Amine Medium CO2 Extraction from Ambient Air
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide, are inadequate in addressing global warming due to high costs and environmental concerns associated with renewable energy sources, and existing technologies for extracting CO2 from the atmosphere are inefficient and costly, especially when dealing with low concentrations in ambient air.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a large area, porous substrate with an amine medium to extract CO2 from the atmosphere, combined with process heat for regeneration, which is more efficient and cost-effective than conventional methods that focus on high concentration flue gas sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional CO2 extraction methods are used on high concentration flue gas sources, then extraction efficiency is improved, but applicability to ambient air with low CO2 concentration deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameter of the gas source from high concentration flue gas to low concentration ambient air, and adjusts the extraction system parameters accordingly to maintain effectiveness across different concentration levels
Solution Approach 2:
The extraction system is designed to handle multiple gas sources with varying CO2 concentrations, making it universally applicable to both flue gas and ambient air, thereby resolving the contradiction between extraction efficiency and adaptability
2Object-affected harmful factors
If renewable energy infrastructure is expanded to provide clean energy, then environmental impact is reduced, but implementation cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts CO2 directly from ambient air using a relatively simple extraction system, bypassing the need for complex renewable energy infrastructure expansion. This approach removes the harmful factor (CO2) directly rather than preventing its generation through complex infrastructure changes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces CO2 extraction and sequestration as an intermediary solution between fossil fuel use and climate change mitigation, allowing continued use of fossil fuels while actively removing CO2 from the atmosphere, thus avoiding the need for complete infrastructure transformation
3Productivity
If CO2 extraction systems are deployed at scale to remove CO2 from atmosphere, then negative carbon emissions are achieved, but energy consumption and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the extraction system to utilize naturally occurring temperature variations and atmospheric conditions to drive the CO2 extraction process, reducing the need for external energy input while maintaining high removal rates
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs phase transition mechanisms in the CO2 extraction and sequestration process, utilizing natural phase changes of CO2 under different temperature and pressure conditions to reduce energy consumption during extraction and storage operations
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
This approach enables the effective extraction of CO2 from the atmosphere at a faster rate than its increase, producing negative carbon emissions and reducing ambient CO2 concentrations, thus mitigating global warming, while being less costly and environmentally friendly compared to traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
a medium that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Implementation Method 2
using process heat to remove carbon dioxide from the medium
Data Source
AI summary
A system for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere to reduce global warming including an air extraction system that collects carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through a medium and removes carbon dioxide from the medium; a sequestration system that isolates the removed carbon dioxide to a location for at least one of storage and which can increase availability of renewable energy or non-fuel products such as fertilizers and construction materials; and one or more energy sources that supply process heat to the air extraction system to remove the carbon dioxide from the medium and which can regenerate it for continued use.