Vacuum bag formed vessels for direct air carbon capture (DACC) systems

Abstract

A vessel for use with a direct air carbon capture (DACC) system is disclosed. The vessel includes an inlet gate, an outlet gate opposite the inlet gate, and a contactor assembly between the inlet gate and the outlet gate. The vessel also includes a support structure adjacent to and at least partially circumscribing the contactor assembly, and a vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the support structure. The vacuum bag defines a pressure boundary for the vessel.

Description

VACUUM BAG FORMED VESSELS FOR DIRECT AIRCARBON CAPTURE (DACC) SYSTEMSBACKGROUND

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to vessels, and more particular to a vacuum bag used to form vessels for direct air carbon capture (DACC) systems.

[0002] Many technologies use hollow vessels that include cavities defined therein that are subject to operating pressures that are significantly different from the ambient air surrounding the vessel For example, at least some known direct air carbon capture (DACC) systems include at least one vessel used to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) from ambient air. Such vessels often house internal components, such as cartridges, that are subjected to a vacuum during normal operations. More specifically, during adsorption, air flows around the cartridges within the vessel to enable carbon dioxide (CO₂) to be captured from the ambient air. Furthermore, such vessels are required to operate with high operating temperatures and pressures. Accordingly, such vessels are often fabricated from stainless steel and / or other metals or metal alloys. Unfortunately, because the vessels are fabricated from higher cost materials, sealing up the plant for carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture may be more expensive. Furthermore, scaling up the vessels fabricated from metal or metal alloys often requires an additional footprint within the DACC system space which may be difficult to physically accommodate.

[0003] Accordingly, a need exists for a carbon capture vessel design that is less expensive while still being effective for used in DACC systems.SUMMARY

[0004] In one aspect, a vessel for use with a direct air carbon capture (DACC) system is disclosed. The vessel includes an inlet gate, an outlet gate opposite the inlet gate, and a contactor assembly between the inlet gate and the outlet gate. The Vessel also includes a support structure adjacent to and at least partially circumscribing the contactorassembly, and a vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the support structure. The vacuum bag defines a pressure boundary for the vessel.

[0005] In another aspect, a direct air carbon capture (DACC) system is disclosed. The DACC system includes at least one air intake assembly configured to draw in ambient air, and at least one vessel in flow communication with the at least one air intake assembly. The at least one vessel includes an inlet gate configured to receive the ambient air from the at least one air intake assembly, an outlet gate opposite the inlet gate, and a contactor assembly between the inlet gate and the outlet gate. The at least one vessel also includes a support structure adjacent to and at least partially circumscribing the contactor assembly, and a vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the support structure. The vacuum bag defines a pressure boundary for the at least one vessel.

[0006] In yet another aspect, a vessel for use with a direct air carbon capture system (DACC) is disclosed. The vessel includes a rigid frame, an inlet gate on the rigid frame, an outlet gate on the rigid frame, opposite the inlet gate, and a contactor assembly disposed within the rigid frame. The contactor assembly is between the inlet gate and the outlet gate. Additionally the vessel includes at least one layer of insulative material that substantially circumscribing the contactor assembly, and a vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the rigid frame. The vacuum bag defines a pressure boundary for the vessel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary direct air carbon dioxide capture (DACC) system including an air intake assembly, a carbon dioxide capture assembly including a vessel, and a compression train.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the vessel shown in FIG. 1.

[0009] FIG. 3 is a top cross-sectional view of the vessel shown in FIG. 2 and taken along line 3-3.

[0010] FIGs. 4 and 5 are top cross-sectional views of alternative vessels that may be used with the carbon dioxide capture assembly of FIG. 1.

[0011] FIGs. 6 and 7 are top cross-sectional views of further alternative vessels that may be used with the carbon dioxide capture assembly of FIG. 1.

[0012] FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary direct air carbon dioxide capture (DACC) system including an air intake assembly, a carbon dioxide capture assembly including two distinct vessels, and a compression train.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] When introducing elements of various embodiments disclosed herein, the articles “a,” an." ‘‘the,’' and “said’' are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

[0014] Unless otherwise indicated, approximating language, such as “generally,” “substantially,” and “about.” as used herein indicates that the term so modified may apply to only an approximate degree, as would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art, rather than to an absolute or perfect degree. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms such as “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially” is not to be limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value. Additionally, unless otherwise indicated, the terms “first,” “second,” etc. are used herein merely as labels, and are not intended to impose ordinal, positional, or hierarchical requirements on the items to which these terms refer. Moreover, reference to, for example, a “second” item does not require or preclude the existence of. for example, a “first” or lower-numbered item or a “third” or higher-numbered item.

