Background
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are a leading cause of climate change. The removal of CO2 from the atmosphere is a critical factor in mitigating climate change. Passive direct air capture of CO2 is an effective technique for the reduction of CO2 as it reduces the resources required and can easily be integrated with existing systems. There is a current push in the market to develop new techniques for passive direct air capture of CO2.
Invention Description
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a device for passive capture of CO2 from ambient air. This device has a direct air capture mechanism with a series of tubular sorbent sections (either round or oval shaped) with openings at either end. The tubes are inserted one into another to create a set of telescoping tubes, which can be inserted into a vessel for harvesting and pulled, raised, or pushed out of the vessel for CO2 harvest. For capture applications, the tubes are elongated and stretched into the air, which maximizes exposure, whereas for harvest applications, the tubes are placed together to minimize the space and volume of gas for harvest.
Potential Applications
- Direct air capture of CO2
Benefits and Advantages
- Greater exposure of sorbent – sorbent faces airflow and tubes are elongated to maximize exposure
- Passive mechanism – relies on movement of ambient air
- Reduces energy use – tube configurations can be altered to reduce energy consumption
- Simple to operate – mechanical raising and lowering of tubes is simple process