Carbon Dioxide Capture/Regeneration Structures and Techniques

• US 20110041688A1
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Thermostat Operations LLC
• Original Assignee: Graciela Chichilnisky
• Inventors: Eisenberger, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,163,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 95/107
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/22 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/08 according to the "moving bed" method
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/83 with moving reactants
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 15/02 of purifiers, e.g. for removing noxious material traps for solid residues F23J3/04
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2215/50 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2219/40 Sorption with wet devices, e.g. scrubbers
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2219/50 Sorption with semi-dry devices, e.g. with slurries
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2219/60 Sorption with dry devices, e.g. beds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/32 Direct CO2 mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight

Abstract

New and useful system and method concepts are provided, for removing carbon dioxide from a flow of carbon dioxide laden air. More specifically, a sorbent structure is used in new and useful structures and techniques to bind carbon dioxide in a carbon dioxide laden air stream, and process heat is used to separate carbon dioxide from the sorbent structure and regenerate the sorbent structure.

Claims

1. A method of removing carbon dioxide from carbon dioxide laden air, comprising

directing a flow of carbon dioxide laden air through a vertically oriented carbon dioxide capture structure that has sorbent that absorbs or binds carbon dioxide, to remove carbon dioxide from the air,

moving the vertically oriented carbon dioxide capture structure into a regeneration enclosure, and directing process heat at the carbon dioxide capture structure in the regeneration enclosure to separate carbon dioxide from the sorbent, and regenerate the sorbent, and

selectively moving the vertically oriented carbon dioxide capture structure out of the regeneration enclosure and to a position that is in the flow of carbon dioxide laden air, so that the regenerated sorbent can continue to be used to absorb or bind carbon dioxide, to remove carbon dioxide from the flow of carbon dioxide laden air.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vertically oriented carbon capture structure comprises a top support member, and a sorbent support structure depending from the top support member, and wherein the regeneration enclosure is substantially enclosed except for a top opening that is closed by the top support structure when the carbon dioxide capture structure is moved into the regeneration enclosure.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures are provided, each of which is selectively configured and operable in the manner described in claim 2, and wherein one of the pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures is in the path of carbon dioxide laden air while the other of the pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures is being heated with process heat to separate the carbon dioxide from the sorbent and regenerate the sorbent, in the manner described in claim 2.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures are provided, each of which is selectively configured and operable in the manner described in claim 1, and wherein one of the pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures is in the path of carbon dioxide laden air while the other of the pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures is being heated with process heat to separate the carbon dioxide from the sorbent and regenerate the sorbent, in the manner described in claim 1.

16. The method of either of claim 1 or 8, wherein the process heat that is directed at the carbon dioxide capture structure is provided by a co-generation process wherein process heat provided from a primary process is directed at the carbon dioxide capture structure.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the process heat that is directed at the carbon dioxide capture structure is provided in the form of steam.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the steam is directed at the carbon dioxide capture structure in a manner such that the steam releases captured carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide capture structure and transports the released carbon dioxide to a predetermined location.

19. The method of either of claims 1 or 8, wherein the process heat that is directed at the carbon dioxide capture structure is provided in the form of steam.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the steam is directed at the carbon dioxide capture structure in a manner such that the steam releases captured carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide capture structure and transports the released carbon dioxide to a predetermined location.

5. A method of removing carbon dioxide from a fluid, comprising

directing a flow of particles into a particle feed source that can selectively feed the particles into a carbon dioxide removal chamber, where each of the particles carries a sorbent that absorbs or binds carbon dioxide in the fluid, to remove carbon dioxide from the fluid,

directing the fluid through particles in the carbon dioxide removal chamber, so that carbon dioxide is absorbed or binded by the sorbent, to remove the carbon dioxide from the fluid,

directing the particles from the carbon dioxide removal chamber to a carbon separation/regeneration chamber, and directing process heat into the carbon dioxide separation/regeneration chamber, to separate carbon dioxide from the sorbent, and regenerate the sorbent carried by the particles, and

directing the particles with the regenerated sorbent back to the particle feed source, so that the particles with the regenerated sorbent can be reused to absorb or bind carbon dioxide in the fluid, in the manner described above in this claim.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the fluid is directed downward through a mass of the sorbent carrying particles in the carbon dioxide removal chamber, to enable the sorbent to absorb or bind carbon dioxide in the fluid.

7. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the sorbent carrying particles fall vertically in the carbon dioxide removal chamber, and the fluid is directed horizontally through the sorbent carrying particles falling vertically in the carbon dioxide removal chamber, to enable the sorbent on the sorbent carrying particles falling vertically in the carbon dioxide removal chamber to absorb or bind carbon dioxide in the fluid.

8. A system for removing carbon dioxide from carbon dioxide laden air, comprising

a vertically oriented carbon dioxide capture structure that has sorbent that absorbs or binds carbon dioxide, to remove carbon dioxide from the air,

motive means for moving the vertically oriented carbon dioxide capture structure in the path of a flow of carbon dioxide laden air;

a regeneration enclosure, and the motive means configured to selectively move the vertically oriented carbon dioxide capture structure into the regeneration enclosure,

a fluid conduit for directing process heat at the carbon dioxide capture structure in the regeneration enclosure to separate carbon dioxide from the sorbent, and regenerate the sorbent, and

the motive means configured to selective move the vertically oriented carbon dioxide capture structure to a position that is in the flow of carbon dioxide laden air, so that the regenerated sorbent can continue to be used to absorb or bind carbon dioxide, to remove carbon dioxide from the flow of carbon dioxide laden air.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the vertically oriented carbon capture structure comprises a top support member, and a sorbent support structure depends from the top support member, and wherein the regeneration enclosure is substantially enclosed except for a top opening that is closed by the top support structure when the carbon dioxide capture structure is moved into the regeneration enclosure.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures are provided, each of which is selectively configured and operable in the manner described in claim 9, and wherein one of the pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures is in the path of carbon dioxide laden air while the other of the pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures is being heated with process heat to separate the carbon dioxide from the sorbent and regenerate the sorbent, in the manner described in claim 9.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein a pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures are provided, each of which is selectively configured and operable in the manner described in claim 8, and wherein one of the pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures is in the path of carbon dioxide laden air while the other of the pair of vertically oriented carbon capture structures is being heated with process heat to separate the carbon dioxide from the sorbent and regenerate the sorbent, in the manner described in claim 8.

12. A system of removing carbon dioxide from a fluid, comprising

a particle feed source configured to selectively direct a flow of particles into a carbon dioxide removal chamber, where each of the particles carries a sorbent that absorbs or binds carbon dioxide in a fluid that is directed into the carbon dioxide removal chamber, to remove carbon dioxide from the fluid,

a carbon separation/regeneration chamber located to receive particles from the carbon dioxide removal chamber, and a fluid conduit that directs process heat into the carbon dioxide separation/regeneration chamber, to separate carbon dioxide from the sorbent, and regenerate the sorbent carried by the particles, and

a particle movement system that directs the particles with the regenerated sorbent back to the particle feed source, so that the particles with the regenerated sorbent can be reused to absorb or bind carbon dioxide in the fluid, in the manner described above in this claim.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the fluid conduit is oriented to direct fluid downward through a mass of the sorbent carrying particles in the carbon dioxide removal chamber, to enable the sorbent to absorb or bind carbon dioxide in the fluid.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the particle feed source and the carbon dioxide removal chamber are oriented relative to each other such that sorbent carrying particles fall vertically in the carbon dioxide removal chamber, and the fluid conduit is configured to direct fluid horizontally through the sorbent carrying particles falling vertically in the carbon dioxide removal chamber, to enable the sorbent on the sorbent carrying particles falling vertically in the carbon dioxide removal chamber to absorb or bind carbon dioxide in the fluid.

15. A method of capturing CO₂, comprising

a. providing a flow of CO₂ laden air,

b. adding a small amount (by volume) of flue gas to the flow of CO₂ laden air, to produce a fluid flow in which the concentration of CO₂ is significantly increased, in comparison to the CO₂ concentration in the flow of CO₂ laden air, and

c. passing the fluid flow through a solid sorbent structure that binds CO₂ in the fluid flow.