System and method for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration

Abstract

A method and a system capable of removing carbon dioxide directly from ambient air, and obtaining relatively pure CO2. The method comprises the steps of generating usable and process heat from a primary production process; applying the process heat from said primary process to water to co-generate substantially saturated steam, alternately repeatedly exposing a sorbent to removal and to capture and regeneration system phases, wherein said sorbent is alternately exposed to a flow of ambient air during said removal phase, thereby enabling said sorbent to sorb, and therefore remove, carbon dioxide from said ambient air, and to a flow of the co-generated steam during the regeneration and capture phase, after the sorbent has adsorbed the carbon dioxide, thereby enabling regeneration of such sorbent, and the resultant capture in relatively pure form of the adsorbed carbon dioxide. This process can also be carried out in more efficient form by admixing with the air a minor amount of a flue gas or an effluent gas containing a higher concentration of carbon dioxide than exists in the atmosphere, most preferably following a pre-treatment. The carbon dioxide can be stored for further use, or sequestered permanently following the capture: The adsorbent is exposed to air at substantially ambient conditions and the adsorbent is exposed to the co-generated steam at a temperature in the range of not greater than about 130° C. The system provides the sorbent substrate and equipment for carrying out the above method, and provides for obtaining purified carbon dioxide for further use in agriculture and chemical processes, including manufacturing hydrocarbon fuels, or for permanent sequestration, as needed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.