Direct Air Capture

Direct Air Capture systems are being developed as a new type of approach to tackling climate change and its consequences. DAC is understood to mean a set of technologies and processes that can continuously capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air. Unlike other forms of carbon capture that are targeted at industrial emission, DAC is intentioned to capture CO₂ that is freewheeling in the atmosphere. It is an essential part of the world’s drive towards decarbonizing the economy and staving off a climate crisis.

Direct Air Capture is the deployment of specific big units that suck in the ambient air and then filter out the CO₂. The captured CO₂ can be subsequently used in industries as a resource for enhanced oil recovery or used as feedstock for carbon-neutral fuels, construction materials or even beverages. An idea that is easy to understand at the surface, can take a good amount of chemical and engineering know-how to execute.

There are two primary methods of Direct Air Capture

1. Liquid solvent-based system
2. The solid sorbent-based system.

Inert systems supply air over a chemical solution; it can be a hydroxide or an amine solution that reacts with CO₂ to produce a carbonate compound. The CO₂ is then separated from the solution by heat and can be collected for storage or for reuse. In contrast solid systems, use materials that selectively absorb CO₂ whenever air is passed over the system materials. It is emitted through heating and can be used again in subsequent recycling processes.

Direct Air Capture is one of the few and arguably the most promising initiatives that could indeed serve as a very effective climate solution because, for the first time, it gives us the unique opportunity to actually remove some of the CO₂ that has been emitted into the atmosphere for the past couple of centuries. This is especially important because even if we were to cease all emissions of greenhouse gases in the current world then the amount of CO₂ that has already accumulated to the atmosphere will continue to warm the world for decades or even centuries.

DAC presents a chance to actually reduce the stock of emissions—CO₂ that has been already out in the air—and hence directly address the problem of the concentration of the gas in the atmosphere. This capacity makes DAC an essential part of a range of other instruments that contribute to the management of carbon. However, emissions reductions and renewable energy are not sufficient; DAC provides an insurance policy where others have not and cannot provide a low or zero emissions solution, for example in Aviation and Shipping, and in some manufacturing industries. Further it offer a possible route to net negative emissions, which is perhaps the only hope we have of stopping climate change, let alone reversing it.

Nevertheless, owing to several limitations, which include high cost and energy demands, the technology cannot be said to be widely implemented today. At the moment, the range of costs per ton of CO₂ captured may vary depending on the type of technology used and the capacity of the plant. But like most innovative technologies, the cost of DAC is likely to drop as players in the market advance, economies of scale are created, and the amount of funding directed towards the technology’s development increases.

Energy consumption is another major factor which poses real threats to the survival of the business organizations in the long-term future. Since DAC involves the use of large volumes of air, then the energy requirement for the system can be massive, this is in regard to high temperature processