US20110079149A1 - Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20110079149A1
US20110079149A1 US12/903,974 US90397410A US2011079149A1 US 20110079149 A1 US20110079149 A1 US 20110079149A1 US 90397410 A US90397410 A US 90397410A US 2011079149 A1 US2011079149 A1 US 2011079149A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
algae
solution
collector
air
ion exchange
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US12/903,974
Inventor
Allen B. Wright
Klaus S. Lackner
Ursula Ginster
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US12/903,974 priority Critical patent/US20110079149A1/en
Publication of US20110079149A1 publication Critical patent/US20110079149A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D50/00Combinations of methods or devices for separating particles from gases or vapours
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D53/00Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/34Chemical or biological purification of waste gases
    • B01D53/46Removing components of defined structure
    • B01D53/62Carbon oxides
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01GHORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G33/00Cultivation of seaweed or algae
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01GHORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G7/00Botany in general
    • A01G7/02Treatment of plants with carbon dioxide
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01GHORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G9/00Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
    • A01G9/18Greenhouses for treating plants with carbon dioxide or the like
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01GHORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G9/00Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
    • A01G9/24Devices or systems for heating, ventilating, regulating temperature, illuminating, or watering, in greenhouses, forcing-frames, or the like
    • A01G9/246Air-conditioning systems
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D53/00Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/02Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D53/00Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/02Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography
    • B01D53/04Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography with stationary adsorbents
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D53/00Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/02Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography
    • B01D53/04Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography with stationary adsorbents
    • B01D53/047Pressure swing adsorption
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D53/00Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/14Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by absorption
    • B01D53/1425Regeneration of liquid absorbents
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D53/00Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/14Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by absorption
    • B01D53/1493Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D53/00Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/22Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by diffusion
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01JCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J41/00Anion exchange; Use of material as anion exchangers; Treatment of material for improving the anion exchange properties
    • B01J41/04Processes using organic exchangers
    • B01J41/05Processes using organic exchangers in the strongly basic form
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01JCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J47/00Ion-exchange processes in general; Apparatus therefor
    • B01J47/14Controlling or regulating
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01BNON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B32/00Carbon; Compounds thereof
    • C01B32/50Carbon dioxide
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12MAPPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
    • C12M21/00Bioreactors or fermenters specially adapted for specific uses
    • C12M21/02Photobioreactors
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12MAPPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
    • C12M23/00Constructional details, e.g. recesses, hinges
    • C12M23/02Form or structure of the vessel
    • C12M23/18Open ponds; Greenhouse type or underground installations
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12MAPPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
    • C12M23/00Constructional details, e.g. recesses, hinges
    • C12M23/36Means for collection or storage of gas; Gas holders
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12MAPPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
    • C12M29/00Means for introduction, extraction or recirculation of materials, e.g. pumps
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D2252/00Absorbents, i.e. solvents and liquid materials for gas absorption
    • B01D2252/10Inorganic absorbents
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D2252/00Absorbents, i.e. solvents and liquid materials for gas absorption
    • B01D2252/20Organic absorbents
    • B01D2252/204Amines
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D2252/00Absorbents, i.e. solvents and liquid materials for gas absorption
    • B01D2252/30Ionic liquids and zwitter-ions
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D2253/00Adsorbents used in seperation treatment of gases and vapours
    • B01D2253/20Organic adsorbents
    • B01D2253/206Ion exchange resins
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D2257/00Components to be removed
    • B01D2257/50Carbon oxides
    • B01D2257/504Carbon dioxide
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D2258/00Sources of waste gases
    • B01D2258/06Polluted air
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D2325/00Details relating to properties of membranes
    • B01D2325/38Hydrophobic membranes
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02ATECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A50/00TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE in human health protection, e.g. against extreme weather
    • Y02A50/20Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02CCAPTURE, STORAGE, SEQUESTRATION OR DISPOSAL OF GREENHOUSE GASES [GHG]
    • Y02C20/00Capture or disposal of greenhouse gases
    • Y02C20/40Capture or disposal of greenhouse gases of CO2
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E50/00Technologies for the production of fuel of non-fossil origin
    • Y02E50/30Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02PCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P20/00Technologies relating to chemical industry
    • Y02P20/151Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02PCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P60/00Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries
    • Y02P60/20Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02TCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T50/00Aeronautics or air transport
    • Y02T50/60Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
    • Y02T50/678Aviation using fuels of non-fossil origin

Definitions

  • the present invention in one aspect relates to removal of selected gases from air.
  • the invention has particular utility for the extraction and sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from air and will be described in connection with such utilities, although other utilities are contemplated.
  • CO 2 carbon dioxide
  • CO 2 occurs in a variety of industrial applications such as the generation of electricity power plants from coal and in the use of hydrocarbons that are typically the main components of fuels that are combusted in combustion devices, such as engines. Exhaust gas discharged from such combustion devices contains CO 2 gas, which at present is simply released to the atmosphere. However, as greenhouse gas concerns mount, CO 2 emissions from all sources will have to be curtailed. For mobile sources the best option is likely to be the collection of CO 2 directly from the air rather than from the mobile combustion device in a car or an airplane. The advantage of removing CO 2 from air is that it eliminates the need for storing CO 2 on the mobile device.
  • Extracting carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from ambient air would make it possible to use carbon-based fuels and deal with the associated greenhouse gas emissions after the fact. Since CO 2 is neither poisonous nor harmful in parts per million quantities, but creates environmental problems simply by accumulating in the atmosphere, it is possible to remove CO 2 from air in order to compensate for equally sized emissions elsewhere and at different times.
  • CO 2 capture sorbents include strongly alkaline hydroxide solutions such as, for example, sodium or potassium hydroxide, or a carbonate solution such as, for example, sodium or potassium carbonate brine. See for example published PCT Application PCT/US05/29979 and PCT/US06/029238.
  • CO 2 may also be supplied to algae cultures.
  • algae can remove up to 90% of gaseous CO 2 from air streams enriched in CO 2 and can also reduce the CO 2 concentration in ambient air.
  • the present invention provides a system, i.e. a method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from ambient air and for delivering that extracted CO 2 to controlled environments.
  • CO 2 carbon dioxide
  • the present invention extracts CO 2 from ambient air and delivers the extracted CO 2 to a greenhouse.
  • the CO 2 is extracted from ambient air using a strong base ion exchange resin that has a strong humidity function, that is to say, an ion exchange resin having the ability to take up CO 2 as humidity is decreased, and give up CO 2 as humidity is increased.
  • a strong base ion exchange resin that has a strong humidity function
  • an ion exchange resin having the ability to take up CO 2 as humidity is decreased, and give up CO 2 as humidity is increased.
  • CO 2 is extracted from ambient air using an extractor located adjacent to a greenhouse, and the extracted CO 2 is delivered directly to the interior of the greenhouse for enriching the greenhouse air with CO 2 in order to promote plant growth.
  • this invention allows the transfer of CO 2 from a collector medium into an algae culture, where the CO 2 carbon is fixed in biomass.
  • the algae biomass can then be used for the production of biochemical compounds, fertilizer, soil conditioner, health food, and biofuels to name just a few applications or end-uses.
  • This invention also discloses transfer of CO 2 in gaseous phase and as a bicarbonate ion.
  • a calcareous algae is used which creates calcium carbonate CaCO 3 internally, and precipitates the CaCO 3 out as limestone.
  • the present invention extracts CO 2 from ambient air using one of several CO 2 extraction techniques as described, for example, in our aforesaid PCT/US05/29979 and PCT/US06/029238.
  • a carbonate/bicarbonate solution is employed as the primary CO 2 sorbent
  • the CO 2 bearing sorbent may be used directly as a feed to the algae.
  • the CO 2 is extracted using an ion exchange resin as taught, for example in our aforesaid PCT/US06/029238 application
  • the CO 2 is stripped from the resin using a secondary carbonate/bicarbonate wash which then is employed as a feed to the algae.
  • the carbonate is fed to the algae in a light enhanced bioreactor.
  • the present invention provides a simple, relative low-cost solution that addresses both CO 2 capture from ambient air and subsequent disposal of the captured CO 2 .
  • FIG. 1 is a block flow diagram illustrating the use of humidity sensitive ion exchange resins in accordance with the present invention
  • FIGS. 2 a and 2 b are schematic views of a CO 2 extractor/greenhouse feeder in accordance with the present invention, where filter units are located adjacent an exterior wall;
  • FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are schematic views of a CO 2 extractor/greenhouse feeder in accordance with the present invention, where filter units are located adjacent to the roof of the greenhouse;
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor/greenhouse feeder showing an arrangement of filter units according the present invention
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor/greenhouse feeder showing filter units arranged on a track according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor/greenhouse feeder including convection towers according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention utilizing a humidity swing applied to a collector medium;
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention utilizing a humidity swing applied to a collector solution;
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention transferring gaseous CO 2 by an electro-dialysis process;
  • FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention transferring bicarbonate by an electro-dialysis process
  • FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention utilizing an algae culture for collector regeneration;
  • FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor and algae culture similar to FIG. 11 utilizing a nutrient solution;
  • FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention utilizing a gas-permeable membrane;
  • FIG. 14 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention utilizing an anion-permeable membrane
  • FIG. 15 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor and algae culture similar to FIG. 14 ;
  • FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention including a shower;
  • FIG. 17 is a schematic view of a CO 2 extractor and algae culture similar to FIG. 16 .
  • the present invention in one aspect extracts carbon dioxide from ambient air using a conventional CO 2 extraction method or one of the improved CO 2 extraction methods disclosed in our aforesaid PCT Applications, or disclosed herein, and releases at least a portion of the extracted CO 2 to a closed environment.
  • this closed environment is a greenhouse.
  • the CO 2 extractor is located adjacent to the greenhouse and, in a preferred embodiment the extractor also provides shading for crops grown in greenhouses which are sensitive to strong sunlight, and/or reduces cooling requirements for the greenhouse.
  • the resin medium is regenerated by contact with the warm highly humid air. It has been shown that the humidity stimulates the release of CO 2 stored on the storage medium and that CO 2 concentrations between 3% and 10% can be reached by this method, and in the case of an evacuated/dehydrated system, close to 100% can be reached. In this approach the CO 2 is returned to gaseous phase and no liquid media are brought in contact with the collector material.
  • the CO 2 extractor is immediately adjacent to the greenhouse and is moved outside the greenhouse to collect CO 2 and moved into the greenhouse to give off CO 2 .
  • the CO 2 extractor preferably comprises a humidity sensitive ion exchange resin in which the ion exchange resin extracts CO 2 when dry, and gives the CO 2 up when exposed to higher humidity.
  • a humidity swing may be best suited for use in arid climates. In such environment the extractor is exposed to the hot dry air exterior to the greenhouse, wherein CO 2 is extracted from the air. The extractor is then moved into the warm, humid environment of the greenhouse where the ion exchange resin gives up CO 2 . The entire process may be accomplished without any direct energy input other than the energy to move the extractor from outside to inside the greenhouse and vice versa.
  • Ion exchange resins are commercially available and are used, for example, for water softening and purification. We have found that certain commercially available ion exchange resins which are humidity sensitive ion exchange resins and comprise strong base resins, advantageously may be used to extract CO 2 from the air in accordance with the present invention. With such materials, the lower the humidity, the higher the equilibrium carbon loading on the resin.
  • ion exchange materials which we have found to be particularly useful, are Anion I-200 ion exchange membrane materials available from Snowpure LLC, of San Clemente, Calif. The manufacturer describes Anion I-200 ion exchange membrane material as a strong base, Type 1 functionality ion exchange material. This material, which is believed made according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,957 and is believed to comprise small resin charts encapsulated—or partially encapsulated—in an inactive polymer like polypropylene. We have found that if one first hydrates this material and then dries it, the material becomes porous and readily lets air pass through.
  • the hydration/dehydration preparation is believed to act primarily to swell the polypropylene binder, and has little or no permanent effect on the resin, while the subsequent humidity swings have no observed impact on the polypropylene binder.
  • these strong base ion exchange resin materials have the ability to extract CO 2 from dry air, and give the CO 2 out when humidity is raised without any other intervention. The ability of these materials to extract CO 2 directly from the air, when dry, and exhale the CO 2 as humidity is raised, has not previously been reported.
  • the membrane material is substantially non-porous, or at least it is unable to permit passage of an appreciable amount of air through the membrane.
  • the material is believed to undergo irreversible deformation of the polypropylene matrix during the resin swelling under hydration. Once the material has been deformed, the polypropylene matrix maintains its extended shape even after the resin particles shrink when drying.
  • substantially non-porous materials such as the Snowpure Ion Exchange material above described, it is necessary to precondition the material by hydrating and then drying the material before use.
  • Type 1 and Type 2 functionality ion exchange materials are available commercially from a variety of venders including Dow, DuPont and Rohm and Haas, and also advantageously may be employed in the present invention, either as available from the manufacturer, or formed into heterogeneous ion-exchange membranes following, for example, the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,957.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of our invention.
  • a primary ion exchange filter material 4 is provided in a recirculation cycle.
  • a primary pump 1 or a secondary pump (not shown) is used to remove the bulk of the air in the system while valve V 1 is open and push it out through the air exhaust 2 .
  • valve V 1 is closed and a secondary ion exchange capture resin is switched into the system by opening valves V 2 and V 3 .
  • the secondary ion exchange resin can be utilized to provide humidity and possibly some heat. Warm steam stimulates the release of CO 2 from the primary ion exchange filter material 4 , which is then captured on the secondary ion exchange resin which is still out of equilibrium with the CO 2 partial pressure.
  • the volume of water in the system remains small as it is recirculated and not taken up by the secondary resin. While CO 2 is unloading from the primary ion exchange resin material 14 and being absorbed by the secondary ion exchange resin, the bulk of the water cycles through the apparatus. The amount of water that can be devolved or absorbed is much smaller than the amount of CO 2 that is transferred. At the end of the cycle the primary ion exchange filter material 14 is refreshed and the secondary ion exchange capture resin is loaded with CO 2 .
  • This system could be used to transfer CO 2 from the air capture medium, e.g. an ion exchange resin onto a secondary resin without washing or wetting the primary resin.
  • This has two advantages. First, the primary resin is not directly exposed to chemicals such as amines that were used in the past and described in our aforesaid PCT Application PCT/US061/029,238. Second, we have seen that wet resins are ineffective in absorbing CO 2 until they have dried out. It is therefore advantageous to avoid the wetting of the material and thus operate in this fashion where the resin is washed with low-pressure steam. Steam pressures could be less than 100 Pa and thus be saturated at temperatures similar to ambient values. However, the CO 2 exchange is obviously accelerated at higher temperatures and higher steam pressures. The disadvantage of raising temperatures would be additional energy consumption.
  • the design outlined here is a special example of a broader class of designs where the secondary resin is replaced with any other sorbent material that is capable of absorbing CO 2 without absorbing water.
  • sorbents may include liquid amines, ionic liquids, solid CO 2 sorbents such as lithium zirconate, lithium silicate, magnesium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide, or any of a wide class of chemical or physical sorbents capable of absorbing CO 2 from a gas mixture including water vapor and CO 2 .
  • the central concept is that of using a humidity swing, rather than a pressure or temperature swing to remove CO 2 from the primary sorbent without bringing it in direct physical contact with a secondary sorbent.
  • the present invention provides for the introduction of carbon dioxide into a greenhouse without combusting fuels emitting fossil fuel CO 2 into the air. More particularly, we have found that we can employ humidity sensitive ion exchange resins to capture CO 2 from dry outside air, and then release the CO 2 into the greenhouse by exposing the resins to the warm moist greenhouse air.
  • the outside CO 2 loading may be performed at night when outside temperatures are cooler which may enhance CO 2 uptake capacity.
  • our system of CO 2 loading avoids the need to let in cold air to replenish the CO 2 and thus reduces the need for heating employing fossil fuel consumption until temperatures drop so low that fuel based heating becomes necessary.
  • the filters are exposed to outside air that could be driven by natural wind flow, by thermal convection, or fans. It is preferable to avoid fans as they add an unnecessary energy penalty.
  • moist air from inside the greenhouse preferably is driven through the filter material, e.g. by fans, which then releases CO 2 into the greenhouse atmosphere. Since the climate control of the greenhouse typically will rely on a fan system anyway, there is little or no energy penalty.
  • the filter units 10 are located adjacent an exterior wall 12 of a greenhouse, and outside air or greenhouse air routed selectively therethrough, as the case may be, via pivotally mounted wall panels 14 .
  • the filter material 10 may be located exterior to and adjacent the roof 18 of the greenhouse, and outside air or greenhouse air routed selectively therethrough, as the case may be, via pivotally mounted roof panels 20 .
  • the filter units 10 can be moved from outside the greenhouse where they extract CO 2 from the air to inside the greenhouse where they release the captured CO 2 .
  • One possible option for doing this is to have filter units mounted to pivotally mounted wall or roof panels 22 which can be reversed so that a filter unit on the outside of the greenhouse is exposed to the inside of the greenhouse and vice versa.
  • Filter units that are inside the greenhouse can have air blown through them by a fan system.
  • Filter units on the outside are exposed to ambient air.
  • the filter units 10 on the outside are located adjacent the bottom end of a convection tower 24 that is solar driven.
  • the inlets are installed at the bottom end of the convection towers where cool air enters and flows up the towers through natural convection.
  • the filter units 10 are moved in and out of the greenhouse, e.g. suspended from a track 26 .
  • yet another option for a greenhouse is to locate convection towers as double glass walls on the outside of the greenhouse, and use the convection stream generated to collect CO 2 on the outside.
  • the double walls also serve to reduce the heatload on the interior during the day and thus reduce the need for air exchange which in turn makes it possible to maintain an elevated level of CO 2 in the greenhouse.
  • the double glass walls also reduce heat loss during the night.
  • a protective glass surface 40 may be provided to keep some of the heat away from the main roof of the glass house 42 , causing a convective flow 44 of ambient air over the roof surface.
  • the flow of ambient air is passed through a CO 2 absorbing filter medium 46 , which can by some mechanism, such as a rotating roof panel 48 , exchange places with a second like filter medium 50 , where the air driven by fan 52 on the inside of the greenhouse is passed through the filter medium which gives up the CO 2 captured when the filter medium was exposed to ambient air outside the greenhouse. Because the air inside the greenhouse is moist, the CO 2 readily is released from the filter medium, and adds to the CO 2 available in the greenhouse.
  • An advantage of such a unit is that it could operate at elevated levels of CO 2 without combusting fuels. Because CO 2 is delivered to the inside of the greenhouse without blowing air into the greenhouse, this offers a possibility of reducing the exchange of air between the outside and the inside of the greenhouse, thus improving the heat management and moisture management of the greenhouse.
  • the CO 2 is extracted and delivered to an algal or bacterial bioreactor.
  • This may be accomplished using conventional CO 2 extraction methods or by using an improved extraction method as disclosed in our aforesaid PCT applications or disclosed herein; e.g., by a humidity swing.
  • a humidity swing is advantageous for extraction of CO 2 for delivery to algae because the physical separation allows the use of any collector medium without concern about compatibility between the medium and the algae culture solution.
  • Transfer of gaseous CO 2 allows for the selection of any algae species, including macro and microalgae, marine or freshwater algae. Therefore, the selection of algae species to be grown could be solely dependent on environmental factors and water quality at the collector site.
  • the algae species to be used could be selected from algae naturally occurring at the site, which are uniquely adapted to the local atmospheric, environmental and water quality conditions.
  • the collector medium and/or the collector regeneration solution will not contact the algae culture solution and/or algae.
  • the second is that all species of algae are capable of absorbing gaseous CO 2 .
  • the CO 2 -enriched air can be pumped successively through several algae cultures in order of decreasing CO 2 tolerance and increasing CO 2 uptake efficiency.
  • the air can be diluted to the optimum CO 2 concentration.
  • one embodiment of the present invention takes advantage of the fact that gaseous CO 2 can be driven off the collector medium using a humidity swing.
  • the humidity swing will transfer captured CO 2 as gaseous CO 2 from the collector 110 into the algae culture 116 .
  • An ion-exchange collector medium loaded with CO 2 will emit gaseous CO 2 when subjected to an increase in humidity or when wetted with water.
  • the collector medium will absorb more gaseous CO 2 when the humidity of the CO 2 -supplying gas stream is decreased and/or the collector medium dries.
  • the present invention provides a common headspace above the collector medium and the algae culture. This exposes the algae to gaseous CO 2 while physically separating the collector medium from the algae culture solution.
  • the headspace will be sealed from ambient air. The humidity is then raised in the closed headspace volume.
  • the collector medium may be wetted. The CO 2 emitted from the collector medium quickly diffuses through the entire headspace and contacts the algae culture solution surface.
  • the CO 2 is then transferred into the algae culture either via gas diffusion or by bubbling the headspace gas through the algae culture solution using a recirculating pump. As the algae removes the CO 2 from the headspace, the collector medium continues to offgas until equilibrium is reached.
  • the algae culture solution can be mechanically stirred. All other nutrients and light are provided to the algae as needed.
  • the algae may then be collected in an algae harvester 120 .
  • CO 2 concentrations in the headspace above wetted collector medium are up to 20%; or 0.2 atmosphere partial pressure.
  • concentration can be regulated by the volume to volume ratio of collector medium to headspace.
  • the collector medium can release 60% of the captured CO 2 during a humidity swing/wetting.
  • CO 2 concentrations in ambient air can saturate the ion-exchange medium with CO 2 to the level that the CO 2 is bound as bicarbonate anion.
  • This embodiment provides regeneration of the collector medium using an alkaline solution. During the regeneration, the anion composition in the solution is changed to approximately 100% bicarbonate.
  • Aqueous bicarbonate solution is not stable under atmospheric conditions and releases gaseous CO 2 .
  • Gaseous CO 2 emission can be enhanced by bubbling the headspace air through the solution using a recirculating pump.
  • An alternative embodiment provides a common headspace above the collector regeneration solution and the algae culture solution. This exposes the algae to gaseous CO 2 , while separating the regeneration solution from the algae culture solution. In other aspects, this headspace operates similar to the headspace for the collector medium, as discussed above.
  • another alternative embodiment of the present invention uses an electrodialysis (ED) process to free gaseous CO 2 from the loaded collector solution.
  • the freed CO 2 is then transferred into an algae culture 216 .
  • the transfer of gaseous CO 2 from the collector 210 to the algae culture 216 through an electrodialysis (ED) process has the advantage that the collector solution or sorbent and algae culture solution are physically separated from each other at all stages of the process. This prevents the mixing of the two solutions and also prevents ion exchange between the solutions.
  • the ED process has this in common with the humidity swing process. And as in the humidity process, the physical separation allows the use of any collector medium and any algae without regard to compatibility between the medium and the algae culture solution.
  • An alternative embodiment of the invention takes advantage of the fact that gaseous CO 2 can be driven off the collector regeneration solution using an ED process.
  • the loaded collector regeneration solution is split into two streams to enter the ED cell 214 .
  • Protons are added to the first stream across a secondary membrane 236 and the inorganic carbon is driven off as gaseous CO 2 , while the sodium cations are transferred through a cationic membrane 234 into the second stream.
  • hydroxide ions are added to the second stream across another secondary membrane 236 thus neutralizing the bicarbonate in this stream to carbonate.
  • the first stream exits the ED cell as water or dilute sodium bicarbonate solution while the second stream exits as a concentrated sodium carbonate solution.
  • the two streams are combined to form fresh collector solution.
  • the gaseous CO 2 that is driven off the first stream is bubbled into the algae culture and is fixated as biomass.
  • the solution turns more alkaline and additional bicarbonate needs to be added to maintain the pH. Filtration allows us to recover some of the fluid and thus return water and sodium from the bioreactor.
  • the electrochemical cell will run between two separate fluid cycles, one fairly alkaline which runs between the collector and the base side of the electrochemical cell, and the other which runs at near neutral pH between the algae-reactor and the acidic side of the cell. Carbonic acid is transferred from the base side to the acid side of the cell. This step regenerates the wash and reloads the fluid with CO 2 .
  • CO 2 By feeding the bicarbonate sorbent to the algae, CO 2 can be removed from the sorbent without first converting the CO 2 back to CO 2 gas. Moreover, by selection of suitable sorbent material for the air capture side, the pH of the washing fluid can be kept relatively low, and if one uses algae that can tolerate a relatively high pH, the pH difference that needs to be made up by electrodialysis becomes relatively small, and in some implementations one can completely eliminate the dialysis cell.
  • another embodiment of the present invention uses an ED process to decrease the bicarbonate concentration in the collector solution and to increase the bicarbonate concentration in the algae culture solution.
  • the collector solution enters the ED cell 214 in the bicarbonate state, while the algae culture solution enters the ED cell in the carbonate state.
  • the collector solution is in the carbonate state and the algae culture solution is in the bicarbonate state.
  • the algae culture solution Since cations are transferred from the algae culture solution to the collector solution, the algae culture solution is diluted to roughly half its normality, while the collector solution roughly doubles its normality. To make up for the sodium imbalance, half of the loaded collector solution (bicarbonate form) is transferred directly from the collector to the algae culture.
  • cations are transferred from the algae solution into the collector solution through a cation exchange membrane 234 .
  • the algae culture solution contains predominantly sodium cations, but also potassium, magnesium and calcium ions as well as traces of other metal cations.
  • the potential transfer of magnesium and calcium is of concern, since both ions form fairly insoluble carbonates and hydroxides.
  • the formation of these salts, also known as scaling, can foul up the membranes in the ED cell and/or the collector medium.
  • Calcium and magnesium are added to the algae culture as mineral nutrients, at the start of an algae growing cycle. As the algae biomass increases calcium and magnesium are taken up into the biomass and their concentration in the algae culture solution decreases. Simultaneously, the culture solution pH increases as the bicarbonate solution is changed into a carbonate solution. If magnesium, calcium and carbonate ions are present above their solubility products, chemical precipitation will further decrease the magnesium and calcium ion concentrations.
  • the exhausted culture solution with decreased calcium and magnesium concentrations and a high pH is entered into the ED cell.
  • There the culture solution is changed from a carbonate into a bicarbonate solution and its pH decreases accordingly.
  • the carbonate ion concentration decreases, the solution can hold more calcium and magnesium. So scaling is unlikely to happen in this part of the ED cell.
  • cations including calcium and magnesium are transferred from the algae culture solution 216 to the collector solution half-cell of the ED.
  • the bicarbonate solution coming from the collector is changed into a carbonate solution: the carbonate concentration and the pH increase.
  • excess H 2 O may be removed from the bicarbonate solution using an osmosis cell 224 .
  • the process is designed such that the pH of the exiting collector solution is close to the pH of the incoming algae solution. Therefore, scaling should not occur as long as everything is in balance. However, to keep perfect balance may not always be practical on the macro scale, and it may be impossible on the micro scale within the ED cell. It is possible that micro layers or pockets with increased hydroxide or cation concentrations are formed at the membrane surfaces. Increased concentrations at the surface of the membranes might cause scaling in the collector solution half-cell.
  • the transport numbers (t) for Selemion CSV are: t(Na) ⁇ 0.92 and t(Ca, Mg) ⁇ 0.04.
  • the transport numbers are defined as the equivalence flux of the cation divided by the total equivalence flux during electrodialysis.
  • This aspect of the invention uses a monovalent cation selective membrane to minimize the transfer of multivalent cations from the algae culture solution into the collector regeneration solution. Any scaling built up with time, will be removed using an acid solution.
  • Both the algae culture solution as well as the collector solution will be filtered before entering the ED cell to avoid membrane fouling with particles.
  • Organic molecules will be scavenged from the algae culture solution by means of organic scavenging ion exchange resins.
  • the CO 2 captured from air is transferred to the algae by feeding the loaded collector solution 310 to the algae.
  • the loaded collector solution is enriched in sodium bicarbonate. Nutrients are added to the collector solution and it becomes the feed stock for algae. In this embodiment of the invention the solution feed is not recycled, so that the collector solution becomes a consumable.
  • the algae culture solution 316 would increase in salt content as more and more sodium bicarbonate is added.
  • the sodium bicarbonate is changed into carbonate during algae growth.
  • some of the remaining nutrients can be added as acids instead as sodium salts, which will convert carbonate ions to bicarbonate and minimize the addition of sodium.
  • the sodium bicarbonate sorbent is fed directly to an algae-reactor to supply the algae with CO 2 , and the algae is removed for further processing, with the sodium carbonate being returned to the air extraction station.
  • bicarbonate as their carbon source.
  • some algae prefer bicarbonate over CO 2 as their carbon source.
  • These algae can tolerate large swings in pH of 8.5 up to 11.
  • Algae use the carbon source to produce biomass through photosynthesis. Since photosynthesis requires CO 2 not bicarbonate, the algae catalyze the following reaction:
  • Algae growth in a bicarbonate solution induces the following changes in the solution: (1) a decrease in HCO 3 ⁇ concentration; (2) an increase in CO 3 ⁇ 2 concentration; and (3) an increase in pH.
  • the present invention uses an algae culture solution for collector regeneration.
  • the collector medium in the carbonate form can absorb gaseous CO 2 from ambient air until the anion composition of the medium is nearly 100% bicarbonate. In this state the collector medium is fully loaded and CO 2 absorption comes to a halt.
  • a carbonate solution can be used in regeneration to return the loaded collector medium to a carbonate form through ion exchange.
  • the anion composition of the regeneration solution can be changed from 100% carbonate to nearly 100% bicarbonate through anion exchange with the fully loaded collector medium.
  • the collector medium can be brought into a carbonate form, while the carbonate regeneration solution is changed into a bicarbonate solution. The regeneration solution is fully loaded when it is in the bicarbonate form, since it cannot remove any more bicarbonate from the collector medium.
  • the algae are introduced into the process to remove the captured CO 2 from the loaded regeneration solution by bicarbonate dehydration and neutralization (see above).
  • the algae utilize the freed CO 2 for biomass growth.
  • the regeneration solution is changed from bicarbonate back into a carbonate solution.
  • This process provides a cycle in which the ion exchange collector medium absorbs air CO 2 .
  • the collector medium changes from carbonate to bicarbonate form.
  • the regeneration solution pulls the air CO 2 from the loaded collector medium.
  • the collector medium is changed back into its carbonate form, while the regeneration solution changes from a carbonate to a bicarbonate solution.
  • the algae remove the air CO 2 from the loaded regeneration solution by fixating it into biomass.
  • the algae catalyze the reaction from bicarbonate to CO 2 and carbonate.
  • the CO 2 carbon is bound into the algae biomass.
  • the carbonate is left in solution.
  • the resulting regeneration solution is then in carbonate form.
  • the algae culture solution is used as the collector regeneration solution.
  • the collector regeneration solution will in addition to carbonate contain other nutrients as required for the algae. Amongst these nutrients are anions that will compete with the carbonate anion during ion exchange with the collector medium.
  • diatoms will not be used, since they require silica, which cannot be efficiently removed from the collector medium with a carbonate wash.
  • anionic nutrients typically found in algae culture mediums are: nitrate (NO 3 ⁇ ), sulfate (SO 4 ⁇ 2 ), and phosphate (PO 4 3 ).
  • Phosphorus may also be present as dibasic (HPO 4 ⁇ ) or monobasic phosphate (H 2 PO 4 ⁇ ) depending on pH.
  • Nitrate, sulfate and phosphate concentrations for typical algae culture mediums are:
  • a nutrient-containing regeneration solution was mixed as follows: 0.14 M CO 3 ⁇ 2 , 0.04 M NO 3 ⁇ , 0.0017 M SO 4 ⁇ 2 and 0.0017 M H 2 PO 4 ⁇ . These represent the highest concentrations to be found in an algae culture medium and, therefore the worst-case scenario.
  • the collector medium was then flushed with this ‘worst-ease’ solution until equilibrium was reached between the solution and the collector medium.
  • phosphorus is present as dibasic phosphate (HPO 4 ⁇ 2 ).
  • Dibasic phosphate is basic enough to absorb CO 2 . Therefore, the presence of dibasic phosphate anions on the collector medium will not lower the medium's CO 2 uptake capacity. It was determined that at equilibrium, about 50% of the collector medium's total exchange sites were occupied by carbonate and phosphate ions and 50% by nitrate and sulfate. Although the other nutrients outnumber carbonate, they do not completely replace it; instead, an anion equilibrium is reached that does not change with application of additional volumes of solution to the collector medium.
  • the collector medium looses approximately 50% of its CO 2 uptake capacity.
  • the nutrient concentrations in the solution can be depleted significantly during algae growth. For example, nitrate being by far the most abundant nutrient after inorganic carbon, can be reduced to 0.002 M, a mere 5% of the concentration used in the worst-case scenario experiment. And phosphate is reduced to 45% of the worst-case scenario.
  • a collector medium washed with a nutrient-depleted solution will loose about 20% of its CO 2 -uptake capacity. It is therefore possible to use the collector medium and wash it with a carbonate solution that has been derived from the algae growth medium.
  • the algae will secrete or release organic compounds into the solution during metabolism or decay. These organics will be scavenged from the solution, prior to applying the solution to the collector medium. Organics scavenging may be done with an adsorbent-type ion exchange resin or other processes.
  • Diatoms will not be used in this process, since they require silica, which cannot be efficiently removed from the collector medium using a carbonate wash.
  • a preferred algae for the present embodiment will have the following characteristics: they are adapted to high ionic strength liquids; they can grow in a pH range of 8.5 to roughly 11; they can tolerate a gradual pH change; they can use bicarbonate as their carbon source; they need little silica as a nutrient; they are capable of changing the pH of a solution from 8.5 to 11 or above; they can diminish nutrient concentrations to low levels; they can be used in biochemistry, agriculture, aquaculture, food, biofuels, etc.
  • Good candidates are, but are not limited to, algae that live in alkaline waters such as Spirulina platensis, Spirulina fusiformis, Spirulina sp., Tetraedron minimum and others.
  • Loaded collector solution (bicarbonate solution depleted in nutrients) is added to an algae culture together with fresh nutrients; the algal culture utilizes bicarbonate as its inorganic carbon source, by taking up about 50% of the bicarbonate carbon into its biomass and changing the remaining 50% to carbonate anions. Simultaneously, the algae culture depletes the nutrient concentrations in the solution. The culture is filtered, harvesting the algae biomass, while shunting the nutrient depleted solution towards the CO 2 collector. The nutrient depleted solution is cleaned of organics and other materials deleterious to the collector medium. The solution now enriched in carbonate is used to regenerate the collector. In the process each carbonate anion is replaced by two bicarbonate anions, until the collector solution is loaded. The loaded collector solution is added to the algae culture together with fresh nutrients as mentioned above.
  • the process can be run as a continuous loop or a batch process, whichever is more practical given location, algae type, etc.
  • the process can employ algae culturing technologies already in use and proven or new technologies.
  • outdoor ponds have proven successful for the cultivation of Spirulina, Chlorella vulgaris, Ankistrodesmus braunii and other species in California, Hawaii, the Philippines and Mexico among other places.
  • NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory
  • outdoor ponds e.g. so-called “race ponds” are the most efficient methods for growing a large biomass of algae.
  • the cultivation may use solar energy, artificial lighting or both dependent on the algae species and the place of operation.
  • Algae culture solutions may be stirred to return algae to the zone of highest light ingress. Or the light might be brought into the algae cultures through mirrors, fiber optics and other means.
  • the algae can be either suspended in solution or immobilized. When suspended, algae follow their own growth patterns: single cells, colonies, clumped and so on. The natural growth pattern may not be the best match for the technology used. For example, small single celled algae may require elaborate harvesting processes.
  • Algae may naturally grow immobilized, if they attach themselves to surfaces, e.g., macro algae. Or algae can be immobilized: in beads using k-carragenan or sodium alginate, in polyurethane foam, on filter material, or as biofilms on column packing, or in other ways.
  • the algae may still be suspended, for example in bead form, and moving with the solution.
  • the immobilized algae may be stationary in a column or other device, while the solution percolates past.
  • the collector medium is immersed into the Algae Culture. This can be done either in a batch process, or in a continuous process. In a batch process, a batch of collector medium is alternatingly immersed in the algae culture and exposed to ambient air. In a continuous process, collector medium is continuously moved along a path on which it is alternatingly immersed in the algae culture or in exposed to air.
  • collector medium is continuously moved along a path on which it is alternatingly immersed in the algae culture or in exposed to air.
  • the easiest implementation would be a disk of collector medium that rotates continuously around its center. The disk is submerged up to its center point in the algae culture, so that, at any time, one half of the collector medium is submerged in the liquid and the other half is exposed to air.
  • collector medium could potentially be immersed in the algae culture solution at times of high nutrient content and at times of low nutrient content.
  • the CO 2 capacity of the collector medium will, therefore, range from 50% to 80% of its full capacity. Air exposure times can be adjusted to account for the capacity decrease.
  • another embodiment of the present invention discloses sodium bicarbonate transferred from the collector solution to the algae by washing the algae in the loaded collector solution. However, nutrients will not be added to the collector solution. Instead, nutrients will be provided to the algae via a second separate wash cycle consisting of nutrient-rich carbon deficient solution.
  • the algae will be immersed in nutrient-deficient bicarbonate solution (loaded collector solution) alternating with inorganic carbon-deficient nutrient solution 326 .
  • a short rinse cycle will be employed between washes. The rinse will be added to the solution of the preceding wash.
  • the cycles of nutrient and bicarbonate washes will be optimized for the algae species used.
  • One or more algae species may be used either mixed or in series to optimize the conversion of the bicarbonate solution (loaded collector solution) to carbonate solution (fresh collector solution).
  • the fresh collector solution may be filtered to remove particles and cleaned of organic molecules or other deleterious content prior to application on the collector medium.
  • the process can be designed to utilize suspended algae or immobilized algae. If the algae are suspended, the process has to be run as a batch process, and the algae have to be filtered from the solution. To ease filtering the algae may be “immobilized” in suspended beads, in order to increase the particle size.
  • a process involving immobilized algae can utilize algae that naturally grow immobilized, for example macro-algae that attach themselves to surfaces, or micro-algae that form biofilms etc.
  • the algae could be immobilized in columns, inclined raceways, ponds or other containers.
  • the containers may be arranged to allow gravitational fluid flow. Immobilization may be on the container walls and floors and/or on structures such as plates, packing etc. installed therein. Light is brought into the containers as needed either by natural lighting, artificial lighting, mirrors, fiber optics, etc.
  • another embodiment of the present invention transfers gaseous CO 2 from the loaded collector solution 410 to the algae culture solution 416 through a hydrophobic microporous membrane 434 .
  • Gaseous CO 2 can be transmitted from a bicarbonate solution through a hydrophobic membrane into a carbonate solution; and that the CO2 partial pressure differential between the two liquid streams is sufficient to drive the transfer.
  • a transfer of water was noted from the more dilute solution to the more concentrated solution. As the membrane is hydrophobic, the transfer is of gaseous water molecules.
  • the process can be described as two half-cells separated by a microporous, hydrophobic membrane.
  • the first half cell 438 holds the loaded collector solution (sodium bicarbonate solution); while the second half cell 418 holds the algae culture (sodium carbonate solution including nutrients and algae).
  • the collector solution half-cell reaction is defined as follows:
  • the pH in the collector solution will continuously increase as bicarbonate is reacted into carbonate through off-gassing of gaseous CO 2 .
  • the algae culture solution will not change its pH as the gaseous CO 2 is fixated by algae growth into biomass.
  • the algae culture will preferably be close to a carbonate solution. In that case, it would not contain appreciable amounts of bicarbonate. This condition would maximize the gaseous CO 2 partial pressure differential between the collector solution and the algae culture.
  • the physical arrangement of the two half-cells can take many forms including but not limited to the few arrangements described herein. Each arrangement will optimize the ratio of liquid-membrane contact area to solution volume. In general it is advantageous to run the collector solution through membrane channels submerged in the algae culture, since this will enable light supply to the algae culture. In cases where the algae culture is contained in membrane conduits, light will be supplied inside the conduits.
  • the membrane conduits can take many shapes. For example, they can be parallel membrane sheets, causing a sheet flow of solution sandwiched between the membranes. Or they could be tubular with the tube cross-section taking varying forms, for example round, square, rectangular, corrugated, etc. Tubes could form a spiral or other shapes to increase their path length through the solution.
  • the process can be run as a batch procedure, a continuous loop process or any combination thereof. Light and nutrients will be supplied as needed.
  • both solutions flow in continuous loops.
  • the loaded collector solution would flow along a membrane path, throughout which it transfers its gaseous CO 2 to the algae solution; from there it enters the regeneration system for the collector medium, where it loads up with CO 2 to then reenter the membrane conduit.
  • the algae solution will flow past the membrane path with algae fixating the gaseous CO 2 ; from there it will enter a harvesting system 420 , where some or all algae are removed from the solution to then reenter the membrane system for renewed CO 2 fixation and algae growth.
  • Continuous flow or loop processes may use concurrent flow or counter-current flow of the two streams.
  • the major advantage of transferring the CO 2 through a hydrophobic membrane is that ions cannot cross from the algae culture into the collector solution.
  • the cations contained in the algae solution include earth alkali metals that can cause scaling along the collector solution path as the pH increases.
  • the anions, such as nitrate and sulfate, contained in the algae solution compete with carbonate on the collector medium thus lowering the CO 2 holding capacity of the collector medium. Therefore, it is advantageous to keep the ions from entering the collector solution. Since ions, which constitute the nutrients for the algae, cannot cross into the collector solution, the nutrient content of the algae culture can be permanently kept at the optimum concentration for algae growth.
  • hydrophobic membranes that are also organophobic and can impede the transfer of organic molecules from the algae solution to the collector solution. Any organics that may be transferred into the collector solution will be removed from the collector solution before it enters the collector medium. For example, this can be done by scavenging the organic compounds onto ion exchange resins.
  • the membrane will be selected for its hydrophobicity, CO 2 permeability, organophobicity, and water break-through pressure.
  • the preferred algae for this process are those that thrive in carbonate solutions and can both utilize gaseous CO 2 and bicarbonate. However, other algae can also be used to optimize the complete process.
  • another embodiment of the present invention transfers bicarbonate from the collector solution 410 into the algae culture solution 418 through an anion permeable membrane.
  • the collector solution is brought into contact with one side of the anion permeable membrane 434 , while the algae culture solution is brought into contact with the other side of the membrane.
  • the solutions exchange anions along concentration gradients.
  • the solutions can be run past the membrane in a counter-current.
  • the solutions can also be run co-current to optimize other parts of the system.
  • the process can be set up as a batch process rather than a continuous flow process.
  • the algae culture solution can be entered into the anion exchange process with algae suspended in the solution or without the algae. See FIG. 15 .
  • Dissolved organic compounds can be removed from the algae culture solution prior to entering the membrane chamber. Nutrient effects apply as discussed above. If the whole algae culture including algae is entered into the membrane exchanger, the nutrient concentration will be high and the collector solution will gain high nutrient concentrations. This may lead to a reduction in the collector medium's CO 2 uptake capacity of up to 50%. If the culture solution without algae is entered into the membrane exchanger, the process can be set up such that nutrient-depleted solution is entered, in which case the collector capacity might be reduced by up to 20%.
  • a particularly simple design is to provide a paddle wheel or disks or the like carrying humidity sensitive ion exchange resins that are exposed primarily above the water surface where CO 2 is extracted from the air, and are slowly rotated to dip a portion under the water surface where the CO 2 is released to provide high air-to-water transfer rates for the CO 2 .
  • an ion exchange resin with slightly alkaline wash water at an extraction station 140 , similar to the first exemplary embodiment, to make up evaporative or production losses of water from the bioreactor. As the wash water trickles over the primary resin, it will pick up bound CO 2 and dribble it into the bioreactor system 142 .
  • resins 142 may be added to the water at night to retain the CO 2 that may be lost from the algae due to respiration.
  • a secondary resin acts as a carbon buffer in the system. At night this buffer stores the CO 2 released by the algae, while during the day it provides CO 2 to the algae, while its CO 2 content may be supplemented by the CO 2 that is collected by the air collector. Once captured, the CO 2 is transferred to the resin from a more concentrated wash used in regenerating the primary resin. Water filtration to keep algae out of the air collector generally is not a problem due to the fact that the air-side primary resin is designed to completely dry out in between cycles.
  • This transfer to the secondary resin also could be accomplished without direct contact in a low-pressure closed moist system, such as shown in FIG. 1 , by performing a humidity swing that avoids direct contact with the water. While such a system loses the aforementioned advantage of not bringing CO 2 back to the gas phase, it will have other advantages in buffering the algae pond at a constant pH, without the use of chemicals.
  • bioreactors 150 with light concentrators 152 in order to reduce water losses, increase yield, and better confine the algae, we employ bioreactors 150 with light concentrators 152 .
  • Such systems may be built from glass tubes surrounded by mirrors, or mirror or reflector systems that feed into fiber optic light pipes that distribute the light throughout a large liquid volume.
  • the advantage of the use of a bioreactor with light concentrators is that they greatly reduce the water surface and thus reduce water losses.
  • the CO 2 can be collected nearby without directly interfering with the algae reactors.
  • air collectors could take advantage of mirror systems for guiding air flows.
  • Algae typically fixate CO 2 during times of light influx, and respire CO 2 during dark cycles.
  • the CO 2 is captured by adding additional collector medium to the system in strategic places.
  • the collector medium can, for example, be immersed in the algae culture. In this case, it will store bicarbonate and release carbonate during respiration as the culture solution pH decreases, and it will release bicarbonate and store carbonate during photosynthesis as the culture solution increases in pH.
  • Collector medium can also be placed in the air space in proximity of the algae culture to absorb CO 2 that has been released from the culture solution. This will be especially efficient in closed structures. Collector medium placed in the proximity of the culture solution will be regenerated using one of the processes described above.
  • This application is intended to include any combination of the inorganic carbon transfer methods described in this patent using any combination of algae cultures as required to optimize the process. Optimization includes but is not limited to optimization of the carbon transfer efficiency, carbon transfer rate, market value of the biomass (for example oil content, starch content etc.), algae productivity efficiency, and algae growth rate under any climate conditions or climate-controlled conditions.
  • Optimization includes but is not limited to optimization of the carbon transfer efficiency, carbon transfer rate, market value of the biomass (for example oil content, starch content etc.), algae productivity efficiency, and algae growth rate under any climate conditions or climate-controlled conditions.

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.

