(462d) Realistic Operation of Direct Air Capture Module Containing Amine-Impregnated Fiber Sorbents

Proper design and operation of low-pressure drop contactors, such as fiber sorbents, are crucial to developing large-scale direct air capture (DAC) systems. This study focuses on the dynamic behavior of a DAC module containing amine-impregnated fiber sorbents, examining the kinetic behavior of the process under various operating conditions, including inlet air velocity, sorbent composition, and humidity, to achieve high productivity numbers (mass of CO₂ captured per unit of sorbent materials per time). Experiments were conducted using both simulated air and real indoor air, with the performance of experiments compared, and the influence of inlet air velocity on breakthrough behavior studied. The effects of changing operating conditions on productivity numbers were quantified to determine the conditions that could maximize rates of CO₂ removal. A productivity number of 1.2 mmol/g/h was achieved using an inlet air velocity of 1.1 m/s, with the trend indicating that further increases in velocity could lead to even higher productivity numbers.