The U.S. Department of Energy has placed a high priority on the separation and capture of CO2. However, the costs associated with separation and capture, which includes compression to the required pressure for the sequestration step, are estimated to be three-fourths of the total cost of ocean or geologic sequestration. Existing capture and regeneration methods, such as wet chemical stripping, are complicated, costly, and energy intensive. In addition, associated problems include amine solution degradation, corrosion, and excess water usage. As such, if researchers could improve the separation and capture process, sequestration costs could be reduced.
This carbon sequestration invention provides a new method to produce low-cost CO2 capture sorbents by using an amine chiefly composed of secondary amine groups incorporated into the pore structure of a high surface area support substrate. In basic terms, the process contains two major steps: modification of an amine, followed by impregnation of the support substrate with the modified amine. The two-step treatment results in an effective, efficient, stable, and regenerable sorbent. It also provides the amine with structural integrity and a high surface area to enhance contact with gas/solid surfaces.
While previous sorbent systems were limited to closed environmental systems only, the current invention can be used in those environmental systems as well as in industrial applications such as coal combustion flue gas and natural gas cleanup.