Description

    CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
  • The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/827,849, filed Oct. 2, 2006, and 60/829,376, filed Oct. 13, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
  • FIELD OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention in one aspect relates to removal of selected gases from air. The invention has particular utility for the extraction and sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) from air and will be described in connection with such utilities, although other utilities are contemplated.
  • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • There is compelling evidence to suggest that there is a strong correlation between the sharply increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 with a commensurate increase in global surface temperatures. This effect is commonly known as Global Warming. Of the various sources of the CO2 emissions, there are a vast number of small, widely distributed emitters that are impractical to mitigate at the source. Additionally, large scale emitters such as hydrocarbon-fueled power plants are not fully protected from exhausting CO2 into the atmosphere. Combined, these major sources, as well as others, have lead to the creation of a sharply increasing rate of atmospheric CO2 concentration. Until all emitters are corrected at their source, other technologies are required to capture the increasing, albeit relatively low, background levels of atmospheric CO2. Efforts are underway to augment existing emissions reducing technologies as well as the development of new and novel techniques for the direct capture of ambient CO2. These efforts require methodologies to manage the resulting concentrated waste streams of CO2 in such a manner as to prevent its reintroduction to the atmosphere.
  • The production of CO2 occurs in a variety of industrial applications such as the generation of electricity power plants from coal and in the use of hydrocarbons that are typically the main components of fuels that are combusted in combustion devices, such as engines. Exhaust gas discharged from such combustion devices contains CO2 gas, which at present is simply released to the atmosphere. However, as greenhouse gas concerns mount, CO2 emissions from all sources will have to be curtailed. For mobile sources the best option is likely to be the collection of CO2 directly from the air rather than from the mobile combustion device in a car or an airplane. The advantage of removing CO2 from air is that it eliminates the need for storing CO2 on the mobile device.
  • Extracting carbon dioxide (CO2) from ambient air would make it possible to use carbon-based fuels and deal with the associated greenhouse gas emissions after the fact. Since CO2 is neither poisonous nor harmful in parts per million quantities, but creates environmental problems simply by accumulating in the atmosphere, it is possible to remove CO2 from air in order to compensate for equally sized emissions elsewhere and at different times.
  • Most prior art methods, however, result in the inefficient capture of CO2 from air because these processes heat or cool the air, or change the pressure of the air by substantial amounts. As a result, the net loss in CO2 is negligible as the cleaning process may introduce CO2 into the atmosphere as a byproduct of the generation of electricity used to power the process.
  • Various methods and apparatus have been developed for removing CO2 from air. For example, we have recently disclosed methods for efficiently extracting carbon dioxide (CO2) from ambient air using capture solvents that either physically or chemically bind and remove CO2 from the air. A class of practical CO2 capture sorbents include strongly alkaline hydroxide solutions such as, for example, sodium or potassium hydroxide, or a carbonate solution such as, for example, sodium or potassium carbonate brine. See for example published PCT Application PCT/US05/29979 and PCT/US06/029238.
  • There are also many uses for sequestered CO2. This includes the use of CO2 in greenhouses where higher levels of CO2 contribute to increased plant growth. CO2 may also be supplied to algae cultures. Researchers have shown that algae can remove up to 90% of gaseous CO2 from air streams enriched in CO2 and can also reduce the CO2 concentration in ambient air.
  • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention provides a system, i.e. a method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide (CO2) from ambient air and for delivering that extracted CO2 to controlled environments.
  • In a first exemplary embodiment, the present invention extracts CO2 from ambient air and delivers the extracted CO2 to a greenhouse. Preferably, the CO2 is extracted from ambient air using a strong base ion exchange resin that has a strong humidity function, that is to say, an ion exchange resin having the ability to take up CO2 as humidity is decreased, and give up CO2 as humidity is increased. Several aspects of this invention can also be used to transfer CO2 from the collector medium into the air space of a greenhouse where the CO2 is again fixed in biomass. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, CO2 is extracted from ambient air using an extractor located adjacent to a greenhouse, and the extracted CO2 is delivered directly to the interior of the greenhouse for enriching the greenhouse air with CO2 in order to promote plant growth.
  • In a second exemplary embodiment, this invention allows the transfer of CO2 from a collector medium into an algae culture, where the CO2 carbon is fixed in biomass. The algae biomass can then be used for the production of biochemical compounds, fertilizer, soil conditioner, health food, and biofuels to name just a few applications or end-uses.
  • This invention also discloses transfer of CO2 in gaseous phase and as a bicarbonate ion. In one embodiment, a calcareous algae is used which creates calcium carbonate CaCO3 internally, and precipitates the CaCO3 out as limestone.
  • Accordingly, in broad concept, the present invention extracts CO2 from ambient air using one of several CO2 extraction techniques as described, for example, in our aforesaid PCT/US05/29979 and PCT/US06/029238. Where a carbonate/bicarbonate solution is employed as the primary CO2 sorbent, the CO2 bearing sorbent may be used directly as a feed to the algae. Where the CO2 is extracted using an ion exchange resin as taught, for example in our aforesaid PCT/US06/029238 application, the CO2 is stripped from the resin using a secondary carbonate/bicarbonate wash which then is employed as a feed to the algae. In a preferred alternative embodiment, the carbonate is fed to the algae in a light enhanced bioreactor.
  • Thus, the present invention provides a simple, relative low-cost solution that addresses both CO2 capture from ambient air and subsequent disposal of the captured CO2.
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • Further features and advantages of the present invention will be seen from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein
  • FIG. 1 is a block flow diagram illustrating the use of humidity sensitive ion exchange resins in accordance with the present invention;
  • FIGS. 2 a and 2 b are schematic views of a CO2 extractor/greenhouse feeder in accordance with the present invention, where filter units are located adjacent an exterior wall;
  • FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are schematic views of a CO2 extractor/greenhouse feeder in accordance with the present invention, where filter units are located adjacent to the roof of the greenhouse;
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor/greenhouse feeder showing an arrangement of filter units according the present invention;
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor/greenhouse feeder showing filter units arranged on a track according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor/greenhouse feeder including convection towers according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention utilizing a humidity swing applied to a collector medium;
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention utilizing a humidity swing applied to a collector solution;
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention transferring gaseous CO2 by an electro-dialysis process;
  • FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention transferring bicarbonate by an electro-dialysis process;
  • FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention utilizing an algae culture for collector regeneration;
  • FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor and algae culture similar to FIG. 11 utilizing a nutrient solution;
  • FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention utilizing a gas-permeable membrane;
  • FIG. 14 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention utilizing an anion-permeable membrane;
  • FIG. 15 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor and algae culture similar to FIG. 14;
  • FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor and algae culture according to the present invention including a shower; and
  • FIG. 17 is a schematic view of a CO2 extractor and algae culture similar to FIG. 16.
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
  • In broad concept, the present invention in one aspect extracts carbon dioxide from ambient air using a conventional CO2 extraction method or one of the improved CO2 extraction methods disclosed in our aforesaid PCT Applications, or disclosed herein, and releases at least a portion of the extracted CO2 to a closed environment.
  • In a first exemplary embodiment, this closed environment is a greenhouse. Preferably, but not necessarily, the CO2 extractor is located adjacent to the greenhouse and, in a preferred embodiment the extractor also provides shading for crops grown in greenhouses which are sensitive to strong sunlight, and/or reduces cooling requirements for the greenhouse.
  • In one approach to CO2 capture, the resin medium is regenerated by contact with the warm highly humid air. It has been shown that the humidity stimulates the release of CO2 stored on the storage medium and that CO2 concentrations between 3% and 10% can be reached by this method, and in the case of an evacuated/dehydrated system, close to 100% can be reached. In this approach the CO2 is returned to gaseous phase and no liquid media are brought in contact with the collector material.
  • The CO2 extractor is immediately adjacent to the greenhouse and is moved outside the greenhouse to collect CO2 and moved into the greenhouse to give off CO2. In such embodiment, the CO2 extractor preferably comprises a humidity sensitive ion exchange resin in which the ion exchange resin extracts CO2 when dry, and gives the CO2 up when exposed to higher humidity. A humidity swing may be best suited for use in arid climates. In such environment the extractor is exposed to the hot dry air exterior to the greenhouse, wherein CO2 is extracted from the air. The extractor is then moved into the warm, humid environment of the greenhouse where the ion exchange resin gives up CO2. The entire process may be accomplished without any direct energy input other than the energy to move the extractor from outside to inside the greenhouse and vice versa.
  • Ion exchange resins are commercially available and are used, for example, for water softening and purification. We have found that certain commercially available ion exchange resins which are humidity sensitive ion exchange resins and comprise strong base resins, advantageously may be used to extract CO2 from the air in accordance with the present invention. With such materials, the lower the humidity, the higher the equilibrium carbon loading on the resin.
  • Thus, a resin which at high humidity level appears to be loaded with CO2 and is in equilibrium with a particular partial pressure of CO2 will exhale CO2 if the humidity is increased and absorb additional CO2 if the humidity is decreased. The effect is large, and can easily change the equilibrium partial pressure by several hundred and even several thousand ppm. The additional take up or loss of carbon on the resin is also substantial if compared to its total uptake capacity.
  • There also seems to be an effect on humidity on the transfer coefficient, i.e. the reaction kinetics seem to change with changing humidity. However, the measured flux in and out of the resin seems to depend strongly on the difference between the actual partial pressure and the thermodynamic equilibrium pressure. As the equilibrium pressure changes with humidity, the size of the flux can be affected without an actual change in the reaction kinetics.
  • In addition, it is possible that kinetics is affected by other issues. For example, ion exchange materials which we have found to be particularly useful, are Anion I-200 ion exchange membrane materials available from Snowpure LLC, of San Clemente, Calif. The manufacturer describes Anion I-200 ion exchange membrane material as a strong base, Type 1 functionality ion exchange material. This material, which is believed made according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,957 and is believed to comprise small resin charts encapsulated—or partially encapsulated—in an inactive polymer like polypropylene. We have found that if one first hydrates this material and then dries it, the material becomes porous and readily lets air pass through. The hydration/dehydration preparation is believed to act primarily to swell the polypropylene binder, and has little or no permanent effect on the resin, while the subsequent humidity swings have no observed impact on the polypropylene binder. We have found that these strong base ion exchange resin materials have the ability to extract CO2 from dry air, and give the CO2 out when humidity is raised without any other intervention. The ability of these materials to extract CO2 directly from the air, when dry, and exhale the CO2 as humidity is raised, has not previously been reported.
  • As noted supra, it is necessary to first hydrate this material and then dry it, before using, whereupon the material becomes porous and readily lets air pass through. Before hydration, the membrane material is substantially non-porous, or at least it is unable to permit passage of an appreciable amount of air through the membrane. However, after hydration and drying, the material is believed to undergo irreversible deformation of the polypropylene matrix during the resin swelling under hydration. Once the material has been deformed, the polypropylene matrix maintains its extended shape even after the resin particles shrink when drying. Thus, for substantially non-porous materials such as the Snowpure Ion Exchange material above described, it is necessary to precondition the material by hydrating and then drying the material before use.
  • We have observed a large change in the equilibrium partial pressure of CO2 over the resin with a change in humidity. Humidity either changes the state of the resin, or alternatively the entire system that needs to be considered is the CO2/H2O resin system. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the free energy of binding CO2 to the resin is a function of the H2O partial pressure with which the resin is in equilibrium.
  • This makes it possible to have resins absorb or exhale CO2 with a simple swing in humidity without the need to resort to thermal swing and/or pressure swing, which would add to energy costs which could have an unfavorable effect with regard to the overall carbon dioxide balance of the system.
  • The amount of water involved in such a swing appears to be quite small. The possibility of a humidity swing also allows us to recover CO2 from an air collector with minimal water losses involved.
  • Other strong base Type 1 and Type 2 functionality ion exchange materials are available commercially from a variety of venders including Dow, DuPont and Rohm and Haas, and also advantageously may be employed in the present invention, either as available from the manufacturer, or formed into heterogeneous ion-exchange membranes following, for example, the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,957.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of our invention. A primary ion exchange filter material 4 is provided in a recirculation cycle. A primary pump 1 or a secondary pump (not shown) is used to remove the bulk of the air in the system while valve V1 is open and push it out through the air exhaust 2. At this point valve V1 is closed and a secondary ion exchange capture resin is switched into the system by opening valves V2 and V3. The secondary ion exchange resin can be utilized to provide humidity and possibly some heat. Warm steam stimulates the release of CO2 from the primary ion exchange filter material 4, which is then captured on the secondary ion exchange resin which is still out of equilibrium with the CO2 partial pressure. The volume of water in the system remains small as it is recirculated and not taken up by the secondary resin. While CO2 is unloading from the primary ion exchange resin material 14 and being absorbed by the secondary ion exchange resin, the bulk of the water cycles through the apparatus. The amount of water that can be devolved or absorbed is much smaller than the amount of CO2 that is transferred. At the end of the cycle the primary ion exchange filter material 14 is refreshed and the secondary ion exchange capture resin is loaded with CO2.
  • This system could be used to transfer CO2 from the air capture medium, e.g. an ion exchange resin onto a secondary resin without washing or wetting the primary resin. This has two advantages. First, the primary resin is not directly exposed to chemicals such as amines that were used in the past and described in our aforesaid PCT Application PCT/US061/029,238. Second, we have seen that wet resins are ineffective in absorbing CO2 until they have dried out. It is therefore advantageous to avoid the wetting of the material and thus operate in this fashion where the resin is washed with low-pressure steam. Steam pressures could be less than 100 Pa and thus be saturated at temperatures similar to ambient values. However, the CO2 exchange is obviously accelerated at higher temperatures and higher steam pressures. The disadvantage of raising temperatures would be additional energy consumption.
  • The design outlined here is a special example of a broader class of designs where the secondary resin is replaced with any other sorbent material that is capable of absorbing CO2 without absorbing water. Such sorbents may include liquid amines, ionic liquids, solid CO2 sorbents such as lithium zirconate, lithium silicate, magnesium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide, or any of a wide class of chemical or physical sorbents capable of absorbing CO2 from a gas mixture including water vapor and CO2. The central concept is that of using a humidity swing, rather than a pressure or temperature swing to remove CO2 from the primary sorbent without bringing it in direct physical contact with a secondary sorbent.
  • Application in a Greenhouse for Improving Crop Yields
  • As noted supra, crop yield in greenhouses can be improved by increasing the carbon dioxide level in the greenhouse air. The present invention provides for the introduction of carbon dioxide into a greenhouse without combusting fuels emitting fossil fuel CO2 into the air. More particularly, we have found that we can employ humidity sensitive ion exchange resins to capture CO2 from dry outside air, and then release the CO2 into the greenhouse by exposing the resins to the warm moist greenhouse air.
  • In greenhouses located in warm in desert climates such as found in the Southwest United States, the outside CO2 loading may be performed at night when outside temperatures are cooler which may enhance CO2 uptake capacity. In cooler climates where greenhouses rely in part on radiative heating, our system of CO2 loading avoids the need to let in cold air to replenish the CO2 and thus reduces the need for heating employing fossil fuel consumption until temperatures drop so low that fuel based heating becomes necessary.
  • In one embodiment, we employ several filters made from humidity sensitive ion exchange active material. In one part of the cycle the filters are exposed to outside air that could be driven by natural wind flow, by thermal convection, or fans. It is preferable to avoid fans as they add an unnecessary energy penalty. In a second part of the cycle, moist air from inside the greenhouse preferably is driven through the filter material, e.g. by fans, which then releases CO2 into the greenhouse atmosphere. Since the climate control of the greenhouse typically will rely on a fan system anyway, there is little or no energy penalty.
  • Since plants at night respire, in some greenhouse designs it is possible to strip the CO2 from the greenhouse air by pulling the greenhouse air through the filters. The filters can then be exposed to higher humidity to facilitate the daytime release of the CO2 into the greenhouse.
  • In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the filter units 10 are located adjacent an exterior wall 12 of a greenhouse, and outside air or greenhouse air routed selectively therethrough, as the case may be, via pivotally mounted wall panels 14. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the filter material 10 may be located exterior to and adjacent the roof 18 of the greenhouse, and outside air or greenhouse air routed selectively therethrough, as the case may be, via pivotally mounted roof panels 20.
  • In yet another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 4, the filter units 10, can be moved from outside the greenhouse where they extract CO2 from the air to inside the greenhouse where they release the captured CO2. One possible option for doing this is to have filter units mounted to pivotally mounted wall or roof panels 22 which can be reversed so that a filter unit on the outside of the greenhouse is exposed to the inside of the greenhouse and vice versa. Filter units that are inside the greenhouse can have air blown through them by a fan system. Filter units on the outside are exposed to ambient air. In a preferred embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, the filter units 10 on the outside are located adjacent the bottom end of a convection tower 24 that is solar driven. Preferably the inlets are installed at the bottom end of the convection towers where cool air enters and flows up the towers through natural convection.
  • In yet another embodiment, shown in FIG. 5, the filter units 10 are moved in and out of the greenhouse, e.g. suspended from a track 26.
  • Referring to FIG. 6, yet another option for a greenhouse is to locate convection towers as double glass walls on the outside of the greenhouse, and use the convection stream generated to collect CO2 on the outside. The double walls also serve to reduce the heatload on the interior during the day and thus reduce the need for air exchange which in turn makes it possible to maintain an elevated level of CO2 in the greenhouse. The double glass walls also reduce heat loss during the night.
  • In this example a protective glass surface 40 may be provided to keep some of the heat away from the main roof of the glass house 42, causing a convective flow 44 of ambient air over the roof surface. The flow of ambient air is passed through a CO2 absorbing filter medium 46, which can by some mechanism, such as a rotating roof panel 48, exchange places with a second like filter medium 50, where the air driven by fan 52 on the inside of the greenhouse is passed through the filter medium which gives up the CO2 captured when the filter medium was exposed to ambient air outside the greenhouse. Because the air inside the greenhouse is moist, the CO2 readily is released from the filter medium, and adds to the CO2 available in the greenhouse.
  • An advantage of such a unit is that it could operate at elevated levels of CO2 without combusting fuels. Because CO2 is delivered to the inside of the greenhouse without blowing air into the greenhouse, this offers a possibility of reducing the exchange of air between the outside and the inside of the greenhouse, thus improving the heat management and moisture management of the greenhouse.
  • In a second exemplary embodiment of the invention, the CO2 is extracted and delivered to an algal or bacterial bioreactor. This may be accomplished using conventional CO2 extraction methods or by using an improved extraction method as disclosed in our aforesaid PCT applications or disclosed herein; e.g., by a humidity swing. A humidity swing is advantageous for extraction of CO2 for delivery to algae because the physical separation allows the use of any collector medium without concern about compatibility between the medium and the algae culture solution. Transfer of gaseous CO2 allows for the selection of any algae species, including macro and microalgae, marine or freshwater algae. Therefore, the selection of algae species to be grown could be solely dependent on environmental factors and water quality at the collector site. For example, the algae species to be used could be selected from algae naturally occurring at the site, which are uniquely adapted to the local atmospheric, environmental and water quality conditions.
  • There are two major advantages of transferring captured CO2 in gaseous form. The first advantage is that the collector medium and/or the collector regeneration solution will not contact the algae culture solution and/or algae. The second is that all species of algae are capable of absorbing gaseous CO2.
  • Depending on the CO2 tolerance of particular algae cultures, the CO2-enriched air can be pumped successively through several algae cultures in order of decreasing CO2 tolerance and increasing CO2 uptake efficiency. Alternatively the air can be diluted to the optimum CO2 concentration.
  • Referring to FIG. 7, one embodiment of the present invention takes advantage of the fact that gaseous CO2 can be driven off the collector medium using a humidity swing. The humidity swing will transfer captured CO2 as gaseous CO2 from the collector 110 into the algae culture 116. An ion-exchange collector medium loaded with CO2 will emit gaseous CO2 when subjected to an increase in humidity or when wetted with water. And the collector medium will absorb more gaseous CO2 when the humidity of the CO2-supplying gas stream is decreased and/or the collector medium dries.
  • The present invention provides a common headspace above the collector medium and the algae culture. This exposes the algae to gaseous CO2 while physically separating the collector medium from the algae culture solution. The headspace will be sealed from ambient air. The humidity is then raised in the closed headspace volume. Alternatively, the collector medium may be wetted. The CO2 emitted from the collector medium quickly diffuses through the entire headspace and contacts the algae culture solution surface.
  • The CO2 is then transferred into the algae culture either via gas diffusion or by bubbling the headspace gas through the algae culture solution using a recirculating pump. As the algae removes the CO2 from the headspace, the collector medium continues to offgas until equilibrium is reached. The algae culture solution can be mechanically stirred. All other nutrients and light are provided to the algae as needed. The algae may then be collected in an algae harvester 120.
  • CO2 concentrations in the headspace above wetted collector medium are up to 20%; or 0.2 atmosphere partial pressure. The concentration can be regulated by the volume to volume ratio of collector medium to headspace. Also the collector medium can release 60% of the captured CO2 during a humidity swing/wetting.
  • Alternatively, it is also possible to pump gas from the collector medium volume through the algae culture in order to transfer the CO2. If the algae pond is warm and moist the moisture from the algae pond may be sufficient to stimulate the release of CO2 from the dry resin, again by the humidity swing mechanism.
  • Referring to FIG. 8, in another embodiment of the present invention CO2 concentrations in ambient air can saturate the ion-exchange medium with CO2 to the level that the CO2 is bound as bicarbonate anion. This embodiment provides regeneration of the collector medium using an alkaline solution. During the regeneration, the anion composition in the solution is changed to approximately 100% bicarbonate. Aqueous bicarbonate solution is not stable under atmospheric conditions and releases gaseous CO2. Gaseous CO2 emission can be enhanced by bubbling the headspace air through the solution using a recirculating pump.
  • An alternative embodiment provides a common headspace above the collector regeneration solution and the algae culture solution. This exposes the algae to gaseous CO2, while separating the regeneration solution from the algae culture solution. In other aspects, this headspace operates similar to the headspace for the collector medium, as discussed above.
  • Referring to FIG. 9, another alternative embodiment of the present invention uses an electrodialysis (ED) process to free gaseous CO2 from the loaded collector solution. The freed CO2 is then transferred into an algae culture 216. The transfer of gaseous CO2 from the collector 210 to the algae culture 216 through an electrodialysis (ED) process has the advantage that the collector solution or sorbent and algae culture solution are physically separated from each other at all stages of the process. This prevents the mixing of the two solutions and also prevents ion exchange between the solutions. The ED process has this in common with the humidity swing process. And as in the humidity process, the physical separation allows the use of any collector medium and any algae without regard to compatibility between the medium and the algae culture solution.
  • An alternative embodiment of the invention takes advantage of the fact that gaseous CO2 can be driven off the collector regeneration solution using an ED process. In the ED process the loaded collector regeneration solution is split into two streams to enter the ED cell 214. Protons are added to the first stream across a secondary membrane 236 and the inorganic carbon is driven off as gaseous CO2, while the sodium cations are transferred through a cationic membrane 234 into the second stream. In addition to the sodium ions, hydroxide ions are added to the second stream across another secondary membrane 236 thus neutralizing the bicarbonate in this stream to carbonate.
  • The first stream exits the ED cell as water or dilute sodium bicarbonate solution while the second stream exits as a concentrated sodium carbonate solution. The two streams are combined to form fresh collector solution. The gaseous CO2 that is driven off the first stream is bubbled into the algae culture and is fixated as biomass.
  • As inorganic carbon is removed from the brine, the solution turns more alkaline and additional bicarbonate needs to be added to maintain the pH. Filtration allows us to recover some of the fluid and thus return water and sodium from the bioreactor. In one particular implementation the electrochemical cell will run between two separate fluid cycles, one fairly alkaline which runs between the collector and the base side of the electrochemical cell, and the other which runs at near neutral pH between the algae-reactor and the acidic side of the cell. Carbonic acid is transferred from the base side to the acid side of the cell. This step regenerates the wash and reloads the fluid with CO2.
  • By feeding the bicarbonate sorbent to the algae, CO2 can be removed from the sorbent without first converting the CO2 back to CO2 gas. Moreover, by selection of suitable sorbent material for the air capture side, the pH of the washing fluid can be kept relatively low, and if one uses algae that can tolerate a relatively high pH, the pH difference that needs to be made up by electrodialysis becomes relatively small, and in some implementations one can completely eliminate the dialysis cell.
  • Referring to FIG. 10, another embodiment of the present invention uses an ED process to decrease the bicarbonate concentration in the collector solution and to increase the bicarbonate concentration in the algae culture solution. The collector solution enters the ED cell 214 in the bicarbonate state, while the algae culture solution enters the ED cell in the carbonate state. When the fluids exit the ED cell, the collector solution is in the carbonate state and the algae culture solution is in the bicarbonate state.
  • Since cations are transferred from the algae culture solution to the collector solution, the algae culture solution is diluted to roughly half its normality, while the collector solution roughly doubles its normality. To make up for the sodium imbalance, half of the loaded collector solution (bicarbonate form) is transferred directly from the collector to the algae culture.
  • In a process scheme according to the present invention, cations are transferred from the algae solution into the collector solution through a cation exchange membrane 234. The algae culture solution contains predominantly sodium cations, but also potassium, magnesium and calcium ions as well as traces of other metal cations. The potential transfer of magnesium and calcium is of concern, since both ions form fairly insoluble carbonates and hydroxides. The formation of these salts, also known as scaling, can foul up the membranes in the ED cell and/or the collector medium.
  • Calcium and magnesium are added to the algae culture as mineral nutrients, at the start of an algae growing cycle. As the algae biomass increases calcium and magnesium are taken up into the biomass and their concentration in the algae culture solution decreases. Simultaneously, the culture solution pH increases as the bicarbonate solution is changed into a carbonate solution. If magnesium, calcium and carbonate ions are present above their solubility products, chemical precipitation will further decrease the magnesium and calcium ion concentrations.
  • The exhausted culture solution with decreased calcium and magnesium concentrations and a high pH is entered into the ED cell. There the culture solution is changed from a carbonate into a bicarbonate solution and its pH decreases accordingly. As the carbonate ion concentration decreases, the solution can hold more calcium and magnesium. So scaling is unlikely to happen in this part of the ED cell.
  • However, at the same time, cations including calcium and magnesium are transferred from the algae culture solution 216 to the collector solution half-cell of the ED. In this half-cell, the bicarbonate solution coming from the collector is changed into a carbonate solution: the carbonate concentration and the pH increase. Further, excess H2O may be removed from the bicarbonate solution using an osmosis cell 224.
  • The process is designed such that the pH of the exiting collector solution is close to the pH of the incoming algae solution. Therefore, scaling should not occur as long as everything is in balance. However, to keep perfect balance may not always be practical on the macro scale, and it may be impossible on the micro scale within the ED cell. It is possible that micro layers or pockets with increased hydroxide or cation concentrations are formed at the membrane surfaces. Increased concentrations at the surface of the membranes might cause scaling in the collector solution half-cell.
  • To minimize scaling, the flux of calcium and magnesium cations has to be minimized. This is a problem well known in the manufacture of salt from seawater, sodium hydroxide manufacture, and in processing of skim milk by electro dialysis (T. Sata, 1972; T. Sata et al., 1979, 2001; 3. Balster, 2006). To minimize flux, the cationic membrane that separates the two half-cells has to be monovalent ion selective. In general, strong acid cation exchange membranes show larger transport numbers for divalent than monovalent ions. It is assumed that this is due to higher electrostatic attraction with the negatively charged fixed ion exchange sites. The prior art has shown that transport numbers for divalent cations decrease with lower charge density on membranes.
  • Two commercially available highly monovalent cation selective membranes have been identified as particularly suited for this process. One membrane is manufactured by Asahi Glass and is traded under the name Selemion CSV. The second is manufactured by Tokuyama Soda and is sold under the name Neosepta® CIMS. The transport numbers (t) for Selemion CSV are: t(Na)<0.92 and t(Ca, Mg)<0.04. The transport numbers for Neosepta CIMS are t(Na,K)=0.90 and t(Ca, Mg)=0.10. The transport numbers are defined as the equivalence flux of the cation divided by the total equivalence flux during electrodialysis.
  • This aspect of the invention uses a monovalent cation selective membrane to minimize the transfer of multivalent cations from the algae culture solution into the collector regeneration solution. Any scaling built up with time, will be removed using an acid solution.
  • Both the algae culture solution as well as the collector solution will be filtered before entering the ED cell to avoid membrane fouling with particles. Organic molecules will be scavenged from the algae culture solution by means of organic scavenging ion exchange resins.
  • Referring to FIG. 11, in another embodiment of the present invention the CO2 captured from air is transferred to the algae by feeding the loaded collector solution 310 to the algae. The loaded collector solution is enriched in sodium bicarbonate. Nutrients are added to the collector solution and it becomes the feed stock for algae. In this embodiment of the invention the solution feed is not recycled, so that the collector solution becomes a consumable.
  • In this process the algae culture solution 316 would increase in salt content as more and more sodium bicarbonate is added. The sodium bicarbonate is changed into carbonate during algae growth. To lower the carbonate concentration and to slow the salting, some of the remaining nutrients can be added as acids instead as sodium salts, which will convert carbonate ions to bicarbonate and minimize the addition of sodium.
  • Alternatively, the sodium bicarbonate sorbent is fed directly to an algae-reactor to supply the algae with CO2, and the algae is removed for further processing, with the sodium carbonate being returned to the air extraction station.
  • Many algae can utilize bicarbonate as their carbon source. Also, some algae prefer bicarbonate over CO2 as their carbon source. These are often algae that are indigenous to alkaline lakes, where inorganic carbon is predominantly present as bicarbonate. These algae can tolerate large swings in pH of 8.5 up to 11. Other algae can utilize HCO3 as their carbon source, but require pH ranges below pH=9, which would require bubbling CO2 through the bicarbonate/carbonate solution.
  • Algae use the carbon source to produce biomass through photosynthesis. Since photosynthesis requires CO2 not bicarbonate, the algae catalyze the following reaction:

