Capture the COX at Climeworks
#achema2018 - Have you ever imagined that the omnipresent CO2 naturally present in the atmosphere can be harnessed as a resource, contrary to warming up the environment? The “Carbon (CO2) Capture Technology” at Climeworks proves to be a crucial contraption of the critical CO2 hovering in the ambient air and has established itself as a pioneer.
The technology implements continuous cyclic adsorption and desorption. The atmospheric air is forced through an intricately fabricated filter material which rests on a suitable support. The active sites (sites favourable for CO2 adsorption) preferentially adsorb CO2 on their surface while air flows through the filter medium. Thus, the active sites on the filter material act as barriers impervious to the flux of CO2 across the surface. The adsorbed CO2 is then desorbed using low grade heat as an energy source. The desorbed CO2 is then either liquefied or compressed to meet the customer compliances. The company’s customers include commercial agriculture, food and beverage, automation and the energy sector.
Commercially harnessing over 900 t of CO2 from ambient air per year as a major resource, Climeworks has reduced the dependence on fossil energy and facilitated the avenues to unlock a negative emission future. With intensive research and development and key focus on experiential learning and diligence, they are set to attain the reduction in the cost of captured CO2 from $600/t to $100/t.