Transportable CaCO3 Storage for Decoupled Carbon Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carbon capture and energy storage systems using CaO/CaCO3 face challenges such as the complexity and scalability issues of calciners, which are difficult to build in small scales, and the problem of agglomeration and structural changes in CaO/CaCO3 during repeated cycles, affecting their reactivity and transportability.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a transportable CaCO3 storage container and a remote calciner, where the CaCO3 is produced in a carbonator and then transported to a calciner for CO2 release, with SiO2 coating to prevent agglomeration and improve handling, allowing for scalable and adaptable energy storage and CO2 capture by decoupling the operation of carbonator and calciner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If CaO/CaCO3 is used for carbon capture and energy storage, then CO2 capture capability and energy storage are improved, but agglomeration and structural changes occur during repeated cycles, reducing reactivity and transportability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by coating CaO/CaCO3 particles with SiO2 and Al2O3. This creates a composite structure where the inner CaO/CaCO3 core maintains its carbon capture functionality while the outer SiO2/Al2O3 coating provides structural stability, prevents agglomeration, and maintains porosity during repeated cycling. The coating layer acts as a protective barrier that prevents degradation of the core material's reactivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes porous materials by maintaining a controlled porous structure in the SiO2/Al2O3 coating layer. The porous structure allows CO2 gas to penetrate through to the CaO/CaCO3 core for effective carbon capture, while simultaneously preventing particle agglomeration and maintaining structural integrity during repeated thermal cycles. The porosity is carefully controlled to balance gas permeability with structural stability.
2Productivity
If calciner is designed for large scale operation, then CO2 capture capacity is improved, but device complexity and difficulty in small-scale implementation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the carbonator and calciner into independent, modular units that can operate remotely from each other. The carbonator can be deployed at various scales including small-scale applications, while the calciner operates separately at optimal conditions. This modular segmentation allows the system to be scaled up or down based on requirements without increasing overall system complexity, as each module can be independently optimized and manufactured.
3Adaptability or versatility
If CaO is transported over long distances, then energy storage adaptability is improved, but structural changes and agglomeration increase, reducing reactivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by coating CaO particles with SiO2 and Al2O3 before transport. This composite structure protects the CaO core from agglomeration and structural degradation during long-distance transport, maintaining its reactivity when it arrives at the destination. The coating layer acts as a protective barrier that prevents particle-particle bonding and maintains the porous structure needed for high reactivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The SiO2/Al2O3 coating acts as an intermediary protective layer between the CaO particles and the external environment during transport. This intermediary layer prevents direct contact and agglomeration between CaO particles, while also protecting from moisture and other environmental factors that could degrade reactivity. The coating is carefully designed to be permeable to CO2 while providing physical protection during transport.
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 solution enables scalable energy storage and CO2 capture by allowing the calciner to operate at lower energy costs, providing an additional energy boost when needed, and minimizing structural changes and agglomeration, thus enhancing the system's efficiency and adaptability.
Implementation Method 1
a carbonator (1) adapted to react CaO with CO2 to produce CaCO3
Implementation Method 2
a calciner (4) located at a geographical location (3) remote from the carbonator (1) and adapted to heat the CaCO3 of the transportable CaCO3 storage container (2) to a temperature where CO2 is released to produce CaO
Implementation Method 3
The carbonator (1) is equipped with CO2 input means. The CaO is coated with particles comprising SiO2, and wherein the particles comprising SiO2 have a diameter in the range 1-100 nm
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
There is provided a system for energy storage and CO2 capture. The system comprises CaO/CaCO3, a carbonator (1) adapted to react CaO with CO2 to produce CaCO3, at least one CaCO3 storage container (2) for receiving and storing the CaCO3 produced in the carbonator (1), wherein the CaCO3 storage container (2) is configured to be transportable such that the CaCO3 can be supplied to a geographical location (3) remote from the carbonator (1) for CO2 release.