Silicon-Modified Aluminum Sorbent for CO2 Capture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current CO2 capture technologies face challenges in efficiently removing CO2 from flue gas at low pressure and concentration, requiring significant energy for sorbent regeneration, with high parasitic water sorption and desorption contributing to operational costs.
Innovation Solution
Development of silicon-modified sorbents comprising an aluminum compound support, an alkali metal salt, and a silicon source, such as silica or organosilyl moieties, to enhance hydrophobicity and reduce parasitic water sorption, involving impregnation, calcination, and treatment processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional sorbents are used for CO2 capture, then CO2 can be removed from flue gas, but parasitic water sorption increases energy consumption and operational costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the surface chemistry parameters of the sorbent by incorporating silicon sources (silica, organosilyl moieties) that change the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity balance. This parameter change reduces parasitic water sorption while maintaining CO2 capture functionality, thereby reducing energy consumption for regeneration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite sorbent material combining aluminum compound support with silicon sources (silica or organosilyl moieties) and alkali metal salts. This composite structure leverages the hydrophobic properties of silicon-modified surfaces to reduce water sorption while maintaining CO2 adsorption capacity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If silicon sources are incorporated to reduce water sorption, then parasitic water usage decreases, but sorbent preparation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates silicon sources during the sorbent preparation process (impregnation and calcination steps) rather than adding them separately afterward. This preliminary action integrates the hydrophobic modification into the standard manufacturing workflow, minimizing additional process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses calcination temperature and time parameters to control the incorporation of silicon sources. By optimizing these thermal processing parameters, the patent achieves effective hydrophobic modification without requiring complex multi-step synthesis procedures.
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 silicon-modified sorbents reduce parasitic water usage by 19% and maintain CO2 sorption capacity, minimizing energy consumption and operational costs in CO2/H2O displacement desorption processes.
Implementation Method 1
the sorbent has been made more hydrophobic by the including of silicon sources
Implementation Method 2
CO2 displacement desorption process uses a competitive adsorption of H2O to drive off adsorbed CO2 on sorbent
Implementation Method 3
CO2 can be removed from combustion flue gas streams by various methods, often referred to a carbon capture and sequestration (CCS.)
Implementation Method 4
involving impregnation, calcination, and treatment processes
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure generally relates to CCS sorbents, particularly for CO2/H2O displacement desorption process. The sorbent includes an aluminum oxide support and an alkali metal salt impregnated on the support, and a silicon modification of the sorbent to reduce water uptake by the sorbent and make it more hydrophobic. The silicon modification can be an organosilyl moiety added after the initial sorbent is complete, or a silica source added to the aluminum oxide structure, typically via impregnation. The sorbents demonstrate better H2O/CO2 ratios. Compositions and methods of making are disclosed.