CARBON DIOXIDE CAPTURE METHOD AND FACILITY

• US 20100064890A1
• Filed: 08/21/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carbon Engineering ULC (Occidental Petroleum Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carbon Engineering Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Hart, Brandon, Biglioli, Alessandro, Foniok, Mike, Heidel, Kenton, Keith, David, Mahmoudkhani, Maryam
• Granted Patent: US 9,095,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 95/212
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/304 of sodium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/306 of potassium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/604 Hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• 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 53/77 Liquid phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/214 using a gas-liquid mixing column or tower
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2

Abstract

A carbon dioxide capture facility is disclosed comprising packing formed as a slab, and at least one liquid source. The slab has opposed dominant faces, the opposed dominant faces being at least partially wind penetrable to allow wind to flow through the packing. The at least one liquid source is oriented to direct carbon dioxide absorbent liquid into the packing to flow through the slab. The slab is disposed in a wind flow that has a non-zero incident angle with one of the opposed dominant faces. A method of carbon dioxide capture is also disclosed. Carbon dioxide absorbing liquid is applied into packing in a series of pulses. A gas containing carbon dioxide is flowed through the packing to at least partially absorb the carbon dioxide from the gas into the carbon dioxide absorbing liquid.

Claims

1. A carbon dioxide capture facility for removing carbon dioxide from ambient air, comprising:

at least one liquid having a capacity to absorb carbon dioxide;

at least one packing material having a hold up relative to the liquid; and

,

at least one pump for flowing the liquid over the packing material, the pump being configured to deliberately variy the flow rate to produce an average flow rate, wherein the capacity of the liquid and the holdup of the packing material are chosen to be cooperatively achieve an increased carbon dioxide capture rate relative to a similar carbon dioxide capture facility in which the pump is operated constantly at the average flow rate.

2. The carbon dioxide capture facility of claim 1 in which the packing is formed as a slab having opposed dominant faces, and the packing is oriented to direct the flow of the liquid through the slab in a mean flow direction that is parallel to a plane defined by the opposed dominant faces.

3. The carbon dioxide capture facility of claim 2 wherein the packing is oriented to allow the carbon dioxide liquid absorbent to flow through the packing by gravity.

4. The carbon dioxide capture facility of claim 1 wherein the packing comprises structured packing.

5. The carbon dioxide capture facility of claim 2 wherein the opposed dominant faces are vertically oriented.

6. The carbon dioxide capture facility of claim 2 in which the packing has a thickness, defined by the distance between the opposed dominant faces, ranging from about 1 to about 3 meters.

7. The carbon dioxide capture facility of claim 2, further comprising at least one fan oriented to influence wind flow through at least a section of one of the opposed dominant faces of the packing.

8. The carbon dioxide capture facility of claim 7 in which at least one of the at least one fans is reversible.

9. The carbon dioxide capture facility of claim 6 wherein the at least one fan is provided as part of a fan wall adjacent at least one of the opposed dominant faces.

10. The carbon dioxide capture facility of claim 1, further comprising modular structures containing the packing, the carbon dioxide capture facility comprising a number of modular structures which are connected one to another.

11. The carbon dioxide capture facility of claim 6, further comprising modular structures containing the packing, wherein each modular structure has dimensions of about 5 m by about 5 m by about 7 m, and the modular structures are interconnected to result in a carbon dioxide capture facility in which the packing occupies a space having dimensions of about 200 m by about 20 m by about 3 m.

12. A method for capturing ambient carbon dioxide, comprising:

directing ambient air through packing material contained in a carbon capture facility using at least one of;

wind energy or a fan; and

,

using a pump to vary the flow rate of a carbon dioxide flowing liquid to apply the carbon dioxide absorbing liquid over the packing material at an average rate, wherein the flow rate is varied between a first rate and at least one second rate, wherein the first rate is higher than the at least one second rate, and the at least one second rate can be zero; and

.

Capturing carbon dioxide in the liquid at an increased capture rate relative to a similar process using a pump to constantly flow carbon dioxide absorbing liquid over the packing material at the average flow rate;

or, capturing carbon dioxide in the liquid and improving the effectiveness of cleaning a surface of the packing material compared to a similar process using a pump to constantly flow carbon dioxide absorbing liquid over the packing material at the average flow rate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the liquid flows in a cross-flow pattern relative to the direction of air flow.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one second rate is only one second rate and the second rate is zero, such that varying the flow of the liquid comprises providing the liquid to the packing material in a series of pulses, and further wherein the series of pulses has a duty cycle of from about 1 to about 50%.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the series of pulses has an off-time of from about 10 to about 1000 seconds.

16. The method of claim 15 in which the series of pulses has an off-time ranging from about 100 to about 10000 seconds.

17. The method of claim 14 in which applying comprises:

applying the carbon dioxide absorbing liquid into a first portion of the packing in a first series of pulses; and

applying the carbon dioxide absorbing liquid into a second portion of the packing in a second series of pulses.

18. The method of claim 17 in which the first series of pulses and the second series of pulses are staggered.

19. The method of claim 14 in which the off-cycle of the series of pulses is less than or equal to the time it takes for carbon dioxide absorbing liquid to stop draining from the packing after a pulse.

20. The method claim 12 in which the packing is oriented to flow the carbon dioxide absorbing liquid through the packing in a mean liquid flow direction, and gas air is directed through the packing obliquely or perpendicularly to the mean liquid flow direction.

21. The method of claim 20 in which gas air is directed through the packing perpendicularly to the mean liquid flow direction.

22. A method of generating carbon credits, comprising:

directing ambient air through packing material contained in a carbon capture facility using at least one of;

wind energy or a fan;

using a pump to vary the flow rate of a carbon dioxide flowing liquid to apply the carbon dioxide absorbing liquid over the packing material at an average rate, wherein the flow rate is varied between a first rate and at least one second rate, wherein the first rate is higher than the at least one second rate, and the at least one second rate can be zero; and

,

capturing carbon dioxide in the liquid thereby generating carbon credits based on the carbon dioxide removed from the ambient air, wherein the carbon dioxide is captured at an increased capture rate relative to a similar process using a pump to constantly flow carbon dioxide absorbing liquid over the packing material at the average flow rate;

or, capturing carbon dioxide in the liquid and improving the effectiveness of cleaning a surface of the packing material compared to a similar process using a pump to constantly flow carbon dioxide absorbing liquid over the packing material at the average flow rate.