(508c) Optimizing Structured Sorbent Laminates for DAC Via Standard Analytical Methods and Novel Technoeconomic Heuristics

Structured Sorbent Laminates efficiently remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air using Direct Air Capture (DAC) processes. These laminates are composite materials which allow air to flow between gaps of adjacent sheets, in a parallel-sheet contactor format, enabling greater control of pressure drop and capture efficiency compared to traditional packed beds or trays of sorbent beads or pellets. Comprehensive Technoeconomic Analyses (TEAs) for DAC are often mathematically complex, spanning multiple scientific domains wherein many material and process variables are interdependent. Oftentimes, these TEAs rely on detailed knowledge beyond any single organization’s expertise. For example, material manufacturers may attempt to optimize process cycles; or process developers may attempt to optimize material chemistry. The result is that multi-scale TEAs for unified DAC optimization are challenging to resolve, if not downright inaccurate to report, and distracting from the goal of the industry: iterating rapidly to reduce the cost of DAC.

Here we present a mathematically simple yet robust TEA to evaluate and optimize structured sorbent laminates for DAC applications. Our model relies on standard analytical techniques, allowing for rapid design iteration of structured sorbent laminates. We employ a range of test conditions which may be adopted across industry for increased standardization. We identify a series of analytical experiments to characterize structured sorbent laminates and present results of leading constructions. Using computationally inexpensive models, we extrapolate the performance of these laminates into a range of DAC conditions, including optimization scenarios across environments (e.g., local grid CO₂ footprint) and processes (e.g., desorption conditions and subsequent oxidation rates).

From these models, we quantify known sorbent advantages, such as cyclic working capacity and oxidation rate. We demonstrate material performance based on local environments and processes. We identify the requirement to optimize structured sorbent laminates considering contactor geometries. Finally, we quantify improvements across several generations of materials, and we propose critical properties of structured sorbent laminates to continue advancing the DAC industry.