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Direct Air Capture by accelerated weathering of calcium hydroxide: process modeling with Aspen Plus and geospatial performance analysis
Direct Air Capture (DAC) of carbon dioxide (CO2) is a promising technology to combat climate change by removing CO2 directly from the atmosphere. One approach to DAC involves the accelerated weathering of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2), a process where CO2 exothermically reacts with Ca(OH)2 to form calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and water. A two-step regeneration allows for a cyclic process. In the first regeneration step, CaCO3 is sent into a high-temperature reactor. Inside this reactor, the CaCO3 decomposes into calcium oxide (CaO) and CO2 at temperatures near 900 ÂșC at atmospheric conditions. The calcium oxide is then hydrated in the second stage to form Ca(OH)2. The hydration reaction is exothermic and presents a suitable opportunity for heat recovery. The resulting Ca(OH)2 is newly used as the sorbent material in the capture step.
Understanding the behavior and sensitivity of this process to key operating conditions is crucial for optimizing its performance and energy efficiency. Moreover, the influence of water on the porous calcium oxide (CaO) sorbent material for CO2 adsorption represents a crucial aspect of process optimization.
Keywords: Direct Air Capture; Aspen Plus
Not specified
This work aims to:
- Investigate the kinetics of the capture and regeneration reactions through a comprehensive literature review.
- Develop an Aspen Plus equilibrium model to determine the detailed mass and energy balance of the process.
- Perform a sensitivity analysis of the main operating conditions, including the inlet air relative moisture, temperature, and CO2 concentration. This analysis will evaluate the influence of these parameters on process performance and energy consumption, highlighting possible improvement strategies.
- Perform a geospatial analysis to determine the capture efficiency of an accelerated weathering DAC plant to determine the optimal regions favoring a high DAC performance.
This work aims to: - Investigate the kinetics of the capture and regeneration reactions through a comprehensive literature review. - Develop an Aspen Plus equilibrium model to determine the detailed mass and energy balance of the process. - Perform a sensitivity analysis of the main operating conditions, including the inlet air relative moisture, temperature, and CO2 concentration. This analysis will evaluate the influence of these parameters on process performance and energy consumption, highlighting possible improvement strategies. - Perform a geospatial analysis to determine the capture efficiency of an accelerated weathering DAC plant to determine the optimal regions favoring a high DAC performance.