[0015] The embodiments described herein relate to a direct air carbon capture (DACC) system including at least one vessel (or a closed container) that facilitates the removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water from ambient air drawn into the DACC system. The vessel is fabricated from an inexpensive vacuum bag that defines a pressure boundary of the DACC system during operation. The vessel also utilizes a structural support system (e.g., insulative material, rigid frame) to facilitate maintaining its shape and / or to prevent the vacuum bag from contacting internal components (e.g., contactor assembly) thatare configured to process the ambient air, as discussed herein. The use of the vacuum bag and support structures to form the vessel enables the DACC system to include a vessel that is considerably less expensive than known vessels, and a vessel that does not require a large, continuous outer shell, and / or that occupies less physical space within the overall footprint of the DACC system. That is, the combination of the vacuum bag and the support structures enables the vessel to be smaller in size and less expensive than known vessels. Additionally, or alternatively, the vacuum bag and / or support structures also facilitate an easier access to the internal components of the vessel for purposes of, for example, maintenance and / or inspection.

[0016] Furthermore, because the contactor is surrounded by insulative material and / or is thermally insulated and is separated from the vacuum bag, in combination with the vessel being formed from a vacuum bag material, thermal losses are facilitated to be substantially reduced. As such, thermal efficiency of the vessel is facilitated to be improved.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary direct air carbon dioxide capture system 100 (hereafter, '‘DACC system 100”). In the exemplary embodiment, DACC system 100 includes at least one air intake assembly 102, at least one carbon dioxide capture assembly 104 (hereafter, “CDC assembly 104”) including at least one vessel 106, and at least one compression train 108. The air intake assembly 102 is upstream from vessel 106. Additionally, air intake assembly 102 is fluidly coupled and / or in flow / fluid communication with CDC assembly 104. In the exemplar}' embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and as discussed herein, air intake assembly 102 includes an air inlet duct 110 that is in flow communication with, and / or fluidly coupled to vessel 106 of CDC assembly 104 to facilitate providing ambient air directly to CDC assembly 104 of DACC system 100. Exemplary embodiments of the various components and / or portions forming vessel 106 of CDC assembly 104 are discussed in detail herein with respect to FIGs. 2-7.

[0018] CDC assembly 104 is downstream from air intake assembly 102. As discussed herein, CDC assembly 104 receives intake air or ambient air from and / or drawn into DACC system 100 via air intake assembly 102, and subsequently processes the air to remove and / or separate carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water from the received air. Additionally, and as discussed herein. CDC assembly 104 is formed as an assembly,apparatus, and / or sub-system that facilitates removing and / or separating carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water from the ambient air provided by air intake assembly 102.

[0019] Compression train 108 is downstream from and is in flow communication with CDC assembly 104. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, compression train 108 receives the carbon dioxide (CO2) removed and / or separated from the air that flowed through CDC assembly 104 and subsequently compresses the carbon dioxide (CO2). The compression train 108 receives the carbon dioxide (CO2) from the CDC assembly 104 via a conduit 112. The compressed carbon dioxide (CO2) 118 is then removed from compression train 108 and processed in any suitable manner including, but not limited to, storage and / or transportation. In a non-limiting example, compression train 108 may include a series of compressors and heat exchangers that receive, compress, and / or cool the carbon dioxide (CO2) 118 to perform or facilitate post compression train processing (e.g., storage).

[0020] It is understood that DACC system 100 can include a plurality of air intake assemblies 102, 102A. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1. DACC system 100 includes a plurality of air intake assemblies 102, 102A (air intake assembly 102A shown in phantom), that are each upstream from and in flow communication with vessel 106 of CDC assembly 104 for providing air to CDC assembly 104, as discussed herein. The number of air intake assemblies 102, 102A included in DACC system 100 is dependent, at least in part, on the size of CDC assembly 104, the number of CDC assemblies 104 (see, FIG. 8), the processing demand of carbon dioxide (CO2) for DACC system 100, the size of air intake assemblies 102, 102A, and / or parameters for components forming the air intake assemblies 102, 102A (e g., size of air inlet duct 110, load capacity, etc.).

[0021] FIGs. 2 and 3 are various views of vessel 106. Specifically, FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of vessel 106 of CDC assembly 104, and FIG. 3 is cross-sectional, top view of vessel 106 taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2. As described herein, vessel 106 of CDC assembly 104 may be used with direct air capture system 100 for capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water from ambient air, as shown in FIG. 1. It is understood that similarly numbered and / or named components may function in a substantially similar fashion. Redundant explanation of these components has been omitted for clarity.

