Humidity-Sensitive Sorbent Extractor for Ambient Air CO2 Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current carbon capture technologies from ambient air face challenges such as low binding affinities, high energy requirements, and high costs due to low CO2 concentrations, high temperature processes, and energy penalties associated with air flow resistance and drying processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of humidity-sensitive sorbents in packed or fluidized bed extractors that adsorb CO2 from ambient air and release it through a humidity swing mechanism, allowing for efficient capture and release without the need for heating, and utilizing the latent heats of evaporation and condensation for energy, with the sorbent being a strong base, type II anion exchange material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sorbents are used for CO2 capture from ambient air, then the capture process can be implemented, but the binding affinity is low and capture efficiency is poor at low CO2 concentrations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using humidity swing instead of temperature swing. The sorbent operates at ambient temperatures during CO2 capture, and regeneration is achieved by exposing to humid air rather than heating. This parameter change enables effective CO2 capture at low concentrations while avoiding the energy penalties of high-temperature processes.
Solution Approach 2:
Humidity acts as an intermediary mechanism for CO2 release. Instead of directly heating the sorbent to release CO2, the patent uses water vapor as an intermediary that facilitates the release process. The humid air serves as a mediator to transfer energy and facilitate CO2 desorption from the sorbent material.
2Reliability
If high temperature processes are used for carbonation and calcination, then CO2 capture can be achieved, but energy requirements and energy penalties increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal/mechanical heating processes with a humidity-based chemical process. Instead of using high-temperature calcination to release CO2 from carbonates, the system uses humid air to facilitate a chemical reaction that releases CO2 at ambient temperatures. This substitution eliminates the need for energy-intensive heating equipment and reduces overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of water (evaporation and condensation) to drive the CO2 capture and release cycles. During capture, water vapor condenses on the sorbent surface, facilitating CO2 absorption. During release, water evaporates from the sorbent, carrying CO2 with it. These phase transitions provide the necessary energy driving force without requiring external heating.
3Quantity of substance
If large volumes of air are processed to achieve sufficient CO2 capture, then capture quantity increases, but flow resistance and energy penalties increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sorbent material parameters to one that operates effectively at ambient temperatures with high capacity. The humidity-sensitive sorbent material is specifically designed to provide high CO2 capture capacity at low temperatures, eliminating the need to process large volumes of air through high-resistance systems. The material's inherent high capacity reduces the required air flow volume while maintaining efficient capture.
4Reliability
If drying processes are used to remove water from sorbent, then sorbent regeneration is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of removing water from the sorbent through energy-intensive drying processes, the patent inverts the approach by adding water (humid air) to the sorbent to achieve regeneration. The humid air provides both the water vapor needed for the chemical reaction and the energy transfer mechanism, eliminating the need for separate drying steps. This inversion of the conventional approach eliminates drying energy consumption entirely.
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 enables efficient, cost-effective, and carbon-negative CO2 capture from ambient air, delivering it to enclosed environments at a low cost, with minimal external energy input, and achieving a high CO2 transfer rate without the need for extensive heating or drying processes.
Implementation Method 1
contacting a packed bed or fluidized bed with a stream of the first gas, wherein the packed bed or fluidized bed comprises a humidity-sensitive sorbent material that adsorbs carbon dioxide from the first gas stream
Implementation Method 2
contacting the packed bed or fluidized bed with a stream of the second gas, wherein the water vapor pressure in the second gas is greater than that of the first gas, thereby releasing the adsorbed carbon dioxide
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for capturing carbon dioxide from ambient air and delivering said carbon dioxide to an enclosed environment are described. In general, the methods and apparatus comprise contacting a packed bed or fluidized bed device with a stream of ambient air, wherein the packed bed or fluidized bed device comprises a humidity-sensitive sorbent material that adsorbs carbon dioxide from the ambient air; contacting the packed bed or fluidized bed device with a stream of humid air to release the adsorbed carbon dioxide; delivering the released carbon dioxide to an enclosed environment; and optionally, repeating the steps of contacting the packed bed or fluidized bed device with ambient air and humid air in an alternating fashion.