  • HCO3 →CO2+OH
  • In the presence of HCO3 , this becomes:

  • HCO3 +OH→CO3 −2+H2O
  • Algae growth in a bicarbonate solution induces the following changes in the solution: (1) a decrease in HCO3 concentration; (2) an increase in CO3 −2 concentration; and (3) an increase in pH.
  • Another embodiment the present invention uses an algae culture solution for collector regeneration. The collector medium in the carbonate form can absorb gaseous CO2 from ambient air until the anion composition of the medium is nearly 100% bicarbonate. In this state the collector medium is fully loaded and CO2 absorption comes to a halt. A carbonate solution can be used in regeneration to return the loaded collector medium to a carbonate form through ion exchange. The anion composition of the regeneration solution can be changed from 100% carbonate to nearly 100% bicarbonate through anion exchange with the fully loaded collector medium. In a counter-flow regeneration process the collector medium can be brought into a carbonate form, while the carbonate regeneration solution is changed into a bicarbonate solution. The regeneration solution is fully loaded when it is in the bicarbonate form, since it cannot remove any more bicarbonate from the collector medium.
  • The algae are introduced into the process to remove the captured CO2 from the loaded regeneration solution by bicarbonate dehydration and neutralization (see above). The algae utilize the freed CO2 for biomass growth. And the regeneration solution is changed from bicarbonate back into a carbonate solution.
  • In this process, the carbonate regeneration solution and the collector medium are recycled, while ambient air CO2 is changed into algal biomass. This is shown in FIG. 11.
  • This process provides a cycle in which the ion exchange collector medium absorbs air CO2. During the absorption the collector medium changes from carbonate to bicarbonate form. Then the regeneration solution pulls the air CO2 from the loaded collector medium. In this exchange the collector medium is changed back into its carbonate form, while the regeneration solution changes from a carbonate to a bicarbonate solution. Finally, the algae remove the air CO2 from the loaded regeneration solution by fixating it into biomass. In this step, the algae catalyze the reaction from bicarbonate to CO2 and carbonate. The CO2 carbon is bound into the algae biomass. The carbonate is left in solution. The resulting regeneration solution is then in carbonate form.
  • In another embodiment of the present invention, the algae culture solution is used as the collector regeneration solution. This means that the collector regeneration solution will in addition to carbonate contain other nutrients as required for the algae. Amongst these nutrients are anions that will compete with the carbonate anion during ion exchange with the collector medium.
  • In this process diatoms will not be used, since they require silica, which cannot be efficiently removed from the collector medium with a carbonate wash.
  • Other anionic nutrients typically found in algae culture mediums are: nitrate (NO3 ), sulfate (SO4 −2), and phosphate (PO4 3). Phosphorus may also be present as dibasic (HPO4 ) or monobasic phosphate (H2PO4 ) depending on pH.
  • Nitrate, sulfate and phosphate concentrations for typical algae culture mediums are:
  • Bold's Medium Zarouk's Medium
    Nutrient Molarity (M) Molarity (M)
    NaHCO3 0.2
    NaNO3 0.00882 0.029
    Mg SO4—7H2O 0.0003 0.0008
    Fe SO4—7H2O 0.0018
    K2SO4 0.0058
    Total S Σ = 0.0003  Σ = 0.0084
    K2HPO4 0.00043 0.0029
    KH2PO4 0.00129
    Total P Σ = 0.00172 Σ = 0.0029
  • However, the prior art has shown that algae can grow at much lower nutrient concentrations than are contained in typical culture mediums.
  • To estimate the effect of the nutrient concentrations on the collector medium a nutrient-containing regeneration solution was mixed as follows: 0.14 M CO3 −2, 0.04 M NO3 , 0.0017 M SO4 −2 and 0.0017 M H2PO4 . These represent the highest concentrations to be found in an algae culture medium and, therefore the worst-case scenario.
  • The collector medium was then flushed with this ‘worst-ease’ solution until equilibrium was reached between the solution and the collector medium. At the pH of carbonate solution, phosphorus is present as dibasic phosphate (HPO4 −2). Dibasic phosphate is basic enough to absorb CO2. Therefore, the presence of dibasic phosphate anions on the collector medium will not lower the medium's CO2 uptake capacity. It was determined that at equilibrium, about 50% of the collector medium's total exchange sites were occupied by carbonate and phosphate ions and 50% by nitrate and sulfate. Although the other nutrients outnumber carbonate, they do not completely replace it; instead, an anion equilibrium is reached that does not change with application of additional volumes of solution to the collector medium.
  • The experiments showed that in a worst-case scenario, the collector medium looses approximately 50% of its CO2 uptake capacity. However, as determined by the research cited above, the nutrient concentrations in the solution can be depleted significantly during algae growth. For example, nitrate being by far the most abundant nutrient after inorganic carbon, can be reduced to 0.002 M, a mere 5% of the concentration used in the worst-case scenario experiment. And phosphate is reduced to 45% of the worst-case scenario.
  • Further, a collector medium washed with a nutrient-depleted solution will loose about 20% of its CO2-uptake capacity. It is therefore possible to use the collector medium and wash it with a carbonate solution that has been derived from the algae growth medium.
  • The algae will secrete or release organic compounds into the solution during metabolism or decay. These organics will be scavenged from the solution, prior to applying the solution to the collector medium. Organics scavenging may be done with an adsorbent-type ion exchange resin or other processes.
  • Diatoms will not be used in this process, since they require silica, which cannot be efficiently removed from the collector medium using a carbonate wash.
  • A preferred algae for the present embodiment will have the following characteristics: they are adapted to high ionic strength liquids; they can grow in a pH range of 8.5 to roughly 11; they can tolerate a gradual pH change; they can use bicarbonate as their carbon source; they need little silica as a nutrient; they are capable of changing the pH of a solution from 8.5 to 11 or above; they can diminish nutrient concentrations to low levels; they can be used in biochemistry, agriculture, aquaculture, food, biofuels, etc.
  • Good candidates are, but are not limited to, algae that live in alkaline waters such as Spirulina platensis, Spirulina fusiformis, Spirulina sp., Tetraedron minimum and others.
  • There are many alternatives for this embodiment. Loaded collector solution (bicarbonate solution depleted in nutrients) is added to an algae culture together with fresh nutrients; the algal culture utilizes bicarbonate as its inorganic carbon source, by taking up about 50% of the bicarbonate carbon into its biomass and changing the remaining 50% to carbonate anions. Simultaneously, the algae culture depletes the nutrient concentrations in the solution. The culture is filtered, harvesting the algae biomass, while shunting the nutrient depleted solution towards the CO2 collector. The nutrient depleted solution is cleaned of organics and other materials deleterious to the collector medium. The solution now enriched in carbonate is used to regenerate the collector. In the process each carbonate anion is replaced by two bicarbonate anions, until the collector solution is loaded. The loaded collector solution is added to the algae culture together with fresh nutrients as mentioned above.
  • The process can be run as a continuous loop or a batch process, whichever is more practical given location, algae type, etc. The process can employ algae culturing technologies already in use and proven or new technologies. For example, outdoor ponds have proven successful for the cultivation of Spirulina, Chlorella vulgaris, Ankistrodesmus braunii and other species in California, Hawaii, the Philippines and Mexico among other places. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), outdoor ponds, e.g. so-called “race ponds”, are the most efficient methods for growing a large biomass of algae.
  • The cultivation may use solar energy, artificial lighting or both dependent on the algae species and the place of operation. Algae culture solutions may be stirred to return algae to the zone of highest light ingress. Or the light might be brought into the algae cultures through mirrors, fiber optics and other means.
  • The algae can be either suspended in solution or immobilized. When suspended, algae follow their own growth patterns: single cells, colonies, clumped and so on. The natural growth pattern may not be the best match for the technology used. For example, small single celled algae may require elaborate harvesting processes.
  • Algae may naturally grow immobilized, if they attach themselves to surfaces, e.g., macro algae. Or algae can be immobilized: in beads using k-carragenan or sodium alginate, in polyurethane foam, on filter material, or as biofilms on column packing, or in other ways.
  • In an immobilized state, the algae may still be suspended, for example in bead form, and moving with the solution. Alternatively, the immobilized algae may be stationary in a column or other device, while the solution percolates past.
  • In another embodiment of the present invention, the collector medium is immersed into the Algae Culture. This can be done either in a batch process, or in a continuous process. In a batch process, a batch of collector medium is alternatingly immersed in the algae culture and exposed to ambient air. In a continuous process, collector medium is continuously moved along a path on which it is alternatingly immersed in the algae culture or in exposed to air. The easiest implementation would be a disk of collector medium that rotates continuously around its center. The disk is submerged up to its center point in the algae culture, so that, at any time, one half of the collector medium is submerged in the liquid and the other half is exposed to air.
  • In this embodiment of the invention, collector medium could potentially be immersed in the algae culture solution at times of high nutrient content and at times of low nutrient content. The CO2 capacity of the collector medium will, therefore, range from 50% to 80% of its full capacity. Air exposure times can be adjusted to account for the capacity decrease.
  • Referring to FIG. 12, another embodiment of the present invention discloses sodium bicarbonate transferred from the collector solution to the algae by washing the algae in the loaded collector solution. However, nutrients will not be added to the collector solution. Instead, nutrients will be provided to the algae via a second separate wash cycle consisting of nutrient-rich carbon deficient solution.
  • In this process the algae will be immersed in nutrient-deficient bicarbonate solution (loaded collector solution) alternating with inorganic carbon-deficient nutrient solution 326. A short rinse cycle will be employed between washes. The rinse will be added to the solution of the preceding wash.
  • The cycles of nutrient and bicarbonate washes will be optimized for the algae species used. One or more algae species may be used either mixed or in series to optimize the conversion of the bicarbonate solution (loaded collector solution) to carbonate solution (fresh collector solution). The fresh collector solution may be filtered to remove particles and cleaned of organic molecules or other deleterious content prior to application on the collector medium.
  • The process can be designed to utilize suspended algae or immobilized algae. If the algae are suspended, the process has to be run as a batch process, and the algae have to be filtered from the solution. To ease filtering the algae may be “immobilized” in suspended beads, in order to increase the particle size.
  • A process involving immobilized algae can utilize algae that naturally grow immobilized, for example macro-algae that attach themselves to surfaces, or micro-algae that form biofilms etc.
  • In addition to others methods disclosed elsewhere in this application, the algae could be immobilized in columns, inclined raceways, ponds or other containers. The containers may be arranged to allow gravitational fluid flow. Immobilization may be on the container walls and floors and/or on structures such as plates, packing etc. installed therein. Light is brought into the containers as needed either by natural lighting, artificial lighting, mirrors, fiber optics, etc.
  • Referring to FIG. 13, another embodiment of the present invention transfers gaseous CO2 from the loaded collector solution 410 to the algae culture solution 416 through a hydrophobic microporous membrane 434. Gaseous CO2 can be transmitted from a bicarbonate solution through a hydrophobic membrane into a carbonate solution; and that the CO2 partial pressure differential between the two liquid streams is sufficient to drive the transfer. A transfer of water was noted from the more dilute solution to the more concentrated solution. As the membrane is hydrophobic, the transfer is of gaseous water molecules.
  • Simplified, the process can be described as two half-cells separated by a microporous, hydrophobic membrane. The first half cell 438 holds the loaded collector solution (sodium bicarbonate solution); while the second half cell 418 holds the algae culture (sodium carbonate solution including nutrients and algae).
  • The collector solution half-cell reaction is defined as follows:

  • 2HCO3-(aq)→CO2(g)+CO3 −2(aq)+H2O
  • This is followed by CO2(g) diffusion through membrane into the algae culture half-cell. The reaction in the algae culture half-cell will follow in one of two ways:

  • Algae consume CO2(g)

  • or

  • CO3 −2(aq)+CO2(g)+H2O→2HCO3-(aq)

  • and

  • HCO3 (aq)+OH→CO3 −2(aq)+H2O
  • As can be seen from the half-cell reactions, the pH in the collector solution will continuously increase as bicarbonate is reacted into carbonate through off-gassing of gaseous CO2. In a balanced system the algae culture solution will not change its pH as the gaseous CO2 is fixated by algae growth into biomass. The algae culture will preferably be close to a carbonate solution. In that case, it would not contain appreciable amounts of bicarbonate. This condition would maximize the gaseous CO2 partial pressure differential between the collector solution and the algae culture.
  • The physical arrangement of the two half-cells can take many forms including but not limited to the few arrangements described herein. Each arrangement will optimize the ratio of liquid-membrane contact area to solution volume. In general it is advantageous to run the collector solution through membrane channels submerged in the algae culture, since this will enable light supply to the algae culture. In cases where the algae culture is contained in membrane conduits, light will be supplied inside the conduits.
  • The membrane conduits can take many shapes. For example, they can be parallel membrane sheets, causing a sheet flow of solution sandwiched between the membranes. Or they could be tubular with the tube cross-section taking varying forms, for example round, square, rectangular, corrugated, etc. Tubes could form a spiral or other shapes to increase their path length through the solution.
  • The process can be run as a batch procedure, a continuous loop process or any combination thereof. Light and nutrients will be supplied as needed.
  • In a pure batch process, a batch of loaded collector solution is brought in membrane contact with a batch of algae culture and left to reach equilibrium.
  • In a pure continuous loop process both solutions flow in continuous loops. The loaded collector solution would flow along a membrane path, throughout which it transfers its gaseous CO2 to the algae solution; from there it enters the regeneration system for the collector medium, where it loads up with CO2 to then reenter the membrane conduit. The algae solution will flow past the membrane path with algae fixating the gaseous CO2; from there it will enter a harvesting system 420, where some or all algae are removed from the solution to then reenter the membrane system for renewed CO2 fixation and algae growth. Continuous flow or loop processes may use concurrent flow or counter-current flow of the two streams.
  • The major advantage of transferring the CO2 through a hydrophobic membrane is that ions cannot cross from the algae culture into the collector solution. The cations contained in the algae solution include earth alkali metals that can cause scaling along the collector solution path as the pH increases. The anions, such as nitrate and sulfate, contained in the algae solution compete with carbonate on the collector medium thus lowering the CO2 holding capacity of the collector medium. Therefore, it is advantageous to keep the ions from entering the collector solution. Since ions, which constitute the nutrients for the algae, cannot cross into the collector solution, the nutrient content of the algae culture can be permanently kept at the optimum concentration for algae growth.
  • In addition, the prior art discloses hydrophobic membranes that are also organophobic and can impede the transfer of organic molecules from the algae solution to the collector solution. Any organics that may be transferred into the collector solution will be removed from the collector solution before it enters the collector medium. For example, this can be done by scavenging the organic compounds onto ion exchange resins.
  • The membrane will be selected for its hydrophobicity, CO2 permeability, organophobicity, and water break-through pressure. The preferred algae for this process are those that thrive in carbonate solutions and can both utilize gaseous CO2 and bicarbonate. However, other algae can also be used to optimize the complete process.
  • Referring to FIG. 14, another embodiment of the present invention transfers bicarbonate from the collector solution 410 into the algae culture solution 418 through an anion permeable membrane. The collector solution is brought into contact with one side of the anion permeable membrane 434, while the algae culture solution is brought into contact with the other side of the membrane.
  • The solutions exchange anions along concentration gradients. To optimize this ion exchange, the solutions can be run past the membrane in a counter-current. The solutions can also be run co-current to optimize other parts of the system. Alternatively, the process can be set up as a batch process rather than a continuous flow process.
  • The algae culture solution can be entered into the anion exchange process with algae suspended in the solution or without the algae. See FIG. 15. Dissolved organic compounds can be removed from the algae culture solution prior to entering the membrane chamber. Nutrient effects apply as discussed above. If the whole algae culture including algae is entered into the membrane exchanger, the nutrient concentration will be high and the collector solution will gain high nutrient concentrations. This may lead to a reduction in the collector medium's CO2 uptake capacity of up to 50%. If the culture solution without algae is entered into the membrane exchanger, the process can be set up such that nutrient-depleted solution is entered, in which case the collector capacity might be reduced by up to 20%.
  • Cations will not be exchanged between the two solutions, which greatly reduces the potential for scaling.
  • Alternatively, one can inject captured CO2 directly into an algae-bio-reactor synthetic fuel production unit. A particularly simple design is to provide a paddle wheel or disks or the like carrying humidity sensitive ion exchange resins that are exposed primarily above the water surface where CO2 is extracted from the air, and are slowly rotated to dip a portion under the water surface where the CO2 is released to provide high air-to-water transfer rates for the CO2.
  • Referring to FIG. 16, in another embodiment it is possible to shower an ion exchange resin with slightly alkaline wash water at an extraction station 140, similar to the first exemplary embodiment, to make up evaporative or production losses of water from the bioreactor. As the wash water trickles over the primary resin, it will pick up bound CO2 and dribble it into the bioreactor system 142.
  • Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 17, resins 142 may be added to the water at night to retain the CO2 that may be lost from the algae due to respiration. Thus we can improve the CO2 uptake efficiency of the algae, by preventing the release of nighttime CO2 from the bioreactor. In such embodiment, a secondary resin acts as a carbon buffer in the system. At night this buffer stores the CO2 released by the algae, while during the day it provides CO2 to the algae, while its CO2 content may be supplemented by the CO2 that is collected by the air collector. Once captured, the CO2 is transferred to the resin from a more concentrated wash used in regenerating the primary resin. Water filtration to keep algae out of the air collector generally is not a problem due to the fact that the air-side primary resin is designed to completely dry out in between cycles.
  • This transfer to the secondary resin also could be accomplished without direct contact in a low-pressure closed moist system, such as shown in FIG. 1, by performing a humidity swing that avoids direct contact with the water. While such a system loses the aforementioned advantage of not bringing CO2 back to the gas phase, it will have other advantages in buffering the algae pond at a constant pH, without the use of chemicals.
  • In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as seen in FIG. 18, in order to reduce water losses, increase yield, and better confine the algae, we employ bioreactors 150 with light concentrators 152. Such systems may be built from glass tubes surrounded by mirrors, or mirror or reflector systems that feed into fiber optic light pipes that distribute the light throughout a large liquid volume. The advantage of the use of a bioreactor with light concentrators is that they greatly reduce the water surface and thus reduce water losses. Thus, the CO2 can be collected nearby without directly interfering with the algae reactors. Indeed air collectors could take advantage of mirror systems for guiding air flows.
  • Algae typically fixate CO2 during times of light influx, and respire CO2 during dark cycles. The CO2 is captured by adding additional collector medium to the system in strategic places. The collector medium can, for example, be immersed in the algae culture. In this case, it will store bicarbonate and release carbonate during respiration as the culture solution pH decreases, and it will release bicarbonate and store carbonate during photosynthesis as the culture solution increases in pH.
  • Collector medium can also be placed in the air space in proximity of the algae culture to absorb CO2 that has been released from the culture solution. This will be especially efficient in closed structures. Collector medium placed in the proximity of the culture solution will be regenerated using one of the processes described above.
  • This application is intended to include any combination of the inorganic carbon transfer methods described in this patent using any combination of algae cultures as required to optimize the process. Optimization includes but is not limited to optimization of the carbon transfer efficiency, carbon transfer rate, market value of the biomass (for example oil content, starch content etc.), algae productivity efficiency, and algae growth rate under any climate conditions or climate-controlled conditions.
  • While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment employing a humidity sensitive ion exchange resin material for extracting CO2 from ambient air and delivering the extracted CO2 to a greenhouse by humidity swing, advantages with the present invention may be realized by extracting carbon dioxide from ambient air using a sorbent in accordance with the several schemes described in our aforesaid PCT Application Nos. PCT/US05/29979 and PCT/US06/029238 (Attorney Docket Global 05.02 PCT), and releasing the extracted CO2 into a greenhouse by suitably manipulating the sorbent.

