Continuous CO2 Adsorption Array for Low-Pressure Direct Air Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional carbon dioxide capture systems operate intermittently, leading to increased energy consumption and reduced adsorption efficiency due to pressure drop and non-continuous operation, which is inefficient for handling large flow rates and requires additional time for heating and cooling.
Innovation Solution
A continuous carbon dioxide capture system that integrates multiple adsorption units in an array, operating in cyclic modes of adsorption, preheating, heating, CO2 regeneration, N2 regeneration, and cooling, ensuring continuous operation with minimized pressure drop by interconnecting units through specific circulation and purge lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional intermittent operation is used for CO2 capture systems, then regeneration can be performed, but energy consumption increases and adsorption efficiency decreases due to heating and cooling time requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous operation of CO2 capture systems by integrating multiple adsorption towers that operate in alternating cycles. While one tower is being regenerated, another continues adsorbing CO2, eliminating idle time and maintaining continuous productive action. This resolves the contradiction by making the useful action (CO2 adsorption) continuous rather than intermittent.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic cycling between adsorption and regeneration modes across multiple towers. Each tower alternates between capturing CO2 and being regenerated, with the cycle coordinated so that when one tower is regenerating, another is adsorbing. This periodic action maintains overall continuous operation while allowing individual components to cycle, improving both productivity and energy efficiency.
2Stress or pressure
If adsorbent particle size is increased to lower pressure drop, then pressure drop decreases, but contact efficiency and adsorption performance are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the adsorption system into multiple towers operating in parallel, with each tower containing adsorbent particles of optimized size for high performance. This segmentation allows the system to maintain low pressure drop across multiple units while each unit uses small particles for high adsorption efficiency, resolving the contradiction between pressure drop and adsorption performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-tower design to a multi-tower array configuration, adding a spatial dimension to the system architecture. This dimensional change allows optimization of particle size for performance while distributing the flow across multiple units, maintaining low pressure drop through parallel pathways rather than relying on larger particles in a single tower.
3Productivity
If multiple adsorption units operate in cyclic modes for continuous capture, then continuous operation is achieved, but system complexity increases with multiple circulation and purge lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the regeneration functions into a unified system where multiple towers share common circulation and purge lines. By combining the regeneration pathways and using shared infrastructure, the system achieves continuous operation through multiple units while reducing the overall complexity that would result from completely separate systems for each tower.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation and purge lines are designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple towers simultaneously. A single circulation line can route heated gas to multiple towers needing regeneration, and purge lines can serve multiple units, reducing the total number of components needed while maintaining continuous operation capability across the array.
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
Enables continuous direct air capture with enhanced adsorption efficiency and regeneration purity, handling large flow rates without interrupting the adsorption process, and optimizing unit operation to match flow demands.
Implementation Method 1
an adsorption unit that is installed within the housing and configured with a carbon dioxide adsorbent
Implementation Method 2
a heating mode
Implementation Method 3
a cooling mode
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a continuous carbon dioxide capture system for increasing adsorption efficiency and regeneration purity, more particularly to, as a continuous carbon dioxide capture system, a continuous direct air capture system with a low differential pressure for increasing adsorption efficiency and regeneration purity including: an adsorption unit including a housing having an inlet part for introducing external air and an outlet part for discharging carbon dioxide-removed air, and a plurality of adsorbent modules installed within the housing and composed of carbon dioxide adsorbents, wherein the adsorption unit is connected in plurality, and the adsorption unit sequentially undergoes adsorption mode and regeneration mode and always operates in adsorption mode in a set number of adsorption units; a suction valve provided at the inlet part for introducing external air, and an outlet valve provided at the outlet part for exhausting the gas passed through the adsorbent modules; and a controller for controlling the suction valve and the outlet valve according to the adsorption mode and the regeneration modes, respectively.