Water/carbonate stripping for CO;capture adsorber regeneration and CO;delivery to photoautotrophs
First Claim
1. A system for delivery of carbon to a photoautotroph comprising:
- (a) a stream containing CO2;
(b) a solid adsorbent comprising materials suitable for CO2 capture;
(c) a carbonate-based stripping fluid;
(d) a device for washing the sorbent, loaded with CO2 from the stream, with the carbonate stripping fluid, thereby allowing removal of CO2 from the sorbent and formation of a bicarbonate rich contacting solution;
(e) a CO2 selective dense (non-porous) polymer membrane incorporated into a module allowing transfer of CO2 between the bicarbonate rich contacting solution and a photoautotroph culture medium;
(f) a baffle disposed on a surface of the CO2 selective dense (non-porous) polymer membrane; and
(g) a microfiltration membrane which prevents direct contact between the photoautotroph culture medium and the bicarbonate rich contacting solution, wherein the photoautotroph culture medium is enriched with bicarbonate providing carbon for growth of the photoautotroph.
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Abstract
The invention provides systems and methods for the delivery of carbon to photoautotrophs. The invention utilizes low energy regeneration of adsorbent for CO2 capture and provides for effective CO2 loading into liquids useful for photoautotroph growth and/or production of photosynthetic products, such as biofuels, via photoautotrophic culture media. The inventive system comprises a fluid/membrane/fluid contactor that provides selective transfer of molecular CO2 via a dense (non-porous) membrane from a carbonate-based CO2 snipping solution to a culture medium where the CO2 is consumed by a photoautotroph for the production of biofuels, biofuel precursors or other commercial products.
12 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for delivery of carbon to a photoautotroph comprising:
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(a) a stream containing CO2; (b) a solid adsorbent comprising materials suitable for CO2 capture; (c) a carbonate-based stripping fluid; (d) a device for washing the sorbent, loaded with CO2 from the stream, with the carbonate stripping fluid, thereby allowing removal of CO2 from the sorbent and formation of a bicarbonate rich contacting solution; (e) a CO2 selective dense (non-porous) polymer membrane incorporated into a module allowing transfer of CO2 between the bicarbonate rich contacting solution and a photoautotroph culture medium; (f) a baffle disposed on a surface of the CO2 selective dense (non-porous) polymer membrane; and (g) a microfiltration membrane which prevents direct contact between the photoautotroph culture medium and the bicarbonate rich contacting solution, wherein the photoautotroph culture medium is enriched with bicarbonate providing carbon for growth of the photoautotroph. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for delivering carbon to a photoautotroph comprising:
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(a) providing a stream containing CO2; (b) passing the CO2 over a solid adsorbent comprising materials suitable for CO2 capture; (c) passing a carbonate-based stripping fluid over the CO2 loaded sorbent, thereby allowing the removal of CO2 from the sorbent and formation of a bicarbonate contacting solution; (d) utilizing a CO2 selective dense (non-porous) polymer membrane that allows the transfer of CO2 between the bicarbonate rich contacting solution and a photoautotroph culture medium, wherein a baffle is disposed on a surface of the CO2 selective dense (non-porous) polymer membrane; and (e) utilizing a microfiltration membrane to prevent direct contact between the photoautotroph culture medium and the bicarbonate rich contacting solution, wherein, the photoautotroph culture medium is enriched with bicarbonate providing carbon for growth of the photoautotroph. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A system for delivery of carbon dioxide to a photoautotroph comprising:
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(a) a carbon dioxide-adsorbing device comprised of adsorbent particles comprising amine functionality suitable for capture of carbon dioxide; (b) a stripping device which removes carbon dioxide from the adsorbent particles loaded with carbon dioxide wherein the stripping device comprises a stripping solution comprising carbonate and bicarbonate anions; (c) a CO2 selective dense (non-porous) polymer membrane incorporated into a module allowing transfer of CO2 between a bicarbonate rich contacting fluid and a photoautotroph culture medium; and (d) a baffle disposed on a surface of the CO2 selective dense (non-porous) polymer membrane. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification