-release process or CO2 adsorption-desorption process.

[0089] For this purpose, the CO2 separation device 100 has a separation chamber 106 with a chamber volume 108 for receiving a CO2

[0090] Separation agent 110 or sorption agent 110. The chamber volume 110 is delimited by immovable chamber elements 112, 114, 116, ie, an immovable chamber ceiling 112, an immovable chamber floor 114, and immovable chamber walls 116.

[0091] The separation chamber 106 has an inlet valve 118 on an inlet channel 120 for the intake air stream 104, which is configured to close the inlet channel 120 and isolate the separation chamber 106 upstream. The separation chamber 106 further has an outlet valve 122 on an outlet channel 124 for the CO2-reduced air stream 104', which is configured to close the outlet channel 124 and isolate the separation chamber 106 downstream. The separation chamber 106 also has a CO2 valve 126 which is arranged in a CO2 discharge channel 128 and is designed to open the CO2 discharge channel 128 in order to discharge adsorbed, ie bound / filtered and desorbed, ie released, CO2 and vaporous water from the separation chamber 106.

[0092] The separated CO2 and vaporous water are pumped out of the separation chamber 106 by means of a pump unit 130 or vacuum pump 130, wherein a water vapor condenser 132 arranged outside the separation chamber 106 is connected upstream of the vacuum pump 130.

[0093] The CO2 separation device 100 also has a heating unit 134, 136 for the CO2 release process or desorption process, which includes a water vapor generation unit 134 for providing water vapor and heating coils 136 for additional heating of the sorbent 110. Furthermore, the CO2 separation device 100 has a cooling unit 138 for the CO2 separation process for cooling the sorbent 110.

[0094] In Fig. 2 to Fig. 12b, various embodiments of CO2 separation devices 10 according to the invention are shown schematically, either simply or in sequence. The CO2 separation devices 10 are fundamentally constructed and operable analogously to the CO2 separation device 100 according to Fig. 1.

[0095] Accordingly, the CO2 separation devices 10 also have (at least) one separation chamber 12 with a chamber volume 14 for accommodating a CO2 separation agent 16 or sorbent 16. In contrast to the CO2 separation device 100 from Fig. 1, however, the chamber volume 14 of the CO2 separation devices 10 is variably adjustable according to the invention between a CO2 separation process and a CO2 release process by means of a volume change unit (not shown). For this purpose, the chamber volume 14 is delimited by chamber elements 18, 20, 21, namely a rigid chamber ceiling 18, a rigid chamber floor 20, and flexible or foldable chamber walls 21. As shown in the sequences of Fig. 4a-c, Fig. 6a-c, Fig. 7a-c, Fig. 8a-c, Fig.12a-b and 13a-b (shown as sectional views, respectively), the volume change unit is designed to reduce the chamber volume 14, in particular cyclically from a separation volume 14-1 for the CO2 separation process to a release volume 14-2 for the following CO2 release process and to increase it back to the separation volume 14-1 for the subsequent CO2 separation process.

[0096] For this purpose, in the exemplary embodiments shown, the chamber ceiling 18 is designed to be movable, so that a distance between the movable chamber ceiling 18 and the immovable chamber floor 20 can be changed, i.e., can be reduced for the CO2 release process and increased again for the subsequent CO2 separation process. Consequently, the volume-changing unit is designed to move the chamber ceiling 18 or to change the distance between the chamber ceiling 18 and the chamber floor 20 in order to adjust the chamber volume 14. The volume-changing unit comprises a correspondingly designed actuator (not shown) for the variable adjustment of the chamber volume 14. The sorbent 16 is accordingly designed to be compressible and / or flexible and / or foldable and / or rollable.

[0097] Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show a side view and a corresponding sectional view of a first embodiment of the CO2 separation device 10 according to the invention. Here, the sorbent 16 comprises compressible cotton balls which are loosely arranged in the chamber volume 14.

[0098] The CO2 separation device 10 further comprises a sealing unit 22, which is designed to laterally seal the chamber volume 14 for the CO2 release process from an environment 24 of the CO2 separation device 10. The sealing unit 22 is designed as a static seal 22 or profile seal 22 and is arranged on the chamber floor 20.