Claims (13)

1-46. (canceled)
47. An apparatus for the capture of CO2 from air comprising an anion exchange material that captures CO2 from a flow of air and from which captured CO2 is releasable by wetting or a swing in humidity; a wetting source; and an evacuated chamber in which release of CO2 from said anion exchange material occurs.
48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said anion exchange material is continuously cycled between exposure to air and release of captured CO2.
49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said anion exchange material extracts CO2 when dry and releases CO2 when exposed to higher humidity.
50. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the anion exchange material is a component of a heterogeneous ion exchange material.
51. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the anion exchange material comprises a strong base resin.
52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein said resin comprises a Type 1 or Type 2 functionality ion exchange resin.
53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said ion exchange resin comprises Anion I-200 ion exchange membrane material.
54. The apparatus of claims 47, further comprising a sorbent to which released CO2 is transferred.
55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein said sorbent is selected from the group consisting of: liquid amines, ionic liquids, solid CO2 sorbents, lithium zirconate, lithium silicate, magnesium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide.
56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein said sorbent comprises an ion exchange resin.
57. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said anion exchange material comprises a material from which 60% of said captured CO2 is releasable by wetting or swing in humidity.
58. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said apparatus is located adjacent to a controlled environment into which captured CO2 is released.
US12/903,974 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air Abandoned US20110079149A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US12/903,974 US20110079149A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US82784906P 2006-10-02 2006-10-02
US82937606P 2006-10-13 2006-10-13
US11/866,326 US7708806B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2007-10-02 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/638,717 US20100105126A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2009-12-15 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,974 US20110079149A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/638,717 Continuation US20100105126A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2009-12-15 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20110079149A1 true US20110079149A1 (en) 2011-04-07

Family

ID=39269172

Family Applications (19)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/866,326 Active 2028-05-23 US7708806B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2007-10-02 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/638,717 Abandoned US20100105126A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2009-12-15 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,886 Abandoned US20110081710A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,953 Abandoned US20110079144A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,970 Abandoned US20110027143A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,877 Abandoned US20110081709A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,958 Abandoned US20110079147A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,981 Abandoned US20110079150A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,974 Abandoned US20110079149A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,955 Active 2027-06-11 US8337589B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,894 Abandoned US20110027157A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,967 Active US8083836B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,962 Active US8273160B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,873 Abandoned US20110033358A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,868 Abandoned US20110033357A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,898 Abandoned US20110083554A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US13/796,855 Abandoned US20130309756A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2013-03-12 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US14/183,751 Active US9266052B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2014-02-19 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US15/243,806 Active US9861933B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2016-08-22 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air

Family Applications Before (8)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/866,326 Active 2028-05-23 US7708806B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2007-10-02 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/638,717 Abandoned US20100105126A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2009-12-15 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,886 Abandoned US20110081710A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,953 Abandoned US20110079144A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,970 Abandoned US20110027143A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,877 Abandoned US20110081709A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,958 Abandoned US20110079147A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,981 Abandoned US20110079150A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air

Family Applications After (10)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/903,955 Active 2027-06-11 US8337589B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,894 Abandoned US20110027157A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,967 Active US8083836B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,962 Active US8273160B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,873 Abandoned US20110033358A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,868 Abandoned US20110033357A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US12/903,898 Abandoned US20110083554A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2010-10-13 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US13/796,855 Abandoned US20130309756A1 (en) 2006-10-02 2013-03-12 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US14/183,751 Active US9266052B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2014-02-19 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US15/243,806 Active US9861933B2 (en) 2006-10-02 2016-08-22 Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air

Country Status (14)

Country Link
US (19) US7708806B2 (en)
EP (1) EP2077911B1 (en)
JP (2) JP5849327B2 (en)
KR (1) KR20090086530A (en)
CN (2) CN104826450B (en)
AU (1) AU2007303240B2 (en)
CA (1) CA2664464C (en)
ES (1) ES2784490T3 (en)
HK (1) HK1150307A1 (en)
IL (1) IL197873A0 (en)
MX (1) MX2009003500A (en)
NZ (1) NZ575870A (en)
RU (1) RU2009116621A (en)
WO (1) WO2008042919A2 (en)

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100260653A1 (en) * 2004-09-23 2010-10-14 Joe David Jones Removing Carbon Dioxide From Waste Streams Through Co-Generation of Carbonate And/Or Bicarbonate Minerals
WO2013063501A3 (en) * 2011-10-28 2013-07-11 Lawrence Livermore National Security, Llc Polymer-encapsulated carbon capture liquids that tolerate precipitation of solids for increased capacity
US8500860B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2013-08-06 Peter Eisenberger Carbon dioxide capture/regeneration method using effluent gas
US8500858B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2013-08-06 Peter Eisenberger Carbon dioxide capture/regeneration method using vertical elevator
US8500855B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2013-08-06 Peter Eisenberger System and method for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration
US8795508B2 (en) 2009-12-18 2014-08-05 Skyonic Corporation Carbon dioxide sequestration through formation of group-2 carbonates and silicon dioxide
US8894747B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2014-11-25 Peter Eisenberger System and method for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere and global thermostat using the same
US9028592B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2015-05-12 Peter Eisenberger System and method for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration from relatively high concentration CO2 mixtures
US9205375B2 (en) 2007-09-20 2015-12-08 Skyonic Corporation Removing carbon dioxide from waste streams through co-generation of carbonate and/or bicarbonate minerals
US9359221B2 (en) 2010-07-08 2016-06-07 Skyonic Corporation Carbon dioxide sequestration involving two-salt-based thermolytic processes
US9427726B2 (en) 2011-10-13 2016-08-30 Georgia Tech Research Corporation Vapor phase methods of forming supported highly branched polyamines
US9908080B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2018-03-06 Peter Eisenberger System and method for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere and global thermostat using the same
US9925488B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2018-03-27 Peter Eisenberger Rotating multi-monolith bed movement system for removing CO2 from the atmosphere
US9968883B2 (en) 2014-01-17 2018-05-15 Carbonfree Chemicals Holdings, Llc Systems and methods for acid gas removal from a gaseous stream
US10583394B2 (en) 2015-02-23 2020-03-10 Carbonfree Chemicals Holdings, Llc Carbon dioxide sequestration with magnesium hydroxide and regeneration of magnesium hydroxide
US11059024B2 (en) 2012-10-25 2021-07-13 Georgia Tech Research Corporation Supported poly(allyl)amine and derivatives for CO2 capture from flue gas or ultra-dilute gas streams such as ambient air or admixtures thereof

Families Citing this family (170)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20060289003A1 (en) * 2004-08-20 2006-12-28 Lackner Klaus S Laminar scrubber apparatus for capturing carbon dioxide from air and methods of use
US20060051274A1 (en) * 2004-08-23 2006-03-09 Wright Allen B Removal of carbon dioxide from air
US7655069B2 (en) * 2005-02-02 2010-02-02 Global Research Technologies, Llc Removal of carbon dioxide from air
WO2007018558A2 (en) * 2005-07-20 2007-02-15 The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York Electrochemical recovery of carbon dioxide from alkaline solvents
US9266051B2 (en) 2005-07-28 2016-02-23 Carbon Sink, Inc. Removal of carbon dioxide from air
ES2638792T3 (en) * 2005-07-28 2017-10-24 Carbon Sink Inc. Removal of carbon dioxide from the air
EP2668992A3 (en) 2006-03-08 2014-04-02 Kilimanjaro Energy, Inc. Air collector with functionalized ion exchange membrane for capturing ambient CO2
US8968515B2 (en) 2006-05-01 2015-03-03 Board Of Trustees Of Michigan State University Methods for pretreating biomass
US9206446B2 (en) 2006-05-01 2015-12-08 Board Of Trustees Of Michigan State University Extraction of solubles from plant biomass for use as microbial growth stimulant and methods related thereto
US8372632B2 (en) * 2006-06-14 2013-02-12 Malcolm Glen Kertz Method and apparatus for CO2 sequestration
US8415142B2 (en) * 2006-06-14 2013-04-09 Malcolm Glen Kertz Method and apparatus for CO2 sequestration
CN104826450B (en) * 2006-10-02 2021-08-27 碳汇公司 Extraction of CO from air2Method and apparatus
US8262776B2 (en) * 2006-10-13 2012-09-11 General Atomics Photosynthetic carbon dioxide sequestration and pollution abatement
EP2097157A4 (en) * 2006-11-15 2011-02-02 Global Res Technologies Llc Removal of carbon dioxide from air
AU2008242845B2 (en) 2007-04-17 2012-08-23 Carbon Sink, Inc. Capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from air
US20090007779A1 (en) * 2007-05-17 2009-01-08 Coignet Philippe A Method and system of providing carbon dioxide-enriched gas for greenhouses
US7910220B2 (en) * 2007-07-25 2011-03-22 Alcoa Inc. Surfaces and coatings for the removal of carbon dioxide
EP2212009A1 (en) * 2007-11-05 2010-08-04 Global Research Technologies, LLC Removal of carbon dioxide from air
JP2011504140A (en) * 2007-11-20 2011-02-03 グローバル リサーチ テクノロジーズ,エルエルシー Air collector with functional ion exchange membrane to capture ambient CO2
WO2009105566A2 (en) 2008-02-19 2009-08-27 Global Research Technologies, Llc Extraction and sequestration of carbon dioxide
US7802426B2 (en) 2008-06-09 2010-09-28 Sustainx, Inc. System and method for rapid isothermal gas expansion and compression for energy storage
US8250863B2 (en) 2008-04-09 2012-08-28 Sustainx, Inc. Heat exchange with compressed gas in energy-storage systems
US8448433B2 (en) 2008-04-09 2013-05-28 Sustainx, Inc. Systems and methods for energy storage and recovery using gas expansion and compression
US8479505B2 (en) 2008-04-09 2013-07-09 Sustainx, Inc. Systems and methods for reducing dead volume in compressed-gas energy storage systems
US8677744B2 (en) 2008-04-09 2014-03-25 SustaioX, Inc. Fluid circulation in energy storage and recovery systems
US8474255B2 (en) 2008-04-09 2013-07-02 Sustainx, Inc. Forming liquid sprays in compressed-gas energy storage systems for effective heat exchange
US8359856B2 (en) 2008-04-09 2013-01-29 Sustainx Inc. Systems and methods for efficient pumping of high-pressure fluids for energy storage and recovery
US20100307156A1 (en) * 2009-06-04 2010-12-09 Bollinger Benjamin R Systems and Methods for Improving Drivetrain Efficiency for Compressed Gas Energy Storage and Recovery Systems
US7958731B2 (en) 2009-01-20 2011-06-14 Sustainx, Inc. Systems and methods for combined thermal and compressed gas energy conversion systems
US8225606B2 (en) 2008-04-09 2012-07-24 Sustainx, Inc. Systems and methods for energy storage and recovery using rapid isothermal gas expansion and compression
US8037678B2 (en) 2009-09-11 2011-10-18 Sustainx, Inc. Energy storage and generation systems and methods using coupled cylinder assemblies
US8240140B2 (en) 2008-04-09 2012-08-14 Sustainx, Inc. High-efficiency energy-conversion based on fluid expansion and compression
WO2009126784A2 (en) 2008-04-09 2009-10-15 Sustainx, Inc. Systems and methods for energy storage and recovery using compressed gas
WO2009149292A1 (en) * 2008-06-04 2009-12-10 Global Research Technologies, Llc Laminar flow air collector with solid sorbent materials for capturing ambient co2
EP2303432A4 (en) 2008-06-20 2012-03-21 Carbon Engineering Ltd Partnership Carbon dioxide capture
US20110206588A1 (en) * 2008-08-11 2011-08-25 Lackner Klaus S Method and apparatus for removing ammonia from a gas stream
US20110203174A1 (en) * 2008-08-11 2011-08-25 Lackner Klaus S Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
BRPI0917278B1 (en) 2008-08-21 2020-09-15 Carbon Engineering Ltd CARBON DIOXIDE CAPTURE INSTALLATION
US20110203311A1 (en) * 2008-08-22 2011-08-25 Wright Allen B Removal of carbon dioxide from air
US8809037B2 (en) 2008-10-24 2014-08-19 Bioprocessh20 Llc Systems, apparatuses and methods for treating wastewater
WO2010078156A1 (en) * 2008-12-31 2010-07-08 Sapphire Energy, Inc. Genetically engineered herbicide resistant algae
US20100139156A1 (en) * 2009-01-26 2010-06-10 Mennell James A Corn stover fuel objects with high heat output and reduced emissions designed for large-scale power generation
US20100139155A1 (en) * 2009-01-26 2010-06-10 Mennell James A Switch grass fuel objects with high heat output and reduced air emissions designed for large-scale power generation
EP2210656A1 (en) * 2009-01-27 2010-07-28 General Electric Company Hybrid carbon dioxide separation process and system
WO2010105155A2 (en) 2009-03-12 2010-09-16 Sustainx, Inc. Systems and methods for improving drivetrain efficiency for compressed gas energy storage
FR2944291B1 (en) 2009-04-10 2013-09-27 Acta Alga FIRMLY PHOTOBIOREACTOR FOR THE CULTURE OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC MICROORGANISMS
US20100218507A1 (en) * 2009-04-17 2010-09-02 Adam Cherson Sustainable Carbon Capture and Sequestration System and Methods
US8104274B2 (en) 2009-06-04 2012-01-31 Sustainx, Inc. Increased power in compressed-gas energy storage and recovery
US20100330653A1 (en) * 2009-06-24 2010-12-30 Hazlebeck David A Method for Nutrient Pre-Loading of Microbial Cells
US20120220019A1 (en) * 2009-07-23 2012-08-30 Lackner Klaus S Air collector with functionalized ion exchange membrane for capturing ambient co2
US8617665B2 (en) * 2009-08-03 2013-12-31 Alcoa, Inc. Self-cleaning substrates and methods for making the same
AU2010289797B2 (en) 2009-08-24 2014-02-27 Board Of Trustees Of Michigan State University Pretreated densified biomass products
US8945245B2 (en) 2009-08-24 2015-02-03 The Michigan Biotechnology Institute Methods of hydrolyzing pretreated densified biomass particulates and systems related thereto
US10457810B2 (en) 2009-08-24 2019-10-29 Board Of Trustees Of Michigan State University Densified biomass products containing pretreated biomass fibers
WO2011056855A1 (en) 2009-11-03 2011-05-12 Sustainx, Inc. Systems and methods for compressed-gas energy storage using coupled cylinder assemblies
WO2011072122A1 (en) 2009-12-09 2011-06-16 Algenol Biofuels, Inc. Water/carbonate stripping for co2 capture adsorber regeneration and co2 delivery to photoautotrophs
US20110146488A1 (en) * 2009-12-23 2011-06-23 Aerospatia LLC Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Mitigation
FR2954947B1 (en) 2010-01-04 2012-01-20 Acta Alga FIRMLY PHOTOBIOREACTOR FOR THE CULTURE OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC MICROORGANISMS
US8496898B2 (en) * 2010-02-25 2013-07-30 Nol-Tec Systems, Inc. Fluidized bed carbon dioxide scrubber for pneumatic conveying system
JP5437869B2 (en) * 2010-03-16 2014-03-12 日野自動車株式会社 Vehicle fuel tank
US8500854B1 (en) * 2010-03-19 2013-08-06 U.S. Department Of Energy Regenerable sorbent technique for capturing CO2 using immobilized amine sorbents
US8171728B2 (en) 2010-04-08 2012-05-08 Sustainx, Inc. High-efficiency liquid heat exchange in compressed-gas energy storage systems
US8191362B2 (en) 2010-04-08 2012-06-05 Sustainx, Inc. Systems and methods for reducing dead volume in compressed-gas energy storage systems
BR112012026710B8 (en) 2010-04-19 2020-06-23 Univ Michigan State method for producing a product extracted from lignocellulosic biomass and method for producing a product digested from lignocellulosic biomass
US8234863B2 (en) 2010-05-14 2012-08-07 Sustainx, Inc. Forming liquid sprays in compressed-gas energy storage systems for effective heat exchange
US11512278B2 (en) 2010-05-20 2022-11-29 Pond Technologies Inc. Biomass production
US8889400B2 (en) 2010-05-20 2014-11-18 Pond Biofuels Inc. Diluting exhaust gas being supplied to bioreactor
US20120156669A1 (en) 2010-05-20 2012-06-21 Pond Biofuels Inc. Biomass Production
US8969067B2 (en) 2010-05-20 2015-03-03 Pond Biofuels Inc. Process for growing biomass by modulating supply of gas to reaction zone
US8940520B2 (en) 2010-05-20 2015-01-27 Pond Biofuels Inc. Process for growing biomass by modulating inputs to reaction zone based on changes to exhaust supply
US8394177B2 (en) * 2010-06-01 2013-03-12 Michigan Biotechnology Institute Method of separating components from a gas stream
US10123495B2 (en) 2010-06-16 2018-11-13 General Atomics Controlled system for supporting algae growth with adsorbed carbon dioxide
US20110308149A1 (en) * 2010-06-16 2011-12-22 Hazlebeck David A System for Supporting Algae Growth with Adsorbed Carbon Dioxide
US8495872B2 (en) 2010-08-20 2013-07-30 Sustainx, Inc. Energy storage and recovery utilizing low-pressure thermal conditioning for heat exchange with high-pressure gas
WO2012058662A2 (en) * 2010-10-29 2012-05-03 The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York Methods and systems for generating a source of carbon dioxide for consumption in an autotrophic bioreactor
US8563296B2 (en) 2010-11-24 2013-10-22 Uop Llc Processes and systems for discharging amine byproducts formed in an amine-based solvent
US8578708B2 (en) 2010-11-30 2013-11-12 Sustainx, Inc. Fluid-flow control in energy storage and recovery systems
WO2012078970A2 (en) * 2010-12-09 2012-06-14 Washington State University Research Foundation Integrated carbon capture and algae culture
US8778156B2 (en) 2010-12-15 2014-07-15 Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated Electrodialytic separation of gas from aqueous carbonate and bicarbonate solutions
US8784632B2 (en) 2010-12-15 2014-07-22 Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated High-pressure electrodialysis device
WO2012087741A2 (en) 2010-12-20 2012-06-28 Dvo, Inc. Algae bioreactor, system and process
CA2833284C (en) 2011-04-15 2020-07-21 Biogenic Reagents LLC High-carbon biogenic reagents and uses thereof
US20120276633A1 (en) 2011-04-27 2012-11-01 Pond Biofuels Inc. Supplying treated exhaust gases for effecting growth of phototrophic biomass
FR2974814B1 (en) 2011-05-06 2017-06-02 Acta Alga FIRMLY PHOTOBIOREACTOR FOR THE CULTURE OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC MICROORGANISMS
KR20140031319A (en) 2011-05-17 2014-03-12 서스테인쓰, 인크. Systems and methods for efficient two-phase heat transfer in compressed-air energy storage systems
US9586181B2 (en) 2011-07-06 2017-03-07 Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated Electrodialytic separation of CO2 gas from seawater
US8541225B2 (en) 2011-07-25 2013-09-24 General Atomics System and method for using a pulse flow circulation for algae cultivation
US9283510B2 (en) 2011-08-22 2016-03-15 The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York Method for producing a moisture swing sorbent for carbon dioxide capture from air
US8454732B2 (en) * 2011-09-12 2013-06-04 Southwest Research Institute Composition and process for manufacture of a high temperature carbon-dioxide separation membrane
US20130091835A1 (en) 2011-10-14 2013-04-18 Sustainx, Inc. Dead-volume management in compressed-gas energy storage and recovery systems
EP2800621A4 (en) * 2012-01-06 2015-09-23 Univ Columbia Methods and systems for capturing and storing carbon dioxide
EP2812427A4 (en) * 2012-02-09 2015-09-30 Carbon Engineering Ltd Partnership Captured carbon dioxide for algaculture
USRE48523E1 (en) * 2012-03-19 2021-04-20 Algae To Omega Holdings, Inc. System and method for producing algae
US9243219B2 (en) * 2012-03-19 2016-01-26 Geronimos Dimitrelos System and method for producing algae
CA2873040A1 (en) 2012-05-07 2013-11-14 Biogenic Reagents Ventures, Llc Biogenic activated carbon and methods of making and using same
IN2012DE02779A (en) * 2012-09-06 2015-07-24 p gupta S
US9534261B2 (en) 2012-10-24 2017-01-03 Pond Biofuels Inc. Recovering off-gas from photobioreactor
WO2014074770A2 (en) 2012-11-09 2014-05-15 Heliae Development, Llc Balanced mixotrophy methods
WO2014074772A1 (en) 2012-11-09 2014-05-15 Heliae Development, Llc Mixotrophic, phototrophic, and heterotrophic combination methods and systems
US10017392B2 (en) * 2012-12-28 2018-07-10 Elwha Llc Articles and methods for administering CO2 into plants
US10015971B2 (en) 2012-12-28 2018-07-10 Elwha Llc Articles and methods for administering CO2 into plants
US10015931B2 (en) * 2012-12-28 2018-07-10 Elwha Llc Production of electricity from plants
US20140242676A1 (en) * 2013-02-01 2014-08-28 Los Alamos National Security, Llc Artificial leaf-like microphotobioreactor and methods for making the same
US8728428B1 (en) 2013-03-13 2014-05-20 Carbon Engineering Limited Partnership Recovering a caustic solution via calcium carbonate crystal aggregates
US9629435B2 (en) * 2013-06-26 2017-04-25 Antonio Anderson Combination hair wrap, sleep mask, and reading light
US20150126362A1 (en) 2013-10-24 2015-05-07 Biogenic Reagent Ventures, Llc Methods and apparatus for producing activated carbon from biomass through carbonized ash intermediates
US9409120B2 (en) 2014-01-07 2016-08-09 The University Of Kentucky Research Foundation Hybrid process using a membrane to enrich flue gas CO2 with a solvent-based post-combustion CO2 capture system
US9724667B2 (en) 2014-01-16 2017-08-08 Carbon Technology Holdings, LLC Carbon micro-plant
US9256129B2 (en) 2014-02-19 2016-02-09 Macdermid Printing Solutions, Llc Method for creating surface texture on flexographic printing elements
CA2977092C (en) 2014-02-24 2022-12-13 Biogenic Reagents Ventures, Llc Highly mesoporous activated carbon
US9637393B2 (en) 2014-05-19 2017-05-02 Carbon Engineering Limited Partnership Recovering a caustic solution via calcium carbonate crystal aggregates
EP3191211B9 (en) * 2014-09-12 2022-06-15 Skytree B.V. Method and device for the reversible adsorption of carbon dioxide
WO2016065357A1 (en) 2014-10-24 2016-04-28 Biogenic Reagent Ventures, Llc Halogenated activated carbon compositions and methods of making and using same
JP6678663B2 (en) * 2014-11-13 2020-04-08 コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エヌ ヴェKoninklijke Philips N.V. Gas trapping device and method
CA2882972A1 (en) * 2015-02-24 2016-08-24 Gaston Beaulieu Vertically integrated industrial scale multilevel closed ecosystem greenhouse
US10732435B2 (en) 2015-03-03 2020-08-04 Verily Life Sciences Llc Smart contact device
US9937471B1 (en) 2015-03-20 2018-04-10 X Development Llc Recycle loop for reduced scaling in bipolar membrane electrodialysis
WO2016164563A1 (en) * 2015-04-07 2016-10-13 Bruce Rittmann Systems and methods of atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment and delivery to photobioreactors via membrane carbonation
US9266057B1 (en) * 2015-04-27 2016-02-23 Robert Lee Jones Process or separating and enriching carbon dioxide from atmospheric gases in air or from atmospheric gases dissolved in natural water in equilibrium with air
US9914644B1 (en) 2015-06-11 2018-03-13 X Development Llc Energy efficient method for stripping CO2 from seawater
WO2017049092A1 (en) * 2015-09-18 2017-03-23 O'keefe Frank Devices, systems and methods for enhanced biomass growth in greenhouses
WO2017052647A1 (en) * 2015-09-25 2017-03-30 Intel Corporation Lithographically defined vias for organic package substrate scaling
US10413858B2 (en) 2015-12-28 2019-09-17 Arizona Board Of Regents On Behalf Of Arizona State University Metal-organic framework-based sorbents and methods of synthesis thereof
US9915136B2 (en) 2016-05-26 2018-03-13 X Development Llc Hydrocarbon extraction through carbon dioxide production and injection into a hydrocarbon well
US9873650B2 (en) 2016-05-26 2018-01-23 X Development Llc Method for efficient CO2 degasification
US9914683B2 (en) 2016-05-26 2018-03-13 X Development Llc Fuel synthesis from an aqueous solution
US9862643B2 (en) 2016-05-26 2018-01-09 X Development Llc Building materials from an aqueous solution
US20170339838A1 (en) * 2016-05-29 2017-11-30 Gerald R. Palmer Air Fertilization System Directing CO2 Exhaust to a Covered Crop Row
US10421039B2 (en) 2016-06-14 2019-09-24 Carbon Engineering Ltd. Capturing carbon dioxide
TWI626982B (en) * 2016-07-13 2018-06-21 Lin zheng ren Treatment method for
CN106178817A (en) * 2016-08-15 2016-12-07 陈曦 A kind of extensive carbon dioxide capture system and capture method
NO20161306A1 (en) * 2016-08-16 2018-02-19 Greencap Solutions As System and method for climate control i closed spaces
US10570718B2 (en) 2016-11-14 2020-02-25 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Capture and recovery exhaust gas from machinery located and operated at a well site
US11540452B2 (en) * 2016-12-14 2023-01-03 Mankaew MUANCHART Air movement control and air source device for cultivation
CN110177458B (en) * 2016-12-14 2021-08-03 曼凯·曼纳查特 Air motion control and air source device for planting
AU2017383560B2 (en) 2016-12-23 2023-05-25 Carbon Engineering Ltd. Method and system for synthesizing fuel from dilute carbon dioxide source
US10501640B2 (en) 2017-01-31 2019-12-10 Arizona Board Of Regents On Behalf Of Arizona State University Nanoporous materials, method of manufacture and methods of use
JP6822986B2 (en) * 2017-03-16 2021-01-27 株式会社東芝 Carbon fixation device and fuel production system
MX359868B (en) * 2017-05-08 2018-09-25 Monroy Sampieri Carlos System for collection and monitoring of atmospheric pollutant agents.
GB201710395D0 (en) * 2017-06-29 2017-08-16 Co2I Ltd Environmental control system
CN107854936B (en) * 2017-12-02 2023-06-20 西部新锆核材料科技有限公司 Biological haze control workstation
US10378411B1 (en) 2018-01-03 2019-08-13 Southwest Research Institute Dosing method and apparatus for reductant urea solutions with catalyst precursors to assist selective catalytic reduction
CN108043368A (en) * 2018-01-12 2018-05-18 西安鸿钧睿泽新材料科技有限公司 A kind of preparation method of resin group carbonic anhydride adsorption agent
WO2019152647A1 (en) * 2018-01-31 2019-08-08 University Of Houston System Materials, systems, and methods for co2 capture and conversion
WO2019161114A1 (en) 2018-02-16 2019-08-22 Carbon Sink, Inc. Fluidized bed extractors for capture of co2 from ambient air
US10774715B1 (en) 2018-03-27 2020-09-15 Southwest Research Institute Stabilization of aqueous urea solutions containing organometallic catalyst precursors
US10932420B2 (en) * 2018-04-19 2021-03-02 Therma-Stor, Llc Greenhouse latent moisture and heat exchanger
CN108970590A (en) * 2018-05-21 2018-12-11 成都威能士医疗科技有限公司 Utilize the method and its application of carbon dioxide in active material or modified active material capture and enriched air
CN108970327A (en) * 2018-05-21 2018-12-11 成都威能士医疗科技有限公司 Method using carbon dioxide in active material or modified active material capture and enriched air and the application in catching insects
PT3809829T (en) 2018-06-21 2022-10-06 Univ Amsterdam Use of green microalgae to improve plant growth
CN112566713A (en) 2018-07-20 2021-03-26 波里费拉公司 Osmosis module with recirculation circuit
US10765997B1 (en) * 2018-08-23 2020-09-08 U.S. Department Of Energy Regenerable non-aqueous basic immobilized amine slurries for removal of CO2 from a gaseous mixture and a method of use thereof
CN109160692B (en) * 2018-10-16 2021-06-04 中国水产科学研究院渔业机械仪器研究所 Air-lift type physical and chemical treatment device for aquaculture
KR101984711B1 (en) * 2018-11-14 2019-05-31 성균관대학교산학협력단 Smart farm system having device of carbon dioxide application and radiation type heating-cooling
AU2020210754A1 (en) 2019-01-23 2021-07-08 Blue Planet Systems Corporation Carbonate aggregate compositions and methods of making and using the same
KR102174090B1 (en) * 2019-01-25 2020-11-04 고려대학교 산학협력단 Method for carbon resource utilization
US10603625B1 (en) 2019-10-07 2020-03-31 Global C2 Cooling, Inc. Carbon capture systems and methods
US11278840B2 (en) 2019-10-07 2022-03-22 Global C2 Cooling, Inc. Carbon capture systems and methods
KR20220113813A (en) 2019-12-21 2022-08-16 하이 홉스 랩스 리미티드 Gaseous Material Capture Systems and Methods
US11825866B2 (en) 2020-03-09 2023-11-28 Brett Patrick Process for the preparation of food and beverage products with reduced carbon-14 content
US20210340033A1 (en) * 2020-05-01 2021-11-04 Exxonmobil Research And Engineering Company Algae cultivation systems and methods related thereto
MX2022015831A (en) * 2020-06-09 2023-03-03 Global Thermostat Operations Llc Continuous-motion direct air capture system.
US11753698B2 (en) 2020-09-25 2023-09-12 Carbon Technology Holdings, LLC Bio-reduction of metal ores integrated with biomass pyrolysis
US11850566B2 (en) 2020-11-24 2023-12-26 Aircela Inc. Synthetic fuel production system and related techniques
CA3203755A1 (en) * 2020-12-04 2022-06-09 Oakland University Fertilizer desiccant system and method
CN117015514A (en) 2021-02-18 2023-11-07 卡本科技控股有限责任公司 Carbon negative metallurgical product
CN114100361B (en) * 2021-11-03 2022-09-23 中国科学院武汉岩土力学研究所 Sewage treatment plant aeration tank CO 2 Trapping and utilizing system
DE102022121020A1 (en) 2022-02-03 2023-08-03 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Process for separating carbon dioxide from the ambient air and installation for carrying out such a process
WO2024002882A1 (en) 2022-06-29 2024-01-04 Climeworks Ag Sorbent materials for co2 capture, uses thereof and methods for making same
US11799661B1 (en) * 2022-11-07 2023-10-24 Robert Craig Davidoff Carbon capture adapter

