Direct Air Capture Control Using Sorbent Loading Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carbon dioxide capture systems face inefficiencies due to environmental conditions like temperature, humidity, and CO2 content, and sorbents like amine-based chemisorbents degrade with oxygen exposure, while physisorbents have high water affinity requiring complex and costly air drying.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that adjust process parameters based on sorbent loading levels, using sensors to optimize drying, adsorption, and desorption processes, minimizing energy consumption and maximizing sorbent capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If amine-based chemisorbents are used for carbon dioxide removal, then carbon dioxide capture efficiency is improved, but sorbent degradation occurs due to oxygen exposure at temperatures above 60°C
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the carbon dioxide capture process into two separate stages: a drying stage using a hydrophilic desiccant to remove moisture, and a subsequent carbon dioxide capture stage using the amine-based chemisorbent. This segmentation allows the chemisorbent to operate only in the dry air stream, preventing water-induced degradation while maintaining high carbon dioxide capture efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary drying of the ambient air before it enters the carbon dioxide capture chamber. By removing moisture upfront using a desiccant, the system prepares the air stream in advance, ensuring that the amine-based chemisorbent is exposed to dry conditions throughout the carbon dioxide capture process, thereby preventing degradation.
2Productivity
If physisorbents like zeolites are used for carbon dioxide removal, then carbon dioxide capture is achieved, but complex and expensive air drying is required upstream due to high water affinity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hydrophilic desiccant as an intermediary component between the ambient air and the physisorbent. This desiccant selectively removes water vapor from the air stream, creating a dry atmosphere that allows the physisorbent to function effectively without requiring complex upstream drying systems. The desiccant acts as a buffer that simplifies the overall system architecture.
3Adaptability or versatility
If environmental conditions like temperature, humidity, and CO2 content vary, then system adaptability is tested, but process optimization becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide content in the ambient air. This feedback information is used to dynamically adjust the operating parameters of both the drying stage and the carbon dioxide capture stage, allowing the system to maintain optimal performance across varying environmental conditions without complex manual intervention.
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
Enhances the efficiency of carbon dioxide separation from ambient air by optimizing subprocesses to utilize sorbent capacity fully, reducing energy use and preventing sorbent degradation.
Implementation Method 1
An air stream of ambient air is fed into a drying unit, in which the air stream is dried by a desiccant
Implementation Method 2
carbon dioxide is adsorbed from the dried air stream by a sorbent material in a sorption unit
Implementation Method 3
subsequently desorbing the carbon dioxide adsorbed in the sorbent material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for controlling a system (10) for separating carbon dioxide (48) from the ambient air (74). The process comprises the following steps: - conveying (100) an air stream (68) of ambient air (74) into a first process chamber (26), whereby the air stream (68) is dried in the first process chamber (26), - passing (110) the dried ambient air (74) from the first process chamber (26) into a second process chamber (27), - adsorbing (200) carbon dioxide (48) from the dried air stream (68) with a sorbent material (22) in the second process chamber (27), - desorbing (210, 220) the carbon dioxide (48) adsorbed in the sorbent material (22), and - storing (230) the desorbed carbon dioxide (48) in a storage unit (16) or transferring the carbon dioxide (48) to a subsequent process.It is provided that the process parameters of the system (10) for drying, adsorption and/or desorption are adjusted based on the loading level of the drying agent (72) or the sorbent material (22). The invention further relates to a system (10) for carrying out such a process.