[0022] As shown in FIGs. 2 and 3, vessel 106 of CDC assembly 104 may include an inlet gate 120 and an outlet gate 122 (shown in phantom, FIG. 2) that is opposite inlet gate 120. In the exemplary embodiment, inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122 are diametrically opposite to each other to facilitate enabling air entering the vessel 106 via inlet gate 120 to be removed from the vessel 106 via outlet gate 122, as described herein. As shown, in the exemplary embodiment, inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122, respectively, are each formed as a duct flange. Within DACC system 100 (see, FIG. 1) inlet gate 120 may be in flow communication with and / or fluidly coupled to air inlet duct 110 for receiving the ambient air drawn into air intake assembly 102. Additionally, outlet gate 122 may be in flow communication with and / or fluidly coupled to conduit 112 to enable the air processed within CDC assembly 104 to be channeled to compression train 108 during operation of DACC system 100. As the ambient air passes through vessel 106, carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water entrained in the air may be collected by a contactor assembly 124, as discussed herein.

[0023] In non-limiting examples, vessel 106 also includes a contactor assembly 124 positioned therein. More specifically, and as shown in FIGs. 2 and 3, contactor assembly 124 is within with vessel 106 of CDC assembly 104. and is more specifically, between inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122. In the exemplary embodiment, contactor assembly 124 is also in flow communication with, and / or fluidly coupled to, inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122, respectively. A first vessel duct 126 may fluidly couple contactor assembly 124 and inlet gate 120. while a second, distinct vessel duct 128 may fluidly couple contactor assembly 124 and outlet gate 122 within vessel 106. As discussed herein, first vessel duct 126 and second vessel duct 128 facilitate the flowing of the ambient air through vessel 106 of CDC assembly 104 for removing carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water entrained in the air during operation.

[0024] Contactor assembly 124 of vessel 106 may include a housing 130 that is in flow communication with inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122. That is, in the exemplary embodiment, housing 130 of contactor assembly 124 is between, and is fluidly coupled to. inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122, via first vessel duct 126 and second vessel duct 128, respectively. In a non-limiting example, housing 130 is fabricated from any suitable material that can withstand operating conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure) present within the vessel 106 during operation. For example, housing 130 can be formed from ametal, metal alloy, or ceramic material. Tn other non-limiting examples discussed herein (see, FIG. 5), housing 130 may be fabricated from a material including insulative properties.

[0025] Contactor assembly 124 may also include at least one cartridge 132 within housing 130. In the non-limiting example shown in FIGs. 2 and 3, contactor assembly 124 of vessel 106 may include two distinct cartridges 132 that are positioned within and / or formed within housing 130. By way of a non-limiting example, cartridges 132 may include a single membrane contactor, or a plurality’ of membrane contactors, of microporous hollow fiber membrane that facilitates rapid and efficient gas transfer performance. Further, in the exemplary embodiment, cartridges 132 may be configured or adapted for a compact in-line operation with low pressure drop to facilitate saving space and / or to improve productivity. The cartridges 132 may be cylindrical-, rectangular- or polygonal- shaped, and / or any other shape that enables cartridge 132 to function as described herein. Moreover, in other embodiments, it is to be understood that contactor assembly 124 can include more or less cartridge(s) 132 dependent upon, at least in part, the size of housing 130, the airflow / load demand of DACC sy stem 100 (see, FIG. 1), the number of vessels 106 included in DACC system 100, and the like.

[0026] As described herein, cartridges 132 facilitate the removal and / or separation of carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water from the ambient air provided by air intake assembly 102. That is, as the ambient air flows and / or is directed through contactor assembly 124 during operation of CDC assembly 104(see, FIG. 1), the ambient air flows through cartridges 132 within housing 130. The cartridges 132 are configured to adsorb the carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water from the ambient air. As such, cartridges 132 may each include a sorbent material that facilitates adsorbing the carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water from the ambient air during an adsorption process and releasing the carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water from cartridges 132 during a desorption process. In non-limiting examples, sorbent material included within cartridges 132 may be formed of, but not limited to, one or more of silica, zeolites, alumina, amine-based materials, metal oxides, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), polymers, and carbon materials (activated carbon, graphite, graphene, fullerene, carbon nanotubes, biochar, and / or hydrochar).

