SBIR Phase I: System for High Efficiency Continuous Single-step Carbon Capture and Mineralization

The broader impact/commercial impacts of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be enabling the cost-effective capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the emission point source and its transformation into value-added products, thereby helping the industrial sector achieve net-zero CO2 emissions. The net-zero emissions target is aimed at combating pollution and mitigating the effects of climate change. The industrial sector currently has few financial incentives to sequester CO2. The technology will address this gap by reducing the energy and associated costs required for capture and conversion of CO2 generating revenue through the production of sustainable by-products. The ability to produce valuable co-products will be particularly beneficial to industries reliant on raw materials, such as the chemical sector, glass manufacturing, and wastewater treatment plants. The technology will be offered to these industries, as well as to businesses seeking economically viable decarbonization solutions, through a business-to-business model. The model is projected to generate significant annual revenue through the sale of green chemicals to end-users and distributors upon commercialization. This SBIR Phase I project will adapt a single-step carbon capture and mineralization process, integrated with a thermocatalytic system for solvent recovery, into a commercially viable design featuring continuous operation (as opposed to batch). The thermochemical process has already yielded promising results regarding capture, mineralization and solvent recovery. However, it has not demonstrated high capture rates at scale or been applied in different use cases. In this project, the process will be improved by increasing the single pass capture and mineralization rate and by optimizing the post-mineralization units for efficient recovery of the solvent to be reused in the capture and mineralization step. This will first involve evaluating operating conditions and reactor design to determine the optimal temperature, reactor configuration, gas flow rate, and solvent flow rate for maximizing CO2 capture and mineralization. For solvent recovery, different aspects of the system will be tested to enhance the efficiency, including temperature, catalyst size, gas flow rate, and reactor height. Finally, different mixing methods and catalysts will be evaluated to maximize catalyst regeneration and extend its durability and lifespan. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.