Citations (97)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US346938A (en) * 1886-08-10 Ingee
US1031799A (en) * 1910-11-28 1912-07-09 Donald Mackay Apparatus for indicating the trim of a ship, vessel, or the like.
US1296889A (en) * 1918-08-09 1919-03-11 John F White Hay-press.
US1482367A (en) * 1922-12-28 1924-01-29 Harvey G Elledge Production of carbon dioxide
US2796145A (en) * 1953-01-27 1957-06-18 King William Roy Gas cleaners
US3024207A (en) * 1958-04-10 1962-03-06 Rohm & Haas Ion-exchange products and methods for making and suing them
US3318588A (en) * 1964-12-21 1967-05-09 Union Carbide Corp High performance falling-film cooler-absorber
US3330750A (en) * 1962-06-20 1967-07-11 Ionics Removal of gases by electrode-ionization
US3489506A (en) * 1965-04-19 1970-01-13 Bechtel Int Corp Method of removing carbon dioxide from gases
US3498026A (en) * 1968-06-24 1970-03-03 Harry Messinger Ion exchange process and apparatus for continuous removal of gases
US3554691A (en) * 1968-06-11 1971-01-12 Union Carbide Corp Gas purification process
US3561926A (en) * 1968-04-10 1971-02-09 Gen Electric Attitude insensitive gas generator
US3594989A (en) * 1969-12-16 1971-07-27 Cedric R Bastiaans Collapsible and disposable collecting cell for electrostatic precipitator
US3645072A (en) * 1970-01-09 1972-02-29 Calgon Corp Filter and process of making same
US3710778A (en) * 1971-03-15 1973-01-16 Gen Electric Blood gas sensor amplifier and testing system
US3712025A (en) * 1970-03-30 1973-01-23 R Wallace Continuous electromigration process for removal of gaseous contaminants from the atmosphere and apparatus
US3727375A (en) * 1971-08-12 1973-04-17 R Wallace Continuous electromigration process for removal of gaseous contaminants from the atmosphere and apparatus
US3865924A (en) * 1972-03-03 1975-02-11 Inst Gas Technology Process for regenerative sorption of CO{HD 2
US3876565A (en) * 1972-09-01 1975-04-08 Mitsubishi Petrochemical Co Ion exchanger - polyolefin membranes
US3876738A (en) * 1973-07-18 1975-04-08 Amf Inc Process for producing microporous films and products
US3948627A (en) * 1971-07-22 1976-04-06 Bessam Manufacturing, Inc. Liquid sprayer
US4012206A (en) * 1972-12-02 1977-03-15 Gas Developments Corporation Air cleaning adsorption process
US4197421A (en) * 1978-08-17 1980-04-08 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Synthetic carbonaceous fuels and feedstocks
US4246241A (en) * 1979-03-26 1981-01-20 Dow Chemical Canada Limited Process for selective removal of sodium sulfate from an aqueous slurry
US4340480A (en) * 1978-05-15 1982-07-20 Pall Corporation Process for preparing liquophilic polyamide membrane filter media and product
US4436707A (en) * 1980-11-20 1984-03-13 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Method for the removal of acidic gases such as carbon dioxide from gaseous mixtures
US4497641A (en) * 1983-11-18 1985-02-05 Colorado School Of Mines Apparatus and method for dust control by condensation enlargement
US4511375A (en) * 1984-03-29 1985-04-16 Union Carbide Corporation Process and apparatus for direct heat transfer temperature swing regeneration
US4528248A (en) * 1984-07-30 1985-07-09 Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc. Electrochemical cell and method
US4566221A (en) * 1984-08-03 1986-01-28 Jacqualine Kossin Flower support for wedding bouquets and the like
US4592817A (en) * 1984-12-03 1986-06-03 Allied Corporation Electrodialytic water splitting process for gaseous products
US4594081A (en) * 1983-02-05 1986-06-10 Walter Kroll Gas scrubber
US4608140A (en) * 1985-06-10 1986-08-26 Ionics, Incorporated Electrodialysis apparatus and process
US4678648A (en) * 1985-02-22 1987-07-07 Sulzer Canada, Inc. Method and apparatus for selective absorption of hydrogen sulphide from gas streams containing hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide
US4729883A (en) * 1985-09-12 1988-03-08 British Gas Corporation Acid gas removal process
US4804522A (en) * 1980-05-21 1989-02-14 Union Oil Company Of California Process for removing SOx and NOx compounds from gas streams
US4810266A (en) * 1988-02-25 1989-03-07 Allied-Signal Inc. Carbon dioxide removal using aminated carbon molecular sieves
US4861360A (en) * 1986-02-24 1989-08-29 Flexivol, Inc. Carbon dioxide absorption methanol process
US4899544A (en) * 1987-08-13 1990-02-13 Boyd Randall T Cogeneration/CO2 production process and plant
US4906263A (en) * 1988-04-22 1990-03-06 Bluecher Hasso Von Adsorption filter with high air permeability
US4941898A (en) * 1988-05-30 1990-07-17 Takeshi Kimura Multicylinder rotary apparatus for desulfurization from exhaust gas
US5180750A (en) * 1988-07-29 1993-01-19 Asahi Glass Company Ltd. Anion exchanger
US5215662A (en) * 1988-12-16 1993-06-01 Micron Separations Inc. Heat resistant microporous material production and products
US5277915A (en) * 1987-10-30 1994-01-11 Fmc Corporation Gel-in-matrix containing a fractured hydrogel
US5281254A (en) * 1992-05-22 1994-01-25 United Technologies Corporation Continuous carbon dioxide and water removal system
US5308466A (en) * 1990-12-17 1994-05-03 Ip Holding Company Electrodeionization apparatus
US5318758A (en) * 1991-03-07 1994-06-07 Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Apparatus and process for removing carbon dioxide from combustion exhaust gas
US5385610A (en) * 1993-10-06 1995-01-31 Hoover Universal, Inc. Self-adjusting roll coater
US5389257A (en) * 1988-11-03 1995-02-14 Ecological Engineering Associates Method for treating water
US5414957A (en) * 1993-10-15 1995-05-16 Kenney; Leonard D. Cascade bouquet holder
US5525237A (en) * 1993-12-23 1996-06-11 United Technologies Corporation Process for removing free and dissolved CO2 from aqueous solutions
US5535989A (en) * 1994-12-02 1996-07-16 Sen; Dipak K. Liquid film producing process and apparatus for fluid-liquid contacting
US5711770A (en) * 1996-01-04 1998-01-27 Malina; Mylan Energy conversion system
US5756207A (en) * 1986-03-24 1998-05-26 Ensci Inc. Transition metal oxide coated substrates
US5779767A (en) * 1997-03-07 1998-07-14 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Use of zeolites and alumina in adsorption processes
US5887547A (en) * 1997-07-03 1999-03-30 Enviromentally Correct Concepts, Inc. Method for measuring and quantifying amounts of carbon from certain greenhouse gases sequestered in grassy and herbaceous plants above and below the soil surface
US5914455A (en) * 1997-09-30 1999-06-22 The Boc Group, Inc. Air purification process
US5917136A (en) * 1995-10-04 1999-06-29 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Carbon dioxide pressure swing adsorption process using modified alumina adsorbents
US6027552A (en) * 1996-04-18 2000-02-22 Graham Corporation Method for removing ammonia and carbon dioxide gases from a steam
US6180012B1 (en) * 1997-03-19 2001-01-30 Paul I. Rongved Sea water desalination using CO2 gas from combustion exhaust
US6221225B1 (en) * 1997-01-23 2001-04-24 Archer Daniels Midland Company Apparatus and process for electrodialysis of salts
US6228145B1 (en) * 1996-07-31 2001-05-08 Kvaerner Asa Method for removing carbon dioxide from gases
US6237284B1 (en) * 1994-05-27 2001-05-29 The Agricultural Gas Company Method for recycling carbon dioxide for enhancing plant growth
US20010004895A1 (en) * 1999-12-24 2001-06-28 Astrium Gmbh Carbon dioxide absorbent for anesthesia apparatuses
US20010009124A1 (en) * 2000-01-25 2001-07-26 Minoru Suzuki Method for decarbonating waste gas and decarbonating apparatus
US6334886B1 (en) * 2000-05-12 2002-01-01 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Removal of corrosive contaminants from alkanolamine absorbent process
US6402819B1 (en) * 1997-06-27 2002-06-11 Mhb Filtration Gmbh & Co. Kg Fresh air filter
US20020083833A1 (en) * 2000-08-17 2002-07-04 Timothy Nalette Carbon dioxide scrubber for fuel and gas emissions
US6503957B1 (en) * 1999-11-19 2003-01-07 Electropure, Inc. Methods and apparatus for the formation of heterogeneous ion-exchange membranes
US20030022948A1 (en) * 2001-07-19 2003-01-30 Yoshio Seiki Method for manufacturing synthesis gas and method for manufacturing methanol
US6547854B1 (en) * 2001-09-25 2003-04-15 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Amine enriched solid sorbents for carbon dioxide capture
US6582498B1 (en) * 2001-05-04 2003-06-24 Battelle Memorial Institute Method of separating carbon dioxide from a gas mixture using a fluid dynamic instability
US20040031424A1 (en) * 2002-05-17 2004-02-19 Pope Michael G. Appratus for waste gasification
US20040069144A1 (en) * 2001-04-30 2004-04-15 Wegeng Robert S. Method and apparatus for thermal swing adsorption and thermally-enhanced pressure swing adsorption
US20040103831A1 (en) * 2002-05-17 2004-06-03 Pope Michael G. Apparatus for waste gasification
US20040134353A1 (en) * 2000-09-05 2004-07-15 Donaldson Company, Inc. Air filtration arrangements having fluted media constructions and methods
US20050011770A1 (en) * 2003-07-18 2005-01-20 Tatenuma Katsuyoshi Reduction method of atmospheric carbon dioxide, recovery and removal method of carbonate contained in seawater, and disposal method of the recovered carbonate
US20050063956A1 (en) * 1998-11-06 2005-03-24 Colorado State University Research Foundation Method and device for attracting insects
US20050092176A1 (en) * 2001-06-08 2005-05-05 Lefei Ding Adsorptive filter element and methods
US20050095486A1 (en) * 2002-02-15 2005-05-05 Shiro Hamamoto Cluster ion exchange membrane and electrolyte membrane electrode connection body
US6890497B2 (en) * 1998-08-18 2005-05-10 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Method for extracting and sequestering carbon dioxide
US6908497B1 (en) * 2003-04-23 2005-06-21 The United States Of America As Represented By The Department Of Energy Solid sorbents for removal of carbon dioxide from gas streams at low temperatures
US20060013963A1 (en) * 2000-03-31 2006-01-19 Hydrophilix, Llc Foam composite
US20060042209A1 (en) * 2004-08-27 2006-03-02 Dallas Andrew J Alkaline impregnated filter element, and methods
US20060051274A1 (en) * 2004-08-23 2006-03-09 Wright Allen B Removal of carbon dioxide from air
US7067456B2 (en) * 2003-02-06 2006-06-27 The Ohio State University Sorbent for separation of carbon dioxide (CO2) from gas mixtures
US20070004023A1 (en) * 2003-05-19 2007-01-04 Michael Trachtenberg Methods, apparatuses, and reactors for gas separation
US20070149398A1 (en) * 2005-12-12 2007-06-28 Jones Christopher W Structures for capturing CO2, methods of making the structures, and methods of capturing CO2
US20080008793A1 (en) * 2006-06-27 2008-01-10 Chiquita Brands, Inc. Method for Storing Bananas During Ripening
US20080025893A1 (en) * 2004-03-09 2008-01-31 Basf Aktiengesellschaft Method For The Removal Of Carbon Dioxide From Gas Flows With Low Carbon Dioxide Partial Pressures
US20080031801A1 (en) * 2004-05-04 2008-02-07 Lackner Klaus S Carbon Dioxide Capture and Mitigation of Carbon Dioxide Emissions
US7343341B2 (en) * 2002-07-20 2008-03-11 Chicago Climate Exchange, Inc. Systems and methods for trading emission reductions
US20080087165A1 (en) * 2006-10-02 2008-04-17 Wright Allen B Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US7364608B2 (en) * 2004-03-29 2008-04-29 Nichias Corporation Chemical filter and method for manufacturing same
US7384621B2 (en) * 2004-04-19 2008-06-10 Texaco Inc. Reforming with hydration of carbon dioxide fixing material
US20090092176A1 (en) * 2007-10-08 2009-04-09 100-Adc Dsl Systems, Inc. Regenerator unit
US20090120288A1 (en) * 2007-11-05 2009-05-14 Lackner Klaus S Removal of carbon dioxide from air