[0027] In the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGs. 2 and 3, vessel 106(see, FIG. 1) may also include a support structure system 134. In the exemplary embodiment, support structure system 134 is adjacent to contactor assembly 124. More specifically, support structure system 134 is adjacent to and / or at least partially circumscribes housing 130 of contactor assembly 124. In the non-limiting example shown, support structure 134 may contact and completely circumscribe housing 130, as well as contact and / or circumscribe first vessel duct 126 and second vessel duct 128, respectively. Support structure 134 of vessel 106 may also extend between inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122. As discussed herein, support structure 134 may provide structural support, insulate, and / or separate various components of vessel 106. In the non-limiting example shown in FIGs. 2 and 3, support structure 134 may be formed from at least one layer of insulative material 136. Insulative material 136 may be configured to thermally insulate contactor assembly 124, and more specifically housing 130, during operation of DACC system 100. Insulative material 136 may be any suitable material that has desired thermally insulative properties including, but not limited to, fiber glass, open cell polyurethane, closed cell polyurethane, polymer based plastics or polymers synthesized from petroleum, silicone based materials, or the like.

[0028] A vacuum bag 138 may at least partially circumscribe a portion of the components included within vessel 106. That is, and as shown in FIGs. 2 and 3, vacuum bag 138 may at least partially circumscribe support structure 134 of vessel 106. As such, insulative material 136 forming support structure 134 extends between and / or separates contactor assembly 124 and vacuum bag 138, as well as prevents vacuum bag 138 from directly contacting contactor assembly 124 during operation of DACC system 100. Additionally, vacuum bag 138 may define a pressure boundary’ for vessel 106. More specifically, and in the exemplary embodiment, vacuum bag 138 may define the pressure boundary, an outer bounds / limit, and / or an outer structure for vessel 106, where at least a portion of the distinct components included within vessel 106 are within vacuum bag 138 and / or the pressure boundary defined by vacuum bag 138. As shown in the non-limiting example, and in addition to circumscribing insulative material 136, vacuum bag 138 at least partially circumscribes and / or encompass contactor assembly 124, first vessel duct 126, and second vessel duct 128, respectively. Vacuum bag 138 is also coupled to inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122, respectively. That is, to form a seal and to define the pressure boundary ofvessel 106 during operation, vacuum bag 138 is substantially sealed (e g., compression seal) to inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122 of vessel 106.

[0029] In the exemplary embodiment, vacuum bag 138 is formed from any suitable material that is capable of withstanding the vacuum pressure and / or temperatures of DACC system 100 during operation. For example, vacuum bag 138 can be formed from any suitable polymer material commonly used in the composites forming industries including, but not limited to, polymer based plastics or polymers synthesized from petroleum (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, etc.). The material forming vacuum bag 138 may also be capable of withstanding expansion and / or contraction, and / or compressing around support structure 134 during operation. That is, during adsorption and / or desorption processes vacuum bag 138 may be ‘"inflated” or grow as well as “shrunk” or pressurized to be compressed around, for example, insulative material 136 forming support structure 134. As such, vacuum bag 138 may be formed from any suitable material that can be used to continuously define the pressure boundary of vessel 106 and that facilitates resisting tearing and / or punctures during operation ofDACC system 100. Additionally, and because contactor assembly 124 is circumscribed by insulative material 136 and because the vessel 106 is formed from vacuum bag 138, thermal losses are substantially reduced, and thermal efficiency of vessel 106 is facilitated to be improved.

[0030] Vacuum bag 138 enables the CDC assembly 104 ofDACC system 100 to include a vessel 106 that is substantially cheaper than known vessels, and that does not require a larger, typically metallic, outer shell, and / or that occupies less physical space within the overall footprint ofDACC system 100. That is, the inclusion of vacuum bag 138 enables vessel 106 of CDC assembly 104 to be smaller and less expensive as compared to known typical vessels. Additionally, or alternatively, vacuum bag 138 facilitates easier access to the internal components of vessel 106 for purposes of maintenance and / or inspection. For example, where cartridges 132 of contactor assembly 124 require inspection and / or replacement, where vacuum bag 138 is released from inlet gate 120 and / or outlet gate 122 and is folded or compressed to expose contactor assembly 124. first vessel duct 126, second vessel duct 128, and / or insulative material 136. Alternatively, vacuum bag 138 may be completely removed and replaced for a fraction of the cost as compared to a metal outershell for vessel 106 and with a maintenance timeline that enables quicker processing and / or less down-time for CDC assembly 104 including vessel 106 formed with vacuum bag 138.

[0031] To provide additional support to the various components included within vessel 106, various components may be supported by mounting feet 140. For example, and as shown in FIG. 2, mounting feet 140 may be coupled to inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122, respectively, to support the components of vessel 106 on a supporting surface. In the exemplary embodiment, inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122, as well as contactor assembly 124, first vessel duct 126, and second vessel duct 128 coupled to inlet gate 120 or outlet gate 122, are elevated a distance above the supporting surface as a result of being coupled to mounting feet 140. In alternative embodiments, vessel 106 may be supported by any other support that enables vessel 106 to function as described herein.

[0032] FIG. 4 is another exemplary embodiment of vessel 406 included in CDC assembly 104 for DACC system 100. It is understood that similarly numbered and / or named components may function in a substantially similar fashion. Redundant explanation of these components has been omitted for clarity.

[0033] As shown in the non-limiting example of FIG. 4, insulative material 136 forming support structure 134 is adjacent to and / or substantially surrounds housing 130 of contactor assembly 124, as well as first vessel duct 126 and second vessel duct 128, respectively. Support structure 134 may also extend between at least a portion of inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122. However, insulative material 136 is spaced apart from and / or is a distance from vacuum bag 138. That is, support structure 134 may be sized or formed to create and / or to define a space (S) between vacuum bag 138 and insulative material 136 and contactor assembly 124, respectively. Space (S) defined between vacuum bag 138 defining the pressure boundary for vessel 406 and insulative material 136 forming support structure 134 may be filled with air or any thermally insulative gas to facilitate the insulation of contactor assembly 124 during operation. For example, prior to compression sealing vacuum bag 138 to inlet gate 120 and / or outlet gate 122, air may be provided within space (S), between support structure and vacuum bag 138 to further insulate contactor assembly 124 within vessel 406.

[0034] Additionally in the exemplary embodiment, vessel 406 may include a distinct vacuum bag 138A. Distinct vacuum bag 138A may be adjacent to and may at least partially circumscribe vacuum bag 138. As shown in FIG. 4, vacuum bag 138 may be between distinct vacuum bag 138A and space (S) and / or insulative material 136 forming support structure 134. Similar to vacuum bag 138, distinct vacuum bag 138A is formed from any suitable material that is capable of withstanding the vacuum pressure and / or temperatures of DACC system 100 during operation. For example, distinct vacuum bag 138A can be formed from any suitable industrial, plastic matrix composite material including, but not limited to, ceramic matrix composite (CMS) material or a plastic matrix composite (PMC) material. The material forming distinct vacuum bag 138A may also be capable of withstanding expansion and / or contraction, and / or compressing around support structure 134 during operation, as similarly discussed herein.

[0035] Although shown and described herein as including only one (see, FIGs. 2 and 3) or two vacuum bags 138 (see, FIG. 4), it should be understood that vessel 406 of DACC system 100 may include any other number of vacuum bags 138 to define a pressure boundary, as described herein.

[0036] FIG. 5 is another exemplary embodiment of an alternative vessel 500 that may be included within DACC system 100. Vessel 506 is similar to vessel 106 shown in FIG. 1, but vessel 506 may not include insulative material 136 and / or support structure 134. Rather, in the exemplary embodiment, housing 130 may be fabricated from an insulative material itself. That is, in the exemplary embodiment, housing 130 is fabricated from a substantially thermally insulative material that facilitates a desired heat dissipation and / or distribution during the adsorption and desorption processes performed during operation of DACC system 100. Additionally, and because vessel 606 is free from support structure 134, the thermally insulative material forming housing 130 may be substantially rigid to facilitate supporting and / or housing cartridges 132 therein. For example, housing 130 may be formed from a rigid, insulative foam board, such as, but not limited to, closed cell high density polyurethane foam board.

[0037] Additionally as shown in the exemplary embodiment, and because of the insulative properties of the material used in fabricating housing 130, vacuum bag 138 may be directly adjacent to and / or may contact housing 130 during operation. That is,vacuum bag 138 does not need to remain spaced-apart from and / or separated from housing 130, but rather vacuum bag 138 may contact housing 130 of contactor assembly 124 in the exemplary embodiment.

[0038] FIGs. 6 and 7 are additional alternative embodiments of a vessel 606 that may be used in DACC system 100. Specifically, FIGs. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of an exemplary vessel 606 that includes a support structure 134 formed as a rigid frame 142. It is understood that similarly numbered and / or named components may function in a substantially similar fashion. Redundant explanation of these components has been omitted for clarity.