[0099] Fig. 4a-c shows a sequence of variable adjustment of the chamber volume 14 of the CO2 separation device 10 from Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, wherein the chamber volume 14 is reduced from the separation volume 14-1 for the CO2 separation process (Fig. 4a) to the release volume 14-2 for the subsequent CO2 release process (Fig. 4c). In this case, the profile seal 22 seals the release volume 14-2 laterally.

[0100] Fig. 5 shows the CO2 separation device 10 during the CO2 release process according to Fig. 4c. However, the CO2 separation device 10 additionally has a heating unit 26 for heating the sorbent 16 for the CO2 release process, which is designed as a heating surface 26 and arranged in the stationary chamber floor 20. Furthermore, the CO2 separation device 10 also has a cooling unit 28 for cooling the sorbent 16 for the CO2 separation process, which—analogous to the heating surface 26—is designed as a cooling surface 28 and arranged in the stationary chamber floor 20.

[0101] Fig. 6a-c shows a sequence of a variable adjustment of the chamber volume 14 of a further embodiment of the CO2 separation device 10 according to the invention, wherein the chamber walls 21 are further designed as a dynamic seal 30 or as a sealing bellows 30.

[0102] Fig. 7a-c shows a sequence of a variable adjustment of the chamber volume 14 of a further embodiment of the CO2 separation device 10 according to the invention, wherein the sorbent 16 is designed as a foldable honeycomb structure 16 which is attached to the chamber ceiling 18 and the chamber floor 20.

[0103] Fig. 8a-c shows a sequence of a variable adjustment of the chamber volume 14 of a further embodiment of the CO2 separation device 10 according to the invention with a foldable honeycomb structure 16 and a sealing bellows 30.

[0104] Fig. 9 shows a further embodiment of the CO2 separation devices 10 according to the invention with a sorbent 16 comprising flexible and foldable cloths 16 which are attached to the chamber ceiling 18 and the chamber floor 20. Fig. 10 shows a further embodiment of the CO2 separation devices 10 according to the invention with a sorbent 16 comprising flexible and foldable threads 16 which are attached to the chamber ceiling 18 and the chamber floor 20.

[0105] Fig. 11 ab shows a sequence of a variable adjustment of the chamber volume 14 of a further embodiment of the CO2 separation device 10 according to the invention with several CO2 separation chambers 12 arranged one above the other, wherein separation chambers 12 arranged adjacent to one another have a common chamber element 18, 20.

[0106] Fig. 12a-b shows a sequence of a variable adjustment of the chamber volume 14 of a further embodiment of the CO2 separation device 10 according to the invention with several CO2 separation chambers 12 arranged one above the other and next to one another, wherein separation chambers 12 arranged adjacent to one another have a common chamber element 18, 20.

[0107] Fig. 13 shows a flow diagram of a method 100 according to the invention for separating CO2 from a supplied air stream 104 by means of a CO2 separation device 10 with at least one separation chamber 12 having a chamber volume 14 for receiving a CO2 separation agent 110, wherein the chamber volume 14 is delimited by at least one chamber element 18, 20, 21, in particular a chamber ceiling 18 and / or a chamber floor 20 and / or a chamber wall 21. The method 100 comprises a step of performing 102 a CO2 separation process or a CO2 release process in the chamber volume 14. The method 100 further comprises a step of adjusting 104 the chamber volume 14, in particular reducing 104' the chamber volume 14-1 for a subsequent CO2 release process or increasing 104" the chamber volume 14-2 for a subsequent CO2 separation process by means of a volume change unit.The method further comprises a step of performing 106 a CO2 release process or a CO2 separation process in the set chamber volume 14.

Claims

Claims 1. CO2 separation device (10) for separating CO2 from a supplied air stream (104) with at least one separation chamber (12) having a chamber volume (14) for accommodating a CO2 separation agent (16), wherein the chamber volume (14) is delimited by at least one chamber element (18, 20, 21), in particular a chamber ceiling (18) and / or a chamber floor (20) and / or a chamber wall (21), characterized in that the chamber volume (14) of the at least one separation chamber (12) is variably adjustable between a CO2 separation process and a CO2 release process by means of a volume changing unit.