Family Cites Families (225)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US618012A (en) * 1899-01-17 Adjustable shade and curtain support
US2718454A (en) 1947-10-11 1955-09-20 Exxon Research Engineering Co Recovery of acidic gases
US2922489A (en) * 1957-04-05 1960-01-26 Hollingsworth R Lee Gas washing, cleaning and drying apparatus
US3063195A (en) 1958-01-07 1962-11-13 Hupp Corp Artificially climatized greenhouse
US3294488A (en) * 1958-02-11 1966-12-27 Shell Oil Co Purification of hydrogen peroxide
US3111485A (en) * 1960-11-30 1963-11-19 Rohm & Haas Regenerating mixed bed ion exchangers in fluid deionizing process
NL284535A (en) 1962-07-31
GB1031799A (en) 1963-02-18 1966-06-02 Walker Mfg Co Foamed plastic sorbent material and method for producing same
US3282831A (en) * 1963-12-12 1966-11-01 Signal Oil & Gas Co Regeneration of anionic exchange resins
US3344050A (en) 1964-02-03 1967-09-26 Girdler Corp Removal of carbon dioxide from gaseous atmospheres
US3353994A (en) 1964-05-07 1967-11-21 Scott Paper Co Novel reticulated products
US3364656A (en) 1964-12-16 1968-01-23 Universal Oil Prod Co Method for effecting countercurrent contacting of gas and liquid streams
US3466138A (en) * 1966-06-07 1969-09-09 United Aircraft Corp Process and system for removal of acidic gases from influent gas to fuel cell
US3556716A (en) * 1967-04-05 1971-01-19 Rohm & Haas Removal of h2s and nh3 from gas streams
US3466019A (en) 1967-08-04 1969-09-09 Ronald Priestley Gas-liquid contact packing sheets
US3470708A (en) 1967-10-12 1969-10-07 Inst Gas Technology Solid-adsorbent air-conditioning device
US3627703A (en) 1968-10-31 1971-12-14 Mitsubishi Petrochemical Co Polypropylene resin composites and production thereof
FR2029424A1 (en) 1969-01-31 1970-10-23 Comp Generale Electricite Continuous decarbonation of air supply to - an electro chem generator
US3627478A (en) * 1969-08-12 1971-12-14 Mine Safety Appliances Co Method for separating carbon dioxide from other gases
CA934939A (en) * 1969-08-12 1973-10-09 Mine Safety Appliances Company Method for separating carbon dioxide from other gases
GB1281054A (en) * 1969-10-16 1972-07-12 Vann Brothers Ltd Improvements in or relating to dental handpieces
US3632519A (en) * 1969-11-10 1972-01-04 Us Navy Aqueous solutions of omega-aminoalkyl alkylsulfones as regenerative co2 absorbents
US3855001A (en) * 1970-03-26 1974-12-17 Inst Francais Du Petrole Fuel cell with air purifier
US3691109A (en) 1970-05-25 1972-09-12 Marathon Oil Co Process for regenerating resins of deionization system
FR2161188A6 (en) 1971-06-08 1973-07-06 Inst Francais Du Petrole
US3841558A (en) 1971-11-09 1974-10-15 W D Fowler & Sons Corp Arrangement for irrigating and controlling temperature and humidity of plants
US3907967A (en) * 1972-07-25 1975-09-23 Kernforschungsanlage Juelich Method of purifying gases using rotatable plates having a solid reaction surface layer thereon
US3880981A (en) 1972-10-10 1975-04-29 Renato M Garingarao Cyclic acid leaching of nickel bearing oxide and silicate ores with subsequent iron removal from leach liquor
DE2260872A1 (en) 1972-12-13 1974-06-27 Babcock & Wilcox Ag METHOD OF GENERATING NITROGEN FOR USE AS AN INERT GAS AND DEVICE FOR USE
US3848577A (en) 1973-03-12 1974-11-19 D Storandt Charcoal fire starter and grill
DE2326070C3 (en) 1973-05-22 1979-10-25 Siemens Ag, 1000 Berlin Und 8000 Muenchen Device for removing carbon dioxide from air used to operate electrochemical cells
US3981698A (en) 1973-08-15 1976-09-21 Cjb Development Limited Process for the removal of carbon dioxide from gases
US3915822A (en) * 1974-05-22 1975-10-28 Grace W R & Co Electrochemical system with bed sections having variable gradient
SU511963A1 (en) 1974-10-17 1976-04-30 Государственный научно-исследовательский институт цветных металлов The method of purification of gases from hydrogen chloride
US4167551A (en) 1974-10-21 1979-09-11 Mitsubishi Petrochemical Company Limited Process for the production of an ion exchange membrane
US4034569A (en) * 1974-11-04 1977-07-12 Tchernev Dimiter I Sorption system for low-grade (solar) heat utilization
US4140602A (en) 1975-09-02 1979-02-20 Texas Gas Transmission Corporation Method for obtaining carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and for production of fuels
GB1520110A (en) 1975-10-31 1978-08-02 British Steel Corp Heat exchanger
JPS5915688B2 (en) 1976-08-10 1984-04-11 千代田化工建設株式会社 Gas-liquid contact device
CH617357A5 (en) * 1977-05-12 1980-05-30 Sulzer Ag
SU715120A1 (en) 1977-06-20 1980-02-15 Институт общей и неорганической химии АН Белорусской ССР Method of purifying air from carbon dioxide
JPS5850772B2 (en) 1979-02-27 1983-11-12 工業技術院長 Fluidized bed reactor and its operating method
US4264340A (en) * 1979-02-28 1981-04-28 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Vacuum swing adsorption for air fractionation
DE3071856D1 (en) 1979-05-31 1987-01-22 Ici Plc Process and apparatus for effecting mass transfer
US4238305A (en) * 1979-10-29 1980-12-09 Allied Chemical Corporation Electrodialytic process for the conversion of impure soda values to sodium hydroxide and carbon dioxide
US4249317A (en) * 1979-11-05 1981-02-10 Murdock James D Solar drying apparatus and process for drying materials therewith
JPS56128749A (en) * 1980-03-13 1981-10-08 Mitsui Toatsu Chem Inc Stripping of unreacted material in urea preparation process
US4398927A (en) * 1980-07-30 1983-08-16 Exxon Research And Engineering Co. Cyclic adsorption process
US4409006A (en) 1981-12-07 1983-10-11 Mattia Manlio M Removal and concentration of organic vapors from gas streams
JPS58122022A (en) 1982-01-14 1983-07-20 Shin Nisso Kako Co Ltd Body and implement for absorbing harmful gas
US4425142A (en) 1982-11-15 1984-01-10 Chicago Bridge & Iron Company Pressure swing adsorption cycle for natural gas pretreatment for liquefaction
CA1208141A (en) 1982-12-20 1986-07-22 John P. Hogan Removal of carbon dioxide from olefin containing streams
US4475448A (en) * 1983-02-22 1984-10-09 General Foods Corporation Reactant/gas separation means for beverage carbonation device
US4569150A (en) * 1983-10-31 1986-02-11 Board Of Trustees Operating Michigan State University Method and apparatus for optimization of growth of plants
CA1212522A (en) 1984-04-30 1986-10-14 Richard A. Wolcott Process for the recovery of co.sub.2 from flue gases
US4543112A (en) 1984-04-30 1985-09-24 Figgie International Inc. Sorbent type filter assembly for a respirator and method of making same
JPS6172035A (en) 1984-09-17 1986-04-14 Japan Styrene Paper Co Ltd Self-extinguishing plastic foam and its production
JPS61227822A (en) 1985-04-01 1986-10-09 Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd Removing device for carbonic acid gas
JPS61254220A (en) * 1985-05-02 1986-11-12 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd Apparatus for removing co2
JPS61254219A (en) * 1985-05-02 1986-11-12 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd Apparatus for removing co2
JPS61254221A (en) 1985-05-02 1986-11-12 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd Apparatus for removing co2
US4655221A (en) * 1985-05-06 1987-04-07 American Cyanamid Company Method of using a surgical repair mesh
JPS61280217A (en) * 1985-06-01 1986-12-10 株式会社トクヤマ Greenhouse culture method
US4711645A (en) 1986-02-10 1987-12-08 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Removal of water and carbon dioxide from atmospheric air
CH670709A5 (en) * 1986-04-24 1989-06-30 Univ Moskovsk
JPS6312323A (en) 1986-07-03 1988-01-19 Sumitomo Heavy Ind Ltd Reactor for carbon dioxide removing device by ion-exchange resin
JPH0685857B2 (en) 1986-07-03 1994-11-02 住友重機械工業株式会社 Reactor for carbon dioxide removal device using ion exchange resin
JPS6316032A (en) * 1986-07-09 1988-01-23 Sumitomo Heavy Ind Ltd Supply of regeneration steam in carbon dioxide removing apparatus using ion exchange resin
DE3624768A1 (en) 1986-07-22 1988-01-28 Linde Ag METHOD FOR PREVENTING CORROSION OF APPARATUS PARTS
US5328851A (en) 1986-08-04 1994-07-12 Solomon Zaromb High-throughput liquid-absorption preconcentrator sampling methods
JPS6369525A (en) 1986-09-10 1988-03-29 Sumitomo Heavy Ind Ltd Discharging method for remaining gas just after time of regeneration in carbon dioxide remover
US4735603A (en) * 1986-09-10 1988-04-05 James H. Goodson Laser smoke evacuation system and method
JPS6369527A (en) * 1986-09-10 1988-03-29 Sumitomo Heavy Ind Ltd Waste heat recovering method in carbon dioxide removing method by ion exchange resin
US4711097A (en) * 1986-10-24 1987-12-08 Ferdinand Besik Apparatus for sorption dehumidification and cooling of moist air
US5069688A (en) 1986-11-06 1991-12-03 The Haser Company Limited Pressure swing gas separation
US4770777A (en) 1987-01-29 1988-09-13 Parker Hannifin Corporation Microporous asymmetric polyamide membranes
JPS63252528A (en) * 1987-04-10 1988-10-19 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd Air purification method
US4869894A (en) 1987-04-15 1989-09-26 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Hydrogen generation and recovery
US20020102674A1 (en) * 1987-05-20 2002-08-01 David M Anderson Stabilized microporous materials
US4953544A (en) 1987-09-25 1990-09-04 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Use of sorbent sheet materials as evaporative coolants
JPH0698262B2 (en) 1987-11-06 1994-12-07 株式会社日本触媒 Acid gas absorbent composition
JPH01208310A (en) 1988-02-15 1989-08-22 Sumitomo Chem Co Ltd Method for adsorptive separation of carbon dioxide
JPH01288546A (en) 1988-05-16 1989-11-20 Canon Inc Original transporting device
JPH01305809A (en) * 1988-06-01 1989-12-11 Daikin Ind Ltd Device for reutilizing waste combustion gas
JP2653370B2 (en) 1989-01-12 1997-09-17 住友重機械工業株式会社 Regeneration method of amine ion-exchange resin for adsorption
US4980098A (en) 1989-03-01 1990-12-25 Living Water Corporation Gas/liquid heat and/or mass exchanger
US5070664A (en) 1989-04-18 1991-12-10 Crane Plastics, Inc. Thermoplastic cover for stadium seating, picnic tables, boat docks and the like
US4957519A (en) 1989-05-04 1990-09-18 Chen Chi Shiang Air-cleaning apparatus
JPH03245811A (en) * 1990-02-21 1991-11-01 Sumitomo Heavy Ind Ltd Method for removing, concentrating and fixing carbon dioxide in atmosphere
US5232474A (en) * 1990-04-20 1993-08-03 The Boc Group, Inc. Pre-purification of air for separation
DE4130837A1 (en) 1990-09-26 1992-04-02 Basf Ag Removing solvents etc. from gases, liq(s). or solids - using polystyrene foam opt. held in gas-permeable bag
US5300226A (en) * 1990-10-23 1994-04-05 Stewart E. Erickson Construction, Inc. Waste handling method
JPH0620510B2 (en) 1990-11-02 1994-03-23 昌邦 金井 CO 2) Method and apparatus for treating exhaust gas containing
JPH04200720A (en) 1990-11-30 1992-07-21 Sumitomo Chem Co Ltd Carbon oxide removal device
JPH04200719A (en) * 1990-11-30 1992-07-21 Sumitomo Chem Co Ltd Carbon oxide removal device
US5170633A (en) 1991-06-24 1992-12-15 Amsted Industries Incorporated Desiccant based air conditioning system
US5401475A (en) * 1991-07-08 1995-03-28 G.E. Environmental Services, Inc. Process and apparatus for generating elemental sulfur and re-usable metal oxide from spent metal sulfide sorbents
JPH05237329A (en) 1991-08-30 1993-09-17 Chiyoda Corp Method and device for separating gas
JPH0557182A (en) 1991-09-03 1993-03-09 Central Glass Co Ltd Carbon dioxide absorbent
US5253682A (en) * 1991-12-13 1993-10-19 Haskett Carl E Free piston gas delivery apparatus and method
JP2792777B2 (en) 1992-01-17 1998-09-03 関西電力株式会社 Method for removing carbon dioxide from flue gas
US5203411A (en) 1992-03-11 1993-04-20 The Dow Chemical Company Oil recovery process using mobility control fluid comprising alkylated diphenyloxide sulfonates and foam forming amphoteric surfactants
NL9201179A (en) 1992-07-02 1994-02-01 Tno PROCESS FOR THE REGENERATIVE REMOVAL OF CARBON DIOXIDE FROM GAS FLOWS.
JPH0671137A (en) 1992-08-25 1994-03-15 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd Deodorizing apparatus
EP0585898B1 (en) 1992-09-04 1998-08-05 Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation Process for the production and use of an anion exchange resin
US5443740A (en) * 1992-10-07 1995-08-22 Christ Ag Process for the conditioning of ion exchange resins
US5376614A (en) 1992-12-11 1994-12-27 United Technologies Corporation Regenerable supported amine-polyol sorbent
JPH06253682A (en) * 1993-02-26 1994-09-13 Kanebo Ltd Plant rearing house
CA2104310A1 (en) 1993-08-18 1995-02-19 Kimberley D. J. Graham Bouquet holder
GB9405864D0 (en) 1994-03-24 1994-05-11 Anglian Windows Ltd Plastics extrusions and method of extrusion thereof
CN1048194C (en) 1994-07-07 2000-01-12 南开大学 Catalyst used for carbon dioxide hydrogenation reaction
NO180033C (en) 1994-12-02 1997-02-05 Norsk Hydro As Method and apparatus for automatic detection of fire danger in vehicles
EP0799141B1 (en) 1994-12-23 1999-08-04 AlliedSignal Inc. A filtration device using absorption for the removal of gas phase contaminants
US6214303B1 (en) 1995-01-20 2001-04-10 Engelhard Corporation Method and apparatus for treating the atmosphere
DE19516311A1 (en) * 1995-05-04 1996-11-07 Graeff Roderich Wilhelm Method and device for preparing an adsorbent containing an agent, in particular moisture
DE19521678A1 (en) 1995-06-14 1996-12-19 Bluecher Hasso Von Cylindrical filter cartridge with high air permeability
US5658372A (en) * 1995-07-10 1997-08-19 Corning Incorporated System and method for adsorbing contaminants and regenerating the adsorber
RU2097115C1 (en) 1995-07-28 1997-11-27 Научно-производственное предприятие "Технолог" System for removing carbon dioxide from air
CA2232302C (en) 1995-09-20 2001-07-31 Chemical Lime Company Method of manufacturing high purity calcium carbonate
GB9520703D0 (en) 1995-10-10 1995-12-13 Ecc Int Ltd Paper coating pigments and their production and use
JPH09262432A (en) 1996-03-29 1997-10-07 Kansai Electric Power Co Inc:The Method for recovering basic amine compound in waste gas of decarboxylation column
JPH09276648A (en) * 1996-04-17 1997-10-28 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd Recycling of carbon dioxide
KR20000016668A (en) * 1996-06-14 2000-03-25 마싸 앤 피네간 Modified carbon absorbent and absorbing method thereof
JPH1085571A (en) 1996-07-26 1998-04-07 Dainippon Ink & Chem Inc Separating membrane
JPH1057745A (en) * 1996-08-16 1998-03-03 Nippon Steel Corp Recovering and fixing method of carbon dioxide
US5955043A (en) * 1996-08-29 1999-09-21 Tg Soda Ash, Inc. Production of sodium carbonate from solution mine brine
US5747042A (en) * 1996-09-26 1998-05-05 Choquet; Claude Method for producing carbon dioxide, fungicidal compounds and thermal energy
DE69711238T2 (en) 1996-10-15 2002-12-12 Carrier Corp METHOD FOR PRODUCING FILTER MATERIAL
JP3555819B2 (en) * 1996-10-18 2004-08-18 株式会社荏原製作所 Chemical filter
US5876488A (en) 1996-10-22 1999-03-02 United Technologies Corporation Regenerable solid amine sorbent
SE509580C2 (en) 1996-11-18 1999-02-08 Gibeck Ab Louis Regenerable absorbent apparatus, as well as a method for removing carbon dioxide from exhaled gases under anesthesia and a recirculating recirculation system for anesthesia.
US5797979A (en) * 1997-01-23 1998-08-25 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Removal of acid gases from gas mixtures using ion exchange resins
US5788826A (en) * 1997-01-28 1998-08-04 Pionetics Corporation Electrochemically assisted ion exchange
JP3634115B2 (en) 1997-05-23 2005-03-30 大陽日酸株式会社 Gas purification method and apparatus
US5962545A (en) 1997-06-23 1999-10-05 The Dow Chemical Company Method of enhancing open cell formation in alkenyl aromatic polymer foams
US5980611A (en) 1997-09-25 1999-11-09 The Boc Group, Inc. Air purification process
JPH11226351A (en) * 1998-02-12 1999-08-24 Spirulina Kenkyusho:Kk Production of cleaned air and apparatus for cleaning air
US6200543B1 (en) 1998-02-25 2001-03-13 Mississippi Lime Company Apparatus and methods for reducing carbon dioxide content of an air stream
US6225363B1 (en) 1998-04-07 2001-05-01 Pactiv Corporation Foamable composition using high density polyethylene
US6158623A (en) * 1998-04-23 2000-12-12 Benavides; Samuel B. Packaging of flowable products
US6316668B1 (en) 1998-05-23 2001-11-13 The Regents Of The University Of California Acid sorption regeneration process using carbon dioxide
DE19830470C1 (en) 1998-07-08 1999-11-25 Dornier Gmbh Regenerative system for the adsorption of metabolically produced CO2
JP2000051634A (en) * 1998-08-05 2000-02-22 Seibu Giken Co Ltd Gas adsorbing element
JP2986019B1 (en) 1998-10-05 1999-12-06 セロン株式会社 Absorber pressing device
AU3494100A (en) 1999-02-22 2000-09-14 Engelhard Corporation Humidity swing adsorption process and apparatus
US6143057A (en) * 1999-04-23 2000-11-07 The Boc Group, Inc. Adsorbents and adsorptive separation process
US6346938B1 (en) * 1999-04-27 2002-02-12 Harris Corporation Computer-resident mechanism for manipulating, navigating through and mensurating displayed image of three-dimensional geometric model
US6136075A (en) 1999-05-03 2000-10-24 Westvaco Corporation Automotive evaporative emissions canister adsorptive restraint system
CA2374862C (en) 1999-06-11 2010-02-09 Gas Separation Technology, Inc. Porous gas permeable material for gas separation
US6245128B1 (en) 1999-06-15 2001-06-12 Mobil Oil Corporation Process for the reclamation of spent alkanolamine solution
TW574368B (en) 1999-06-21 2004-02-01 Idemitsu Kosan Co Refrigerator oil for carbon dioxide refrigerant
US6209256B1 (en) 1999-08-17 2001-04-03 Abj Group, Llc Insect trap having an attractant gas emitted through a trapping liquid
US6284021B1 (en) 1999-09-02 2001-09-04 The Boc Group, Inc. Composite adsorbent beads for adsorption process
TW504776B (en) * 1999-09-09 2002-10-01 Mimasu Semiconductor Ind Co Wafer rotary holding apparatus and wafer surface treatment apparatus with waste liquid recovery mechanism
IT1307053B1 (en) 1999-09-23 2001-10-23 Edison Termoelettrica Spa CARBON DIOXIDE ABSORPTION UNIT AND REGENERATION METHOD OF SUCH UNIT.
US7047894B2 (en) * 1999-11-02 2006-05-23 Consolidated Engineering Company, Inc. Method and apparatus for combustion of residual carbon in fly ash
CN1391642A (en) 1999-11-19 2003-01-15 株式会社丸喜 Stack structure
US6322612B1 (en) 1999-12-23 2001-11-27 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. PSA process for removal of bulk carbon dioxide from a wet high-temperature gas
DE20001385U1 (en) 2000-01-27 2000-08-10 Li Zhiqiang Exhaust air scrubber
US20030167692A1 (en) 2000-05-05 2003-09-11 Jewell Dennis W. Method for increasing the efficiency of a gasification process for halogenated materials
US6830596B1 (en) 2000-06-29 2004-12-14 Exxonmobil Research And Engineering Company Electric power generation with heat exchanged membrane reactor (law 917)
CA2353617A1 (en) 2000-07-24 2002-01-24 Asahi Glass Company, Limited Heterogeneous anion exchanger
US6364938B1 (en) 2000-08-17 2002-04-02 Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation Sorbent system and method for absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere of a closed habitable environment
FR2814379B1 (en) 2000-09-26 2002-11-01 Inst Francais Du Petrole METHOD FOR DEACIDIFYING A GAS BY ABSORPTION IN A SOLVENT WITH TEMPERATURE CONTROL
US6526699B1 (en) * 2001-04-06 2003-03-04 Steve J. Foglio, Sr. Water holding and dispersing apparatus
JP2002306958A (en) * 2001-04-11 2002-10-22 Kansai Electric Power Co Inc:The Gas liquid contact plate and gas liquid contact apparatus
DE60214197T2 (en) 2001-06-08 2007-07-19 Donaldson Co., Inc., Minneapolis ADSORPTION ELEMENT AND METHOD
US6557482B1 (en) * 2001-06-29 2003-05-06 Doty, Iii Arthur F. Bird repelling assembly
US7135332B2 (en) 2001-07-12 2006-11-14 Ouellette Joseph P Biomass heating system
KR100424863B1 (en) 2001-07-31 2004-03-27 한국화학연구원 A method for separation of carbon dioxide using a polyvinylidene difluoride hollow fiber membrane contactor
FR2835445B1 (en) 2002-02-07 2004-11-19 Air Liquide USE OF AN ADSORBENT IN THE FORM OF SOLID FOAM FOR THE PURIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES
US6565627B1 (en) 2002-03-08 2003-05-20 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Self-supported structured adsorbent for gas separation
US7109140B2 (en) 2002-04-10 2006-09-19 Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc. Mixed matrix membranes
US6562256B1 (en) * 2002-05-06 2003-05-13 Nch Corporation Self-dispersing particulate composition and methods of use
JP2004089770A (en) * 2002-08-29 2004-03-25 Masanori Tashiro Method and apparatus for cleaning exhaust gas
US7175021B2 (en) 2002-11-20 2007-02-13 Commodore Machine Co. Inc. Highly absorbent open cell polymer foam and food package comprised thereof
US6969466B1 (en) 2002-12-24 2005-11-29 Puritan Products, Inc. Purification of ammonia
EP1580277A4 (en) * 2002-12-27 2007-04-18 Ajinomoto Kk Process for producing amino acid or its salt by column technique and production appratus therefor
US7331178B2 (en) * 2003-01-21 2008-02-19 Los Angeles Advisory Services Inc Hybrid generation with alternative fuel sources
US7415418B2 (en) 2003-02-10 2008-08-19 South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology Method and apparatus for generating standardized environmental benefit credits
JP3479950B1 (en) 2003-03-04 2003-12-15 スガ試験機株式会社 Environmental purification circulation type water electrolysis device
US20040213705A1 (en) 2003-04-23 2004-10-28 Blencoe James G. Carbonation of metal silicates for long-term CO2 sequestration
US7604787B2 (en) 2003-05-02 2009-10-20 The Penn State Research Foundation Process for sequestering carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide
US7132090B2 (en) 2003-05-02 2006-11-07 General Motors Corporation Sequestration of carbon dioxide
FI20031207A (en) * 2003-05-13 2005-02-08 Hydrocell Ltd Oy Filtration method and filter device
US20050203327A1 (en) 2004-03-09 2005-09-15 Stevan Jovanovic Hydrocarbon separation process
US7420004B2 (en) 2004-04-15 2008-09-02 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Process and System for producing synthetic liquid hydrocarbon fuels
AU2005238941B2 (en) 2004-04-23 2008-11-13 Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. Temperature limited heaters used to heat subsurface formations
WO2006009600A2 (en) 2004-05-04 2006-01-26 The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York Systems and methods for extraction of carbon dioxide from air
US7699909B2 (en) * 2004-05-04 2010-04-20 The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York Systems and methods for extraction of carbon dioxide from air
WO2005123237A2 (en) * 2004-05-14 2005-12-29 Eco/Technologies, Llc Method and system for sequestering carbon emissions from a combustor/boiler
CA2577685A1 (en) 2004-08-20 2006-04-06 Global Research Technologies, Llc Removal of carbon dioxide from air
US20060289003A1 (en) * 2004-08-20 2006-12-28 Lackner Klaus S Laminar scrubber apparatus for capturing carbon dioxide from air and methods of use
JP2006103974A (en) * 2004-09-30 2006-04-20 Toshiba Ceramics Co Ltd Carbon dioxide separation/recovery device
JP2006102561A (en) * 2004-09-30 2006-04-20 Toshiba Ceramics Co Ltd Carbon dioxide absorption material and carbon dioxide reaction device
US7547350B2 (en) 2005-01-10 2009-06-16 Miniature Precision Components, Inc. Air induction system with hydrocarbon trap assembly
US7655069B2 (en) 2005-02-02 2010-02-02 Global Research Technologies, Llc Removal of carbon dioxide from air
US7507274B2 (en) 2005-03-02 2009-03-24 Velocys, Inc. Separation process using microchannel technology
WO2006094411A1 (en) 2005-03-11 2006-09-14 University Of Ottawa Functionalized adsorbent for removal of acid gases and use thereof
JP2006266583A (en) 2005-03-23 2006-10-05 Daikin Ind Ltd Humidifying device, humidifying system, and air conditioner only for seat
JP4822746B2 (en) * 2005-06-10 2011-11-24 株式会社東芝 Carbon dioxide supply device for greenhouse for horticulture
WO2007018558A2 (en) * 2005-07-20 2007-02-15 The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York Electrochemical recovery of carbon dioxide from alkaline solvents
US9266051B2 (en) 2005-07-28 2016-02-23 Carbon Sink, Inc. Removal of carbon dioxide from air
ES2638792T3 (en) 2005-07-28 2017-10-24 Carbon Sink Inc. Removal of carbon dioxide from the air
US20070025488A1 (en) 2005-07-29 2007-02-01 Rambus Inc. RAM-DAC for transmit preemphasis
US7270796B2 (en) 2005-08-11 2007-09-18 Castion Corporation Ammonium/ammonia removal from a stream
JP2007190529A (en) 2006-01-23 2007-08-02 Sumika Chemtex Co Ltd Acid gas absorber and air cleaner containing it
US7608133B2 (en) 2006-02-27 2009-10-27 Honeywell International Inc. Lithium-exchanged faujasites for carbon dioxide removal
EP2668992A3 (en) 2006-03-08 2014-04-02 Kilimanjaro Energy, Inc. Air collector with functionalized ion exchange membrane for capturing ambient CO2
US7776296B2 (en) * 2006-03-10 2010-08-17 Cansolv Technologies Inc. Regeneration of ion exchangers that are used for salt removal from acid gas capture plants
US7795175B2 (en) * 2006-08-10 2010-09-14 University Of Southern California Nano-structure supported solid regenerative polyamine and polyamine polyol absorbents for the separation of carbon dioxide from gas mixtures including the air
JP4986152B2 (en) 2006-10-10 2012-07-25 独立行政法人産業技術総合研究所 Adsorption type refrigerator combined desiccant air conditioning method and apparatus
EP2097157A4 (en) 2006-11-15 2011-02-02 Global Res Technologies Llc Removal of carbon dioxide from air
AU2008242845B2 (en) 2007-04-17 2012-08-23 Carbon Sink, Inc. Capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from air
US20080289495A1 (en) 2007-05-21 2008-11-27 Peter Eisenberger System and Method for Removing Carbon Dioxide From an Atmosphere and Global Thermostat Using the Same
JP2011504140A (en) * 2007-11-20 2011-02-03 グローバル リサーチ テクノロジーズ,エルエルシー Air collector with functional ion exchange membrane to capture ambient CO2
EA201000896A1 (en) 2007-12-28 2011-06-30 Калера Корпорейшн CO BINDING METHODS
WO2009105566A2 (en) 2008-02-19 2009-08-27 Global Research Technologies, Llc Extraction and sequestration of carbon dioxide
MX2010009444A (en) 2008-02-28 2011-03-03 Megair Ltd Apparatus and method for air treatment and sanitization.
WO2009149292A1 (en) 2008-06-04 2009-12-10 Global Research Technologies, Llc Laminar flow air collector with solid sorbent materials for capturing ambient co2
US20110206588A1 (en) 2008-08-11 2011-08-25 Lackner Klaus S Method and apparatus for removing ammonia from a gas stream
US20110203174A1 (en) 2008-08-11 2011-08-25 Lackner Klaus S Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US20110203311A1 (en) 2008-08-22 2011-08-25 Wright Allen B Removal of carbon dioxide from air
US20120220019A1 (en) * 2009-07-23 2012-08-30 Lackner Klaus S Air collector with functionalized ion exchange membrane for capturing ambient co2
US8029300B2 (en) * 2009-10-02 2011-10-04 Research In Motion Limited Connector and system for connectors