[0039] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 6, support structure 134 is formed as a rigid frame 142 that is positioned adjacent to and / or at least partially circumscribes contactor assembly 124. Additionally, rigid frame 142 may be between contactor assembly 124 and vacuum bag 138. That is, and as similarly discussed herein with respect to insulative material 136 (see, FIGs. 2 and 3), a support structure 134 formed as rigid frame 142 may be positioned between and / or may separate vacuum bag 138 from contactor assembly 124 during operation of DACC system 100. In the non-limiting example, rigid frame 142 may include a plurality of support members including outer-support members 146 that extend adjacent to and / or outward from inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122, respectively. Outer-support members 146 may be adjacent to and / or substantially circumscribed by vacuum bag 138 of vessel 606. In the example shown, outer-support members 146 in contact with vacuum bag 138 may be substantially curved to facilitate improving stress distribution and / or reduce the risk of puncturing vacuum bag 138 during operation. Additionally, rigid frame 142 may include cross-support members 148 that extend between inlet gate 120 and outlet gate 122, as well as distinct cross-support members 150 that extend between outersupport members 146 to support contactor assembly 124, and more specifically housing 130 including cartridges 132.

[0040] Rigid frame 142 and its various support members 146, 148, 150 may be fabricated from any suitable material that is structurally supportive to the components of vessel 606 and / or capable of withstanding the temperature and / or pressures of DACC system 100. Additionally, rigid frame 142 may also be fabricated from any suitable material that facilitates the separation between contactor assembly 124 and vacuum bag 138 duringoperation of DACC system 100. More specifically, rigid frame is spaced apart from contactor assembly 124 to facilitate the creation and / or defining of a space (S) between contactor assembly 124 and vacuum bag 138. In exemplary embodiments, materials used to form rigid frame 142 may include, but are not limited to, metal, metal alloys, high-temperature polymers, ceramics, and the like.

[0041] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 7, vessel 606 of DACC system 100 may include both insulative material 136 and rigid frame 142. More specifically, both insulative material 136 as well as rigid frame 142 may be included within vessel 606 and may be between contactor assembly 124 and vacuum bag 138. As shown, a space (S) may also be defined between insulative material 136 and portions of rigid frame 142.

[0042] Rigid frame 142 forming support structure 134 may include any number of support members to facilitate the structurally supporting of the components included within vessel 606 and / or to facilitate the separation of vacuum bag 138 from contactor assembly 124 during operation. It is understood that rigid frame 142 may be a skeletal structure that does not include continuous or ''closed” walls. Rather, the support members forming rigid frame 142 may be spaced apart from one another to form gaps therebetween.

[0043] In conjunction with the inclusion of vacuum bag 138, rigid frame 142 enables CDC assembly 104 of DACC system 100 to include a vessel 606 that is substantially cheaper than known vessels, and that does not require a larger, typically metallic, outer shell, and / or that occupies less physical space within the overall footprint of DACC system 100. That is, the combination of vacuum bag 138 and rigid frame 142 enables vessel 606 to be smaller and less expensive than known, typical vessels. Additionally, or alternatively, rigid frame 142 facilitates easier access to the internal components of vessel 606 for purposes of maintenance and / or inspection. For example, where cartridges 132 of contactor assembly 124 require inspection and / or replacement, where vacuum bag 138 is released from inlet gate 120 and / or outlet gate 122 and is folded or compressed to expose contactor assembly 124, first vessel duct 126, second vessel duct 128, and / or insulative material 136. For example, rigid frame 142 provides ample openings and gaps to expose and access contactor assembly 124, first vessel duct 126, and second vessel duct 128, respectively.

[0044] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of DACC system 100 including plurality of vessels 106, 106A (see, FIGs. 2 and 3). In the exemplary embodiment, CDC assembly 104 of DACC system 100 may include a first vessel 106 in flow communication with air intake assembly 102, and a second, distinct vessel 106A in flow communication with first vessel 106 via conduit 152. It is to be understood that each of first vessel 106 and second vessel 106A may include similar components therein (e.g., contactor assembly 124, support structure 134, etc.) for removing and / or separating carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water from the received ambient air. as discussed herein. Second vessel 106A in the exemplary embodiment may also be in flow communication with and / or fluidly coupled to compression train 108 via conduit 112.

[0045] Although two vessels 106, 106A are shown in FIG. 8, it is to be understood that DACC system 100 may include any number of vessels for processing ambient air to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) and / or water. Additionally, vessels 106, 106A are shown and described herein to be positioned in series with one another within CDC assembly 104. In other exemplary embodiments, a plurality of vessels 106 included in CDC assembly 104 of DACC system 100 may be positioned in parallel to one another. Air intake assembly 102 may divert and / or split the ambient air to the plurality of vessels 106 positioned in parallel with one another within DACC system 100 for processing.

