Direct Air Capture Reactor With Joule-Heated CO2 Desorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies are inadequate for effectively reducing the existing level of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere, as they focus primarily on emission reduction rather than extraction and storage of existing CO2.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method utilizing an electrically conductive substrate, such as SiC, with an adsorption coating, heats up rapidly via applied voltage to desorb CO2, allowing for efficient CO2 extraction and storage in a clocked operation, avoiding energy losses and enabling large-volume air treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a gaseous heating medium is used for heating the substrate, then the substrate can be heated to desorb CO2, but temporal separation of heating mode and desorption mode is required and energy losses occur
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate itself serves as the heating element through its electrical resistance. When voltage is applied to the electrically conductive substrate, it generates heat internally (Joule heating), eliminating the need for external gaseous heating media. This self-heating mechanism allows direct heating to desorption temperature without energy losses associated with heat transfer from external sources, while also enabling continuous operation without temporal separation of heating and desorption modes.
2Temperature
If conventional heating methods are used, then CO2 desorption can be achieved, but heating is slow and incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional thermal heating mechanisms (such as external heaters or gaseous heating media) with an electrical heating mechanism. By applying voltage to the electrically conductive substrate, Joule heating occurs rapidly and uniformly throughout the substrate, achieving high temperatures quickly and completely for effective CO2 desorption, thereby substituting slow thermal conduction with fast electrical energy conversion.
3Quantity of substance
If extensive measures for reforestation or renaturation are taken, then CO2 can be stored naturally, but the process is slow and cannot lower existing CO2 levels effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the operational parameters of CO2 extraction by using electrically conductive substrates that can be rapidly heated to high temperatures for complete CO2 desorption. This allows for continuous, high-rate CO2 removal through cyclic adsorption and desorption processes, dramatically increasing the productivity of CO2 extraction compared to natural methods, while maintaining high storage capacity through the reusable substrate material.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Rapid and complete CO2 desorption with minimal energy loss, enabling reliable and efficient CO2 removal from air for storage or further use, suitable for large-scale applications.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one substrate being electrically conductive and being heatable by application of a voltage, the heating assembly including the at least one substrate and a voltage source for application of a voltage to the at least one substrate
Implementation Method 2
at least one extraction reactor through which CO2-containing air is able to flow in an adsorption mode and which has an adsorption surface
Implementation Method 3
heating the at least one extraction reactor at least in the region of its adsorption surface to a temperature above an extracted gas desorption temperature in a heating/desorption mode
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus extracting CO2 from air includes an extraction reactor through which CO2-containing air is able to flow in an adsorption mode and which has an adsorption surface. A heating assembly heats the at least one extraction reactor at least in the region of its adsorption surface to a temperature above an extracted gas desorption temperature in a heating/desorption mode. At least one extracted gas store stores CO2 desorbed from the at least one extraction reactor in the heating/desorption mode. The extraction reactor includes at least one substrate having a multiplicity of flow-through cells or flow channels of a porous structure, the adsorption surface being formed on the substrate. The substrate is electrically conductive and heatable by application of a voltage. The heating assembly includes the at least one substrate and a voltage source for applying a voltage to the at least one substrate.