Fluidised Bed Scrubber CO2 Capture Without Amines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current carbon capture methods require expensive reagents and energy-intensive processes to absorb and release CO2 from flue gas streams, limiting efficiency and increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
The use of counter-current fluidised bed gas scrubbers with non-reacting salt or saline solutions, such as brackish water, to capture CO2 without the need for amines or carbonates, leveraging high liquid-to-gas ratios and unique fluidised bed properties to achieve high capture efficiencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If chemical reactions with amines or carbonates are used to enhance CO2 absorption, then CO2 capture efficiency is improved, but the cost of reagents and energy for reversing the reaction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the CO2 absorption function from reactive chemical systems (amines, carbonates) and transfers it to a physical absorption system using salt solutions. The salt solution absorbs CO2 physically without forming strong chemical bonds, eliminating the need for energy-intensive reaction reversal processes while maintaining high capture efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of the absorption mechanism from chemical reaction-based to physical dissolution-based. By using salt solutions with high ionic strength, the system achieves enhanced physical absorption of CO2 without the need for subsequent chemical reversal, thereby reducing energy consumption
2Quantity of substance
If packed towers or sieve plate columns are used to achieve high L/G ratios, then CO2 absorption capacity is improved, but flooding occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a fluidised bed of hollow plastic elements that create a porous, high-surface-area structure for gas-liquid contact. This porous structure allows high liquid-to-gas ratios to be maintained without flooding, as the fluidised bed dynamically adjusts to accommodate the liquid flow while providing extensive interfacial area for CO2 absorption
3Loss of energy
If spray towers are used to achieve high L/G ratios, then pressure loss is reduced, but insufficient interphase surface area is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a dynamic fluidised bed system where hollow plastic elements are continuously suspended and mixed by upward gas flow. This dynamic state creates constantly renewing interphase surface area between the liquid and gas phases, maintaining high absorption capacity while allowing liquid to fall freely and minimize pressure loss
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 method achieves CO2 capture efficiencies exceeding 50% without the need for costly reagents or energy, facilitating efficient CO2 release and reuse in applications like Enhanced Oil Recovery and horticultural growth, while avoiding flooding and pressure loss issues.
Implementation Method 1
a more advantageous result is achieved by combining the unique properties of counter-current fluidised bed gas scrubbers with the use of non-reacting salt or saline solutions
Implementation Method 2
Salting out (precipitation of salts above the solubility limit) will not block the fluidised bed
Implementation Method 3
counter-current fluidised bed gas scrubbers, which employ fluidisable elements
Implementation Method 4
Generation of high interfacial areas particularly with eccentric shapes
Implementation Method 5
combining the unique properties of counter-current fluidised bed gas scrubbers
Implementation Method 6
high interfacial areas particularly with eccentric shapes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
In one proposed application provided by the present invention, and as shown in Figure 2, CO2 is captured from a dirty flue gas in a fluid bed TurboscrubberRTM to be recycled rapidly to a fluid bed TurbostripperRTM where it is desorbed into a clean air stream for introduction to a horticultural glass-house for enhancement of fruit, vegetable or other crop growth. In a further application of the present invention as shown in Figure 3, CO2 enriched saltwater is circulated through a tank (7), to feed Algae thereby allowing fast photosynthesis to occur in, for example, the production of bio fuels. Alternatively, if the Algae suspension is sufficiently robust, it can be pumped around a TurboscubberRTM (2) and the Algae tank (7) in order to keep it in constant contact with the CO2 enriched aqueous solution.