[0046] The vessel described formed from the vacuum bag and support structures described herein enable a DACC system to include a vessel that is substantially less expensive, that does not require a large, continuous outer shell, and that occupies less physical space within the overall footprint of the DACC system. Specifically, the combination of the vacuum bag and the support structures enables the vessel to be smaller in size and less expensive as compared to known vessels. Additionally, the vacuum bag and / or support structures facilitates easier access to the internal components of the vessel for purposes of, for example, maintenance and / or inspection. Furthermore, and because the contactor is circumscribed by insulative material and / or is thermally insulated and separated from the vacuum bag, thermal losses are facilitated to be substantially reduced, and thereby thermal efficiency of the vessel is improved.

[0047] The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed. Modifications, which fall within the scope of the present invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art. in light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims. The systems described herein are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather portions of the various systems may be utilized independently and separately from other systems described herein.

[0048] Although specific features of various embodiments of the invention may be shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only. Moreover, references to “one embodiment" in the above description are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. In accordance with the principles of the invention, any feature of a drawing may be referenced and / or claimed in combination with any feature of any other drawing.

[0049] Further aspects of the invention are provided by the subject matter of the following clauses:

[0050] A vessel for use with a direct air carbon capture (DACC) system, the vessel including: an inlet gate; an outlet gate opposite the inlet gate; a contactor assembly between the inlet gate and the outlet gate; a support structure adjacent to and at least partially circumscribing the contactor assembly; and a vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the support structure, the vacuum bag defining a pressure boundary for the vessel.

[0051] The vessel in accordance with the preceding clause, wherein the support structure is between the contactor assembly and the vacuum bag such that the vacuum bag remains a distance from the contractor assembly.

[0052] The vessel in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the vacuum bag is sealed directly to the inlet gate and to the outlet gate.

[0053] The vessel in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, further including a second vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the vacuum bag, wherein the vacuum bag is between the second vacuum bag and the support structure.

[0054] The vessel in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the contactor assembly includes: a housing in flow communication with the inlet gate and the outlet gate; and at least one cartridge within the housing, the at least one cartridge includes a sorbent that facilitates adsorbing at least one of carbon dioxide or water.

[0055] The vessel in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the vacuum bag is fabricated from a polymer material.

[0056] The vessel in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support structure includes at least one layer of insulative material that substantially circumscribes the contactor assembly.

[0057] The vessel in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support structure includes a rigid frame adjacent to and at least partially circumscribing the contactor assembly.

[0058] The vessel in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the rigid frame is spaced a distance from the contactor assembly such that a space is defined between the contactor assembly and the vacuum bag.

[0059] A direct air carbon capture (DACC) system, including: at least one air intake assembly configured to draw in ambient air; and at least one vessel in flow communication with the at least one air intake assembly, the at least one vessel including: an inlet gate configured to receive the ambient air from the at least one air intake assembly; an outlet gate opposite the inlet gate; a contactor assembly between the inlet gate and the outlet gate; a support structure adjacent to and at least partially circumscribing the contactor assembly; and a vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the support structure, the vacuum bag defining a pressure boundary for the at least one vessel.

[0060] The DACC system in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support structure of the at least one vessel is between the contactor assembly and the vacuum bag such that the vacuum bag remains a distance from the contractor assembly.

[0061] The DACC system in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the vacuum bag of the at least one vessel is sealed directly to the inlet gate and to the outlet gate.

[0062] The DACC system in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the at least one vessel further includes a second vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the vacuum bag, wherein the vacuum bag is between the second vacuum bag and the support structure.

[0063] The DACC system in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the contactor assembly of the at least one vessel includes: a housing in flow communication with the inlet gate and the outlet gate; and at least one cartridge within the housing, the at least one cartridge includes a sorbent that facilitates adsorbing at least one of carbon dioxide or water.

[0064] The DACC system in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the vacuum bag of the at least one vessel is fabricated from a polymer material.

[0065] The DACC system in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support structure of the at least one vessel includes at least one layer of insulative material that substantially circumscribes the contactor assembly.

[0066] The DACC system in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support structure of the at least one vessel includes a rigid frame adjacent to and at least partially circumscribing the contactor assembly.

[0067] The DACC system in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the rigid frame of the at least one vessel is spaced a distance from the contactor assembly such that a space is defined between the contactor assembly and the vacuum bag.

