Heat-Pump CO2 Regeneration for Low-Energy Carbon Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carbon dioxide capture technologies from the atmosphere require large amounts of energy due to the low concentration of CO2 and inefficiencies in purifying and compressing the product stream, making them impractical for widespread adoption.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a regeneration vessel, liquid water supply, and heat pumps with closed fluidic circuits to efficiently capture, purify, and compress CO2 by using thermal, pressure, and moisture swings, minimizing energy consumption through heat recovery and cascade refrigeration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional methods are used to purify and compress CO2 to high pressure and low oxygen/water content, then the product stream meets industrial pipeline-ready or well-ready specifications, but the energy requirements become prohibitive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs temperature swing and pressure swing to alter the physical and chemical parameters of the sorbent material, enabling it to selectively capture CO2 at low temperatures and pressures, then release it at higher temperatures. This parameter-based approach replaces energy-intensive conventional purification and compression methods
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase transitions of the sorbent material between adsorbed and desorbed states through controlled temperature and pressure changes. The sorbent transitions from a CO2-capturing state at ambient conditions to a CO2-releasing state when heated, enabling efficient separation without high-energy compression
2Quantity of substance
If atmospheric air is drawn in bulk for CO2 capture, then sufficient CO2 can be collected, but the energy budget is quickly overrun due to processing large volumes of dilute air
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts CO2 from ambient air using a sorbent material that selectively binds CO2 molecules while allowing other atmospheric gases to pass through. This extraction approach concentrates CO2 capture efficiency without requiring bulk processing of entire air volumes, dramatically reducing the energy needed per unit of CO2 captured
Solution Approach 2:
The sorbent material utilizes porous structures with high surface area to volume ratio, enabling efficient CO2 adsorption from dilute atmospheric air. The porous architecture provides numerous binding sites for CO2 molecules while maintaining low mass and minimal processing requirements
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
The system achieves efficient recovery and purification of CO2 with reduced energy and water usage, producing a high-pressure, low-oxygen, and low-water content product stream suitable for industrial use.
Implementation Method 1
The system includes at least one heat pump. Each heat pump of the at least one heat pump includes at least one closed fluidic circuit, at least one heat pump condenser, at least one heat pump evaporator, at least one heat pump pressure reducer, at least one refrigerant, and at least one heat pump compressor
Implementation Method 2
The vapor mixture is removed from the regeneration vessel and cooled by the condenser, where a portion of the water vapor within the vapor mixture is condensed into liquid water
Implementation Method 3
Each closed fluidic circuit includes one of the at least one heat pump condensers, one of the at least one heat pump evaporators, one of the at least one refrigerants, one of the at least one heat pump pressure reducers, and one of the at least one heat pump compressors
Data Source
AI summary
A system for collecting a sorbate gas from a sorbent is disclosed, including a regeneration vessel enclosing a sorbent having a sorbate gas, a liquid water supply heated to a first temperature, and a heat pump with a condenser. The heat pump is also in contact with the water supply. Heat is removed from the condenser and used to heat the water supply to the first temperature. The system includes a compressor coupled to the condenser. The sorbent within the vessel is placed in contact with water vapor at the first temperature. The water vapor coming into contact with the sorbent causes sorbate gas to be released, forming a mixture including sorbate and water gases, raising the pressure. The vapor mixture is removed and cooled by the condenser, where a portion is condensed into water that is returned to the supply. The remaining mixture is compressed into a product gas.