2. CO2 separation device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the volume change unit is designed to reduce the chamber volume (14), in particular cyclically from a separation volume (14-1) for the CO2 separation process to a release volume (14-2) for the following CO2 release process and to increase it back to the separation volume (14-1) for the subsequent CO2 separation process.

3. CO2 separation device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of the chamber elements (18, 20, 21) is designed to be displaceable and the volume changing unit is designed to displace it in order to adjust the chamber volume (14).

4. CO2 separation device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that a distance between at least two of the chamber elements (18, 20, 21), in particular between the chamber ceiling (18) and the chamber floor (20) and / or between two opposing chamber walls (21) is variable, wherein the volume changing unit is designed to change the distance in order to adjust the chamber volume (14).

5. CO2 separation device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the volume change unit for the variable adjustment of the chamber volume (14) has an actuator and / or a vacuum unit (130).

6. CO2 separation device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a heating unit (26) for heating the CO2 separation means (16) for the CO2 release process, wherein the heating unit - has at least one heating surface (16), which is arranged in particular on or in at least one of the chamber elements (18, 20, 21); and / or - a steam generation unit for introducing hot steam into the chamber volume (14-1); and / or - has a microwave unit.

7. CO2 separation device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a cooling unit for cooling the CO2 separation means (16) for the CO2 separation process, wherein the cooling unit (28) has at least one cooling surface (28) which is arranged in particular on or in at least one of the chamber elements (18, 20, 21).

8. CO2 separation device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a sealing unit (22; 30) which is designed to seal the chamber volume (14-1) for the CO2 release process from an environment of the CO2 separation device (10).

9. CO2 separation device (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the sealing unit (22; 30) - a static seal (22), which is designed in particular as a profile seal (22) and is arranged on at least one of the chamber elements (18, 20, 21); and / or a dynamic seal (30) which is designed in particular as a sealing bellows (30) and is fastened to at least two of the chamber elements (18, 20, 21).

10. CO2 separation device (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one of the chamber elements (18, 20, 21) is further designed as a dynamic seal (30), in particular as a sealing bellows (30).

11. CO2 separation device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the CO2 separation means (16) is arranged in the chamber volume (14) and is designed to be compressible and / or flexible and / or foldable and / or rollable.

12. CO2 separation device (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that the CO2 separation means (16) comprises cotton balls and / or cloths and / or threads and / or a honeycomb structure and / or plates.

13. CO2 separation device (10) according to claim 12, characterized in that - the cotton balls are loosely arranged in the chamber volume (14); and / or - the cloths and / or the threads are attached to at least two of the chamber elements (18, 20, 21), in particular to the chamber ceiling (18) and the chamber floor (20) and / or to two opposing chamber walls (21), or can be rolled into a receiving unit of the CO2 separation device (10); and / or - the honeycomb structure is attached to at least two of the chamber elements (18, 20, 21), in particular to the chamber ceiling (18) and the chamber floor (20) and / or to two opposing chamber walls (21); and / or - the panels are foldable, particularly like sectional doors.

14. CO2 separation device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a plurality of separation chambers (12) which are arranged one above the other and / or next to one another, wherein in particular separation chambers (12) arranged adjacent to one another have at least one common chamber element (18, 20, 21) and / or are fluidically connected and / or connectable to one another for the CO2 separation process and / or for the CO2 release process.

15. A method (100) for separating CO2 from a supplied air stream (104) by means of a CO2 separation device (10) with at least one separation chamber (12) having a chamber volume (14) for accommodating a CO2 separation agent (16), wherein the chamber volume (14) is delimited by at least one chamber element (18, 20, 21), in particular a chamber ceiling (18) and / or a chamber floor (20) and / or a chamber wall (21), comprising the steps: - carrying out (102) a CO2 separation process or a CO2 release process in the chamber volume (14); - Adjusting (104) the chamber volume (14), in particular reducing (104') the chamber volume (14-1) for a subsequent CO2 release process or increasing (104") the chamber volume (14-2) for a subsequent CO2 separation process by means of a volume change unit; and - Carrying out (106) a CO2 release process or a CO2 separation process in the set chamber volume (14).

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