[0068] The DACC system in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the at least one vessel includes: a first vessel in flow communication with the least one air intake assembly; and a second vessel in flow communication with and downstream from the first vessel.

[0069] A vessel for use with a direct air carbon capture system (DACC), the vessel including: a rigid frame; an inlet gate on the rigid frame; an outlet gate on the rigid frame, opposite the inlet gate; a contactor assembly disposed within the rigid frame, the contactor assembly between the inlet gate and the outlet gate; at least one layer of insulative material that substantially circumscribing the contactor assembly; and a vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the rigid frame, the vacuum bag defining a pressure boundary for the vessel.

[0070] While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A vessel for use with a direct air carbon capture (DACC) system, the vessel comprising:an inlet gate;an outlet gate opposite the inlet gate;a contactor assembly between the inlet gate and the outlet gate;a support structure adjacent to and at least partially circumscribing the contactor assembly; anda vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the support structure, the vacuum bag defining a pressure boundary for the vessel.

2. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the support structure is between the contactor assembly and the vacuum bag such that the vacuum bag remains a distance from the contractor assembly.

3. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the vacuum bag is sealed directly to the inlet gate and to the outlet gate.

4. The vessel of claim 1, further comprising a second vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the vacuum bag, wherein the vacuum bag is between the second vacuum bag and the support structure.

5. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the contactor assembly includes:a housing in flow communication with the inlet gate and the outlet gate; and at least one cartridge within the housing, the at least one cartridge includes a sorbent that facilitates adsorbing at least one of carbon dioxide or water.

6. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the vacuum bag is fabricated from a polymer material.

7. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the support structure includes at least one layer of insulative material that substantially circumscribes the contactor assembly.

8. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the support structure includes a rigid frame adjacent to and at least partially circumscribing the contactor assembly.

9. The vessel of claim 8, wherein the rigid frame is spaced a distance from the contactor assembly such that a space is defined between the contactor assembly and the vacuum bag.

10. A direct air carbon capture (DACC) system, comprising:at least one air intake assembly configured to draw in ambient air; andat least one vessel in flow communication with the at least one air intake assembly, the at least one vessel including:an inlet gate configured to receive the ambient air from the at least one air intake assembly;an outlet gate opposite the inlet gate;a contactor assembly between the inlet gate and the outlet gate; a support structure adjacent to and at least partially circumscribing the contactor assembly; anda vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the support structure, the vacuum bag defining a pressure boundary for the at least one vessel.

11. The DACC system of claim 10, wherein the support structure of the at least one vessel is between the contactor assembly and the vacuum bag such that the vacuum bag remains a distance from the contractor assembly.

12. The DACC system of claim 10, wherein the vacuum bag of the at least one vessel is sealed directly to the inlet gate and to the outlet gate.

13. The DACC system of claim 10, wherein the at least one vessel further includes a second vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the vacuum bag, wherein the vacuum bag is between the second vacuum bag and the support structure.

14. The DACC system of claim 10, wherein the contactor assembly of the at least one vessel includes:a housing in flow communication with the inlet gate and the outlet gate; and at least one cartridge within the housing, the at least one cartridge includes a sorbent that facilitates adsorbing at least one of carbon dioxide or water.

15. The DACC system of claim 10, wherein the vacuum bag of the at least one vessel is fabricated from a polymer material.

16. The DACC system of claim 10. wherein the support structure of the at least one vessel includes at least one layer of insulative material that substantially circumscribes the contactor assembly.

17. The DACC system of claim 10. wherein the support structure of the at least one vessel includes a rigid frame adjacent to and at least partially circumscribing the contactor assembly.

18. The DACC system of claim 17, wherein the rigid frame of the at least one vessel is spaced a distance from the contactor assembly such that a space is defined between the contactor assembly and the vacuum bag.

19. The DACC system of claim 10, wherein the at least one vessel includes:a first vessel in flow communication with the least one air intake assembly; and a second vessel in flow communication with and downstream from the first vessel.

20. A vessel for use with a direct air carbon capture system (DACC), the vessel comprising:a rigid frame;an inlet gate on the rigid frame;an outlet gate on the rigid frame, opposite the inlet gate;a contactor assembly disposed within the rigid frame, the contactor assembly between the inlet gate and the outlet gate;at least one layer of insulative material that substantially circumscribing the contactor assembly; anda vacuum bag at least partially circumscribing the rigid frame, the vacuum bag defining a pressure boundary for the vessel.

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