Laminar Scrubber Apparatus for Capturing Carbon Dioxide From Air and Methods of Use

• US 20090320688A1
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kilimanjaro Energy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kilimanjaro Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Lackner, Klaus S., Wright, Allen
• Granted Patent: US 7,833,328 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 96/257
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/18 Absorbing units; Liquid distributors therefor B01D3/16, B01D3/26, B01D3/30 take precedence; packing elements B01J19/30, B01J19/32
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2

Abstract

The present invention is directed to methods for carbon dioxide from air, which comprises exposing solvent covered surfaces to air streams where the airflow is kept laminar, or close to the laminar regime. The invention also provides for an apparatus, which is a laminar scrubber, comprising solvent covered surfaces situated such that they can be exposed to air streams such that the airflow is kept laminar.

Claims

1. A scrubber apparatus for capturing carbon dioxide from air, comprising:

a plurality of plates, each of the plates including front and back surfaces and top and bottom ends, the plates positioned parallel to one another so as to form gaps therebetween;

a catch tray positioned adjacent the bottom end of the plates;

a pump in fluid communication with a source of carbon dioxide solvent;

a conduit in fluid communication with the pump and at least the top ends of the plates; and

solvent wherein the plates, catch tray, pump, and conduit are configured such that the plates can be exposed directly to the air and the carbon dioxide solvent can be applied to the top ends of the plates so as to flow across the front and back surfaces of the plates in a direction towards the bottom ends, and such that, when air flows through the gaps or otherwise adjacent the plates and contacts the front and back surfaces covered with carbon dioxide solvent, carbon dioxide in the air is absorbed by the carbon dioxide solvent and absorbed carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide solvent flows down the plates and into the catch tray.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising airflow straighteners for directing the air flow so that it is substantially perpendicular to a direction of flow of the solvent.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the straighteners are configured so as to cause the air to flow substantially horizontally through the gaps.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the solvent is adapted to remove carbon dioxide from open air under ambient conditions.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the solvent is a hydroxide solution having a hydroxide concentration of about from about 0.1 molar to about 20 molar.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conduit and the pump are configured to recycle solvent from the catch tray to the top end of the plates.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the front and back surfaces include one or more of grooves, dimples, bumps, and other surface structures that are smaller than the gaps and are configured so that air flowing through the gaps remains within the laminar boundary of air flow.

8. A scrubber apparatus for capturing carbon dioxide from open air, comprising:

substantially horizontal concentric tubes each including first and second ends and surfaces therebetween and including a center tube axis, wherein first and second ends are not closed so as to allow a flow of open air to pass through the tubes and directly contact the surfaces;

a mechanism for continuously rotating the tubes around the center tube axis;

a pump in fluid communication with a source of carbon dioxide solvent;

a conduit in fluid communication with the pump for introducing the solvent to the surfaces of the tubes via one of the first and second ends; and

a catch tray for collecting the solvent flowing from one of the first and second ends.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising airflow straighteners for directing the air flow so that it is substantially perpendicular to a direction of flow of the solvent.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the straighteners are configured so as to cause the air to flow substantially horizontally through the tubes.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the solvent is adapted to remove carbon dioxide from open air under ambient conditions.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the solvent is a hydroxide solution having a hydroxide concentration of about from about 0.1 molar to about 20 molar.

13. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the conduit and the pump are configured to recycle solvent from the catch tray to one of the first and second ends of the tubes.

14. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the surfaces include one or more of grooves, dimples, bumps, and other surface structures that are configured so that air flowing through the tubes remains within the laminar boundary of air flow.

15. A scrubber apparatus for capturing carbon dioxide from open air, comprising:

a plurality of plates, each of the plates including front and back surfaces and outer edges, the plates positioned parallel to one another so as to form gaps therebetween;

a substantially horizontal axis joined to each of the plates substantially close to its center;

a mechanism for rotating the axis so as to cause the plates to rotate; and

a catch tray configured to contain a carbon dioxide solvent, the catch tray being positioned beneath the plates so that portions of each of the plates are at least temporarily submerged in the solvent as the plates rotate thereby coating portions of each of the plates with the solvent.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising airflow straighteners for directing the air flow so as to cause the air to flow substantially horizontally as it flows through the gaps.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the solvent is adapted to remove carbon dioxide from open air under ambient conditions.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the solvent is a hydroxide solution having a hydroxide concentration of about from about 0.1 molar to about 20 molar.

19. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the plates are disk-shaped.

20. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the front and back surfaces include one or more of grooves, dimples, bumps, and other surface structures that are smaller than the gaps and are configured so that air flowing through the gaps remains within the laminar boundary of air flow.