Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air

• US 8,337,589 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carbon Sink, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kilimanjaro Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Wright, Allen B., Lackner, Klaus S., Ginster, Ursula
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US12/903,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20110079146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 95/51, 95/68, 95/96, 95/97, 951/39, 951/41, 961/11, 264/39, 435/297.2, 553/852, 210/673, 210/683
• US Class Current: 95/51
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 33/00 Cultivation of seaweed or algae
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/02 Treatment of plants with carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/18 Greenhouses for treating plants with carbon dioxide or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/246 Air-conditioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/10 Inorganic absorbents chemical reactants B01D2251/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/204 Amines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/30 Ionic liquids and zwitter-ions
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/206 Ion exchange resins
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/06 Polluted air
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/38 Hydrophobic membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/04 with stationary adsorbents B01D53/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/047 Pressure swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1425 Regeneration of liquid absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1493 Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/22 by diffusion manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 41/05 in the strongly basic form
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 47/14 Controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/50 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 : Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/18 : Open ponds; Greenhouse type or underground installations
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/36 : Means for collection or storage of gas; Gas holders
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/00 : Means for introduction, extraction or recirculation of materials, e.g. pumps pumps per se F04B
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 : Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/20 : Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/678 : Aviation using fuels of non-fossil origin

Abstract

A method and apparatus for extracting CO₂ from air comprising an anion exchange material formed in a matrix exposed to a flow of the air, and for delivering that extracted CO₂ to controlled environments. The present invention contemplates the extraction of CO2 from air using conventional extraction methods or by using one of the extraction methods disclosed; e.g., humidity swing or electro dialysis. The present invention also provides delivery of the CO₂ to greenhouses where increased levels of CO₂ will improve conditions for growth. Alternatively, the CO₂ is fed to an algae culture.

Claims

1. A method for the capture of CO₂ from air, comprising the steps of exposing an anion exchange material to a flow of air;

and releasing CO₂ captured by said anion exchange material by wetting or a swing in humidity, wherein said method is accomplished without any direct energy input other than energy to move said anion exchange material.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuously cycling said anion exchange material between exposure to air and release of captured CO₂.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said anion exchange material captures CO₂ when exposed to lower humidity and releases CO₂ when exposed to higher humidity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said anion exchange material is a component of a heterogeneous ion exchange material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said anion exchange material comprises a strong base resin.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said resin comprises a Type 1 or Type 2 functionality ion exchange resin.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said ion exchange resin comprises Anion I-200 ion exchange membrane material.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said released CO₂ is transferred to a sorbent.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said sorbent is selected from the group consisting of:

a liquid amine, an ionic liquid, a solid CO₂ sorbent, a lithium zirconate, a lithium silicate, a magnesium hydroxide, and a calcium hydroxide.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said sorbent comprises an ion exchange resin.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said released CO₂ is concentrated to between 3% and 10%.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said released CO₂ is concentrated close to 100%.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said released CO₂ is concentrated up to 20%.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein 60% of said captured CO₂ is released during said wetting or swing in humidity.

15. The method of claim 1, where said captured CO₂ is releasable in the absence of a pressure swing.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of releasing CO₂ captured by said anion exchange material into a greenhouse.