Technology
A Gas Separation Apparatus Operating
on the Basis of Supercapacitance
Transformative Technology for CO2 Capture and Gas Purification
Supercapacitance gas separation is a potentially transformative technology
that could simplify and lower the costs of carbon capture. Kai Landskron of
Lehigh University discovered that supercapacitors can absorb carbon dioxide
selectively from flue gas and other gas streams when they are electrically
charged, and release carbon dioxide when discharged. This phenomenon is
a novel property of supercapacitors that has never been previously observed.
The inventor has used this capability as the basis for constructing a new
device that selectively captures carbon dioxide and other polar gases.
Polar gases like CO2 are adsorbed onto the porous components of the
capacitor. Discharging the power releases, the adsorbed gas and provides
a current that can be used to charge a parallel system. The system can
recycle the power used and only a small percentage of the original charge
is lost; thus there is minimal power consumption.
Advantages
The SSA system uses inexpensive materials, has no moving parts and
requires no added chemicals. It should be easy to operate and have low
operating costs. The life time for supercapacitors can be 10 or more years
with only a 20% loss of charge capacitor. The potential capital and operating
costs should be significantly lower than the current carbon capture technologies.
The main advantage of the system is its energy efficiency. For a typical coal
fired power plant the parasitic load would be 15% of its output. This can be
compared to a 20% loss for the most commonly used adsorption based carbon
capture technologies. It is dramatically lower than that required for a pressure
swing system used in hydrogen purification. This estimate does include the
much greater energy savings of using parallel systems that can recycle the power.
Opportunity
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major greenhouse gas produced by combustion, and
removing it from flue gas and concentrating it for use or disposal is the focus of
a global effort. Spending on carbon capture technology exceeds $600 million per
year, with a projected growth rate of 6% per year. There are many other potential
applications of the technology in the area of natural gas purification, oxygen
enrichment for breathing air, CO2 enriched gas that promotes growth for
green-houses, and purifying hydrogen gas streams.
Patent
Tech-ID:
072216-01
Inventor:
Kai Landskron