Apparatus and method for direct air capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are costly and energy-intensive, and there is a need for more efficient mechanisms to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and decrease fuel consumption in flue gas generators.
Innovation Solution
The use of low-pressure 'leaf' membrane units under vacuum to selectively enrich carbon dioxide and oxygen concentrations from atmospheric air, producing a permeate stream with reduced nitrogen levels, which can be used in flue gas generators and sequestration facilities, and potentially further enriched through secondary systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If highly purified carbon dioxide concentration is achieved through conventional processes, then carbon dioxide capture effectiveness is improved, but capital expense and operating costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by achieving moderate enrichment (2-5x concentration) rather than complete purification. The membrane units enrich carbon dioxide to sufficient levels for sequestration without requiring the high purity levels that would demand complex and expensive conventional separation processes, thus resolving the contradiction between purity and manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the concentration parameter from requiring near-100% purity to accepting 0.5-5% carbon dioxide concentration in the permeate stream. This parameter change enables the use of simpler, less expensive membrane technology instead of complex conventional separation processes, effectively resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and ease of manufacture
2Manufacturing precision
If highly purified oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations are achieved, then gas separation effectiveness is improved, but operating costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by achieving moderate enrichment (2-5x concentration) rather than complete purification. The membrane units enrich carbon dioxide and oxygen to sufficient levels for sequestration and combustion applications without requiring the high purity levels that would demand energy-intensive conventional separation processes, thus resolving the contradiction between purity and energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces mechanical separation systems (compressors, distillation columns) with membrane-based separation that operates at low pressure differential. This substitution eliminates the need for energy-intensive mechanical compression and high-temperature distillation processes, effectively resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and energy consumption
3Use of energy by moving object
If atmospheric air is used in flue gas generators, then fuel consumption is high, but oxygen enrichment infrastructure is avoided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible thin-film membrane units to enrich oxygen from atmospheric air before feeding it to the flue gas generator. These membranes selectively permeate oxygen and carbon dioxide while blocking nitrogen, providing oxygen enrichment without requiring complex infrastructure such as cryogenic distillation plants or large compressors, thus resolving the contradiction between fuel consumption and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the oxygen concentration parameter in the combustion air from 21% (atmospheric) to 30-40% (enriched) through membrane separation. This moderate parameter change achieves significant fuel savings while avoiding the need for extreme parameter changes that would require complex infrastructure, effectively resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and system complexity
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 reduces the overall cost and energy consumption of carbon dioxide capture and enrichment, enabling more efficient use of carbon dioxide in sequestration and flue gas applications, while decreasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and fuel consumption.
Implementation Method 1
Carbon dioxide and oxygen pass or permeate more rapidly through the membrane relative to nitrogen, thereby forming a permeate stream which is more concentrated or enriched in oxygen and carbon dioxide than the feed stream
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum applied to the membrane unit. Gas components which pass relatively slowly through the membrane in comparison to oxygen, carbon dioxide and water, such as nitrogen, remain mostly on the same side of the membrane as the feed stream
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus utilizes a membrane unit to capture components from atmospheric air, including carbon dioxide, enriches the carbon dioxide concentration, and delivers the enriched concentration of carbon dioxide to a sequestering facility. The membrane is configured such that as a first gas containing oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide is drawn through the membrane, a permeate stream is formed where the permeate stream has an oxygen concentration and a carbon dioxide concentration higher than in the first gas and a nitrogen concentration lower than in the first gas. A permeate conduit, having a vacuum applied to it by a vacuum generating device receives the permeate stream and a delivery conduit delivers at least a portion of the enriched carbon dioxide to a sequestering facility. The apparatus may comprise a component of a system where the system may have a flue gas generator and/or a secondary enrichment system disposed between the vacuum generating device and the sequestering facility.