Patent Citations (99)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US346938A (en) * 1886-08-10 Ingee
US1031799A (en) * 1910-11-28 1912-07-09 Donald Mackay Apparatus for indicating the trim of a ship, vessel, or the like.
US1296889A (en) * 1918-08-09 1919-03-11 John F White Hay-press.
US1482367A (en) * 1922-12-28 1924-01-29 Harvey G Elledge Production of carbon dioxide
US2796145A (en) * 1953-01-27 1957-06-18 King William Roy Gas cleaners
US3024207A (en) * 1958-04-10 1962-03-06 Rohm & Haas Ion-exchange products and methods for making and suing them
US3330750A (en) * 1962-06-20 1967-07-11 Ionics Removal of gases by electrode-ionization
US3318588A (en) * 1964-12-21 1967-05-09 Union Carbide Corp High performance falling-film cooler-absorber
US3489506A (en) * 1965-04-19 1970-01-13 Bechtel Int Corp Method of removing carbon dioxide from gases
US3561926A (en) * 1968-04-10 1971-02-09 Gen Electric Attitude insensitive gas generator
US3554691A (en) * 1968-06-11 1971-01-12 Union Carbide Corp Gas purification process
US3498026A (en) * 1968-06-24 1970-03-03 Harry Messinger Ion exchange process and apparatus for continuous removal of gases
US3594989A (en) * 1969-12-16 1971-07-27 Cedric R Bastiaans Collapsible and disposable collecting cell for electrostatic precipitator
US3645072A (en) * 1970-01-09 1972-02-29 Calgon Corp Filter and process of making same
US3712025A (en) * 1970-03-30 1973-01-23 R Wallace Continuous electromigration process for removal of gaseous contaminants from the atmosphere and apparatus
US3710778A (en) * 1971-03-15 1973-01-16 Gen Electric Blood gas sensor amplifier and testing system
US3948627A (en) * 1971-07-22 1976-04-06 Bessam Manufacturing, Inc. Liquid sprayer
US3727375A (en) * 1971-08-12 1973-04-17 R Wallace Continuous electromigration process for removal of gaseous contaminants from the atmosphere and apparatus
US3865924A (en) * 1972-03-03 1975-02-11 Inst Gas Technology Process for regenerative sorption of CO{HD 2
US3876565A (en) * 1972-09-01 1975-04-08 Mitsubishi Petrochemical Co Ion exchanger - polyolefin membranes
US4012206A (en) * 1972-12-02 1977-03-15 Gas Developments Corporation Air cleaning adsorption process
US3876738A (en) * 1973-07-18 1975-04-08 Amf Inc Process for producing microporous films and products
US4340480A (en) * 1978-05-15 1982-07-20 Pall Corporation Process for preparing liquophilic polyamide membrane filter media and product
US4197421A (en) * 1978-08-17 1980-04-08 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Synthetic carbonaceous fuels and feedstocks
US4246241A (en) * 1979-03-26 1981-01-20 Dow Chemical Canada Limited Process for selective removal of sodium sulfate from an aqueous slurry
US4804522A (en) * 1980-05-21 1989-02-14 Union Oil Company Of California Process for removing SOx and NOx compounds from gas streams
US4436707A (en) * 1980-11-20 1984-03-13 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Method for the removal of acidic gases such as carbon dioxide from gaseous mixtures
US4594081A (en) * 1983-02-05 1986-06-10 Walter Kroll Gas scrubber
US4497641A (en) * 1983-11-18 1985-02-05 Colorado School Of Mines Apparatus and method for dust control by condensation enlargement
US4511375A (en) * 1984-03-29 1985-04-16 Union Carbide Corporation Process and apparatus for direct heat transfer temperature swing regeneration
US4528248A (en) * 1984-07-30 1985-07-09 Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc. Electrochemical cell and method
US4566221A (en) * 1984-08-03 1986-01-28 Jacqualine Kossin Flower support for wedding bouquets and the like
US4592817A (en) * 1984-12-03 1986-06-03 Allied Corporation Electrodialytic water splitting process for gaseous products
US4678648A (en) * 1985-02-22 1987-07-07 Sulzer Canada, Inc. Method and apparatus for selective absorption of hydrogen sulphide from gas streams containing hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide
US4608140A (en) * 1985-06-10 1986-08-26 Ionics, Incorporated Electrodialysis apparatus and process
US4729883A (en) * 1985-09-12 1988-03-08 British Gas Corporation Acid gas removal process
US4861360A (en) * 1986-02-24 1989-08-29 Flexivol, Inc. Carbon dioxide absorption methanol process
US5756207A (en) * 1986-03-24 1998-05-26 Ensci Inc. Transition metal oxide coated substrates
US4899544A (en) * 1987-08-13 1990-02-13 Boyd Randall T Cogeneration/CO2 production process and plant
US5277915A (en) * 1987-10-30 1994-01-11 Fmc Corporation Gel-in-matrix containing a fractured hydrogel
US4810266A (en) * 1988-02-25 1989-03-07 Allied-Signal Inc. Carbon dioxide removal using aminated carbon molecular sieves
US4906263A (en) * 1988-04-22 1990-03-06 Bluecher Hasso Von Adsorption filter with high air permeability
US4941898A (en) * 1988-05-30 1990-07-17 Takeshi Kimura Multicylinder rotary apparatus for desulfurization from exhaust gas
US5180750A (en) * 1988-07-29 1993-01-19 Asahi Glass Company Ltd. Anion exchanger
US5389257A (en) * 1988-11-03 1995-02-14 Ecological Engineering Associates Method for treating water
US5215662A (en) * 1988-12-16 1993-06-01 Micron Separations Inc. Heat resistant microporous material production and products
US5308466A (en) * 1990-12-17 1994-05-03 Ip Holding Company Electrodeionization apparatus
US5316637A (en) * 1990-12-17 1994-05-31 Ip Holding Company Electrodeionization apparatus
US5318758A (en) * 1991-03-07 1994-06-07 Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Apparatus and process for removing carbon dioxide from combustion exhaust gas
US5281254A (en) * 1992-05-22 1994-01-25 United Technologies Corporation Continuous carbon dioxide and water removal system
US5385610A (en) * 1993-10-06 1995-01-31 Hoover Universal, Inc. Self-adjusting roll coater
US5414957A (en) * 1993-10-15 1995-05-16 Kenney; Leonard D. Cascade bouquet holder
US5525237A (en) * 1993-12-23 1996-06-11 United Technologies Corporation Process for removing free and dissolved CO2 from aqueous solutions
US6237284B1 (en) * 1994-05-27 2001-05-29 The Agricultural Gas Company Method for recycling carbon dioxide for enhancing plant growth
US5535989A (en) * 1994-12-02 1996-07-16 Sen; Dipak K. Liquid film producing process and apparatus for fluid-liquid contacting
US5917136A (en) * 1995-10-04 1999-06-29 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Carbon dioxide pressure swing adsorption process using modified alumina adsorbents
US5711770A (en) * 1996-01-04 1998-01-27 Malina; Mylan Energy conversion system
US6027552A (en) * 1996-04-18 2000-02-22 Graham Corporation Method for removing ammonia and carbon dioxide gases from a steam
US6228145B1 (en) * 1996-07-31 2001-05-08 Kvaerner Asa Method for removing carbon dioxide from gases
US6221225B1 (en) * 1997-01-23 2001-04-24 Archer Daniels Midland Company Apparatus and process for electrodialysis of salts
US5779767A (en) * 1997-03-07 1998-07-14 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Use of zeolites and alumina in adsorption processes
US6180012B1 (en) * 1997-03-19 2001-01-30 Paul I. Rongved Sea water desalination using CO2 gas from combustion exhaust
US6402819B1 (en) * 1997-06-27 2002-06-11 Mhb Filtration Gmbh & Co. Kg Fresh air filter
US5887547A (en) * 1997-07-03 1999-03-30 Enviromentally Correct Concepts, Inc. Method for measuring and quantifying amounts of carbon from certain greenhouse gases sequestered in grassy and herbaceous plants above and below the soil surface
US5914455A (en) * 1997-09-30 1999-06-22 The Boc Group, Inc. Air purification process
US6890497B2 (en) * 1998-08-18 2005-05-10 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Method for extracting and sequestering carbon dioxide
US20050063956A1 (en) * 1998-11-06 2005-03-24 Colorado State University Research Foundation Method and device for attracting insects
US6503957B1 (en) * 1999-11-19 2003-01-07 Electropure, Inc. Methods and apparatus for the formation of heterogeneous ion-exchange membranes
US6716888B2 (en) * 1999-11-19 2004-04-06 Electropure, Inc. Methods and apparatus for the formation of heterogeneous ion-exchange membranes
US20010004895A1 (en) * 1999-12-24 2001-06-28 Astrium Gmbh Carbon dioxide absorbent for anesthesia apparatuses
US20010009124A1 (en) * 2000-01-25 2001-07-26 Minoru Suzuki Method for decarbonating waste gas and decarbonating apparatus
US20060013963A1 (en) * 2000-03-31 2006-01-19 Hydrophilix, Llc Foam composite
US6334886B1 (en) * 2000-05-12 2002-01-01 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Removal of corrosive contaminants from alkanolamine absorbent process
US20020083833A1 (en) * 2000-08-17 2002-07-04 Timothy Nalette Carbon dioxide scrubber for fuel and gas emissions
US20040134353A1 (en) * 2000-09-05 2004-07-15 Donaldson Company, Inc. Air filtration arrangements having fluted media constructions and methods
US20040069144A1 (en) * 2001-04-30 2004-04-15 Wegeng Robert S. Method and apparatus for thermal swing adsorption and thermally-enhanced pressure swing adsorption
US6582498B1 (en) * 2001-05-04 2003-06-24 Battelle Memorial Institute Method of separating carbon dioxide from a gas mixture using a fluid dynamic instability
US20050092176A1 (en) * 2001-06-08 2005-05-05 Lefei Ding Adsorptive filter element and methods
US20030022948A1 (en) * 2001-07-19 2003-01-30 Yoshio Seiki Method for manufacturing synthesis gas and method for manufacturing methanol
US6547854B1 (en) * 2001-09-25 2003-04-15 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Amine enriched solid sorbents for carbon dioxide capture
US20050095486A1 (en) * 2002-02-15 2005-05-05 Shiro Hamamoto Cluster ion exchange membrane and electrolyte membrane electrode connection body
US20040031424A1 (en) * 2002-05-17 2004-02-19 Pope Michael G. Appratus for waste gasification
US20040103831A1 (en) * 2002-05-17 2004-06-03 Pope Michael G. Apparatus for waste gasification
US7343341B2 (en) * 2002-07-20 2008-03-11 Chicago Climate Exchange, Inc. Systems and methods for trading emission reductions
US7067456B2 (en) * 2003-02-06 2006-06-27 The Ohio State University Sorbent for separation of carbon dioxide (CO2) from gas mixtures
US6908497B1 (en) * 2003-04-23 2005-06-21 The United States Of America As Represented By The Department Of Energy Solid sorbents for removal of carbon dioxide from gas streams at low temperatures
US20070004023A1 (en) * 2003-05-19 2007-01-04 Michael Trachtenberg Methods, apparatuses, and reactors for gas separation
US20050011770A1 (en) * 2003-07-18 2005-01-20 Tatenuma Katsuyoshi Reduction method of atmospheric carbon dioxide, recovery and removal method of carbonate contained in seawater, and disposal method of the recovered carbonate
US20080025893A1 (en) * 2004-03-09 2008-01-31 Basf Aktiengesellschaft Method For The Removal Of Carbon Dioxide From Gas Flows With Low Carbon Dioxide Partial Pressures
US7364608B2 (en) * 2004-03-29 2008-04-29 Nichias Corporation Chemical filter and method for manufacturing same
US7384621B2 (en) * 2004-04-19 2008-06-10 Texaco Inc. Reforming with hydration of carbon dioxide fixing material
US20080031801A1 (en) * 2004-05-04 2008-02-07 Lackner Klaus S Carbon Dioxide Capture and Mitigation of Carbon Dioxide Emissions
US20060051274A1 (en) * 2004-08-23 2006-03-09 Wright Allen B Removal of carbon dioxide from air
US20060042209A1 (en) * 2004-08-27 2006-03-02 Dallas Andrew J Alkaline impregnated filter element, and methods
US20070149398A1 (en) * 2005-12-12 2007-06-28 Jones Christopher W Structures for capturing CO2, methods of making the structures, and methods of capturing CO2
US20080008793A1 (en) * 2006-06-27 2008-01-10 Chiquita Brands, Inc. Method for Storing Bananas During Ripening
US20080087165A1 (en) * 2006-10-02 2008-04-17 Wright Allen B Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US20090092176A1 (en) * 2007-10-08 2009-04-09 100-Adc Dsl Systems, Inc. Regenerator unit
US20090120288A1 (en) * 2007-11-05 2009-05-14 Lackner Klaus S Removal of carbon dioxide from air

Cited By (31)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8741244B2 (en) 2004-09-23 2014-06-03 Skyonic Corporation Removing carbon dioxide from waste streams through co-generation of carbonate and/or bicarbonate minerals
US20100260653A1 (en) * 2004-09-23 2010-10-14 Joe David Jones Removing Carbon Dioxide From Waste Streams Through Co-Generation of Carbonate And/Or Bicarbonate Minerals
US9908080B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2018-03-06 Peter Eisenberger System and method for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere and global thermostat using the same
US9555365B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2017-01-31 Peter Eisenberger System and method for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere and global thermostat using the same
US8500859B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2013-08-06 Peter Eisenberger Carbon dioxide capture/regeneration method using vertical elevator and storage
US8500861B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2013-08-06 Peter Eisenberger Carbon dioxide capture/regeneration method using co-generation
US8500858B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2013-08-06 Peter Eisenberger Carbon dioxide capture/regeneration method using vertical elevator
US8696801B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2014-04-15 Peter Eisenberger Carbon dioxide capture/regeneration apparatus
US8500860B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2013-08-06 Peter Eisenberger Carbon dioxide capture/regeneration method using effluent gas
US8500857B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2013-08-06 Peter Eisenberger Carbon dioxide capture/regeneration method using gas mixture
US8894747B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2014-11-25 Peter Eisenberger System and method for removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere and global thermostat using the same
US9227153B2 (en) 2007-05-21 2016-01-05 Peter Eisenberger Carbon dioxide capture/regeneration method using monolith
US9205375B2 (en) 2007-09-20 2015-12-08 Skyonic Corporation Removing carbon dioxide from waste streams through co-generation of carbonate and/or bicarbonate minerals
US8795508B2 (en) 2009-12-18 2014-08-05 Skyonic Corporation Carbon dioxide sequestration through formation of group-2 carbonates and silicon dioxide
US10512880B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2019-12-24 Peter Eisenberger Rotating multi-monolith bed movement system for removing CO2 from the atmosphere
US10413866B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2019-09-17 Peter Eisenberger System and method for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration
US9925488B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2018-03-27 Peter Eisenberger Rotating multi-monolith bed movement system for removing CO2 from the atmosphere
US9433896B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2016-09-06 Peter Eisenberger System and method for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration
US9028592B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2015-05-12 Peter Eisenberger System and method for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration from relatively high concentration CO2 mixtures
US9630143B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2017-04-25 Peter Eisenberger System and method for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration utilizing an improved substrate structure
US9878286B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2018-01-30 Peter Eisenberger System and method for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration
US9975087B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2018-05-22 Peter Eisenberger System and method for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration from relatively high concentration CO2 mixtures
US8500855B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2013-08-06 Peter Eisenberger System and method for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration
US9359221B2 (en) 2010-07-08 2016-06-07 Skyonic Corporation Carbon dioxide sequestration involving two-salt-based thermolytic processes
US9427726B2 (en) 2011-10-13 2016-08-30 Georgia Tech Research Corporation Vapor phase methods of forming supported highly branched polyamines
WO2013063501A3 (en) * 2011-10-28 2013-07-11 Lawrence Livermore National Security, Llc Polymer-encapsulated carbon capture liquids that tolerate precipitation of solids for increased capacity
US11059024B2 (en) 2012-10-25 2021-07-13 Georgia Tech Research Corporation Supported poly(allyl)amine and derivatives for CO2 capture from flue gas or ultra-dilute gas streams such as ambient air or admixtures thereof
US9968883B2 (en) 2014-01-17 2018-05-15 Carbonfree Chemicals Holdings, Llc Systems and methods for acid gas removal from a gaseous stream
US10583394B2 (en) 2015-02-23 2020-03-10 Carbonfree Chemicals Holdings, Llc Carbon dioxide sequestration with magnesium hydroxide and regeneration of magnesium hydroxide
US11498029B2 (en) 2015-02-23 2022-11-15 Carbonfree Chemicals Holdings, Llc Carbon dioxide sequestration with magnesium hydroxide and regeneration of magnesium hydroxide
US11772046B2 (en) 2015-02-23 2023-10-03 Carbonfree Chemicals Holdings, Llc Carbon dioxide sequestration with magnesium hydroxide and regeneration of magnesium hydroxide

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20110033358A1 (en) 2011-02-10
CA2664464C (en) 2015-06-30
JP2015120154A (en) 2015-07-02
US20100105126A1 (en) 2010-04-29
US20080087165A1 (en) 2008-04-17
ES2784490T3 (en) 2020-09-28
IL197873A0 (en) 2009-12-24
US20150020683A1 (en) 2015-01-22
US8083836B2 (en) 2011-12-27
WO2008042919A3 (en) 2010-07-15
KR20090086530A (en) 2009-08-13
US20110081709A1 (en) 2011-04-07
US9861933B2 (en) 2018-01-09
HK1150307A1 (en) 2011-11-25
CA2664464A1 (en) 2008-04-10
JP5849327B2 (en) 2016-01-27
US9266052B2 (en) 2016-02-23
US20170028347A1 (en) 2017-02-02
CN101998876A (en) 2011-03-30
AU2007303240A1 (en) 2008-04-10
JP2010505613A (en) 2010-02-25
CN101998876B (en) 2015-03-25
RU2009116621A (en) 2010-11-10
US8273160B2 (en) 2012-09-25
US20110079146A1 (en) 2011-04-07
US20110081710A1 (en) 2011-04-07
US20110079147A1 (en) 2011-04-07
US7708806B2 (en) 2010-05-04
WO2008042919A2 (en) 2008-04-10
MX2009003500A (en) 2009-04-16
US20110027143A1 (en) 2011-02-03
US8337589B2 (en) 2012-12-25
US20110027142A1 (en) 2011-02-03
US20110033357A1 (en) 2011-02-10
EP2077911A4 (en) 2011-08-24
US20110079144A1 (en) 2011-04-07
EP2077911B1 (en) 2020-01-29
JP6204333B2 (en) 2017-09-27
US20110079150A1 (en) 2011-04-07
AU2007303240B2 (en) 2011-07-21
EP2077911A2 (en) 2009-07-15
US20110027157A1 (en) 2011-02-03
CN104826450B (en) 2021-08-27
US20110081712A1 (en) 2011-04-07
US20110083554A1 (en) 2011-04-14
NZ575870A (en) 2012-02-24
US20130309756A1 (en) 2013-11-21
CN104826450A (en) 2015-08-12

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US9861933B2 (en) Method and apparatus for extracting carbon dioxide from air
US11041420B2 (en) Carbon capture system, apparatus, and method
KR101113803B1 (en) Method for cultivation of microalgae combined with CO2 capture process from flue gas using ammonia water
EP2258463B1 (en) Liquid-phase gas collection
CN117282247A (en) System and method for absorbing carbon capture and microalgae carbon fixation through air classification

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION