Indirect air CO2 capture and refinement based on OTEC seawater outgassing

Summary: In this paper, we propose a low-cost method to capture and purify CO2 from ocean water indirectly from the atmosphere. Atmospheric CO2 dissolves in seawater following Henry's law. In open-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OC-OTEC), being a heat engine, large quantities of water ar...

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Main Authors: Paul J.T. Straatman, Wilfried G.J.H.M. van Sark
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-07-01
Series:iScience
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004221007227
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spelling doaj-6cecb2a410554c71b4c30b8ebbd556162021-07-23T04:50:27ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422021-07-01247102754Indirect air CO2 capture and refinement based on OTEC seawater outgassingPaul J.T. Straatman0Wilfried G.J.H.M. van Sark1Indorama Ventures Europe B.V., Markweg 201, Harbour number 63473198, NB Europoort, the NetherlandsUtrecht University, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands; Corresponding authorSummary: In this paper, we propose a low-cost method to capture and purify CO2 from ocean water indirectly from the atmosphere. Atmospheric CO2 dissolves in seawater following Henry's law. In open-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OC-OTEC), being a heat engine, large quantities of water are used to generate electricity from temperature differences in the ocean. CO2 and other gases dissolved in seawater are extracted from seawater by a vacuum compressor, being essential for heat transfer in OC-OTEC. Non-condensable gases containing CO2 from OC-OTEC are currently considered a waste gas stream. Based on literature, we calculate cold water non-condensables containing up to 14% CO2. These non-condensables can be refined further to 80–90% purity with a water absorption process, inspired by those as used in the biogas industry. Levelized CO2 capture and purification costs were estimated to be 15–35 euro per ton, as only refinement costs are allocated of a waste gas stream of OC-OTEC.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004221007227Earth sciencesEnergy engineeringEnergy resourcesEnergy sustainabilityEngineering
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Paul J.T. Straatman
Wilfried G.J.H.M. van Sark
spellingShingle Paul J.T. Straatman
Wilfried G.J.H.M. van Sark
Indirect air CO2 capture and refinement based on OTEC seawater outgassing
iScience
Earth sciences
Energy engineering
Energy resources
Energy sustainability
Engineering
author_facet Paul J.T. Straatman
Wilfried G.J.H.M. van Sark
author_sort Paul J.T. Straatman
title Indirect air CO2 capture and refinement based on OTEC seawater outgassing
title_short Indirect air CO2 capture and refinement based on OTEC seawater outgassing
title_full Indirect air CO2 capture and refinement based on OTEC seawater outgassing
title_fullStr Indirect air CO2 capture and refinement based on OTEC seawater outgassing
title_full_unstemmed Indirect air CO2 capture and refinement based on OTEC seawater outgassing
title_sort indirect air co2 capture and refinement based on otec seawater outgassing
publisher Elsevier
series iScience
issn 2589-0042
publishDate 2021-07-01
description Summary: In this paper, we propose a low-cost method to capture and purify CO2 from ocean water indirectly from the atmosphere. Atmospheric CO2 dissolves in seawater following Henry's law. In open-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OC-OTEC), being a heat engine, large quantities of water are used to generate electricity from temperature differences in the ocean. CO2 and other gases dissolved in seawater are extracted from seawater by a vacuum compressor, being essential for heat transfer in OC-OTEC. Non-condensable gases containing CO2 from OC-OTEC are currently considered a waste gas stream. Based on literature, we calculate cold water non-condensables containing up to 14% CO2. These non-condensables can be refined further to 80–90% purity with a water absorption process, inspired by those as used in the biogas industry. Levelized CO2 capture and purification costs were estimated to be 15–35 euro per ton, as only refinement costs are allocated of a waste gas stream of OC-OTEC.
topic Earth sciences
Energy engineering
Energy resources
Energy sustainability
Engineering
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004221007227
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