NETL Direct Air Capture (DAC) Center

The Gold Standard in Performance Analysis

Providing affordable, accessible, high-quality performance testing of DAC materials, modules, and prototypes.

Flexible Testing Systems to Meet Your Needs

The DAC Center is designed with maximum flexibility to accommodate the broadest possible range of technology concepts in this rapidly evolving field. We provide material scale systems designed to examine the long-term stability of DAC materials, module scale systems capable of probing flow dynamics, and prototype scale environmental chambers able to test DAC units under a broad range of climate conditions.

Material Scale Systems

Material scale systems for novel sorbent material assessment (~0.1 kg CO2/day).

  • Focused on material properties and longevity
  • Multi-gas measurements with amounts of materials greater than typical lab scale
  • Able to accommodate all common materials (granular, fiber, structured)
  • Automated for extended, multi-cycle testing
Conceptual Drawing

Material Scale Prototype Test System (Click to enlarge)

  • 100-500 g sample
  • Maximum dimensions: 1.6 inch diameter, 16 inch length
  • Sample safety data sheet (SDS) for material
  • Low volatility
materical scale system

Module Scale Systems

Module scale test beds with flexible reactor designs (~10 kg CO2/day).

  • Focused on module capture and flow measurements
  • Sized for modules at typical first form factor scale: 12 inches X 12 inches X 12 inches
  • Able to accommodate common form factors: granular solid, fiber mat, or monolith
  • Instrumented to provide measurements of all parameters needed for prototyping models
  • Designed to allow non-standard regeneration (Joule heating, microwaves)
Conceptual Drawing

Module Scale Prototype Test System (Click to enlarge)

  • Form factor sample or partner-built module
    • Form factor
      • Maximum dimensions: 12 inches X 12 inches X 12 inches
      • SDS for capture materials
      • Low capture material volatility
    • Module
      • Compatible piping connections and size
      • SDS for capture materials
      • Low capture material volatility
Module Scale Systems

Prototype Scale Environmental Chambers

Small pilot scale bays for evaluating developer-built DAC prototypes (~100 kg CO2/day) .

  • Focused on testing small pilot scale prototype DAC units
  • Accommodates a wide variety of technology types
  • Testing under conditions representative of many climates
  • Automated for extended, multi-cycle testing
  • Instrumented for measurement of all parameters needed for assessment of field deployment at NCCC or a DAC hub
  • Accommodates prototypes as large as 8 feet wide X 8 feet tall X 20 feet long
  • Available 3000 standard cubic feet per minute of air
  • Available utilities include steam, electricity, and cooling water
  • Designed and built with sound engineering and safety standards
  • SDS for all capture materials and process chemicals
  • Able to transport and rapidly set up in chamber
Prototype Scale Environmental Chambers

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