An Innovative DAC Architecture for Low-Cost Carbon Dioxide Removal in California
Carbon Capture, Inc.
Recipient
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$0
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Active
Project Status
Project Update
The Issue
Direct air capture (DAC) offers one of the few pathways to permanently remove CO₂ from the atmosphere at scale, yet today’s systems remain expensive and energy-intensive. These cost and energy hurdles stem from reliance on multiple steam-vacuum regenerators, high-power fans, and batch sorbent handling, driving up equipment complexity, operational downtime, and maintenance requirements. As a result, current DAC technologies cannot meet California’s target of removing CO₂ for under $100 per ton by 2032 nor support the state’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. Overcoming these barriers is critical to enabling large-scale deployment of DAC for meaningful climate mitigation and improved local air quality.
Project Innovation
• Single-Purpose Regenerator: Eliminates 75 percent of steam-vacuum chambers, cutting capital cost by reducing equipment count and complexity.
• Tri-Layer Air Plenum: Splits the sorbent bed into three zones, doubling sorbent throughput and reducing fan power by two-thirds.
• Automated Sorbent Conveyor: Maintains 50 percent of sorbent in capture mode while the other 50 percent regenerates, enabling uninterrupted CO₂ removal.
• Low-Cost Structured Sorbent Trays: Proprietary tray-compatible sorbent formulation built for rapid loading and long service life.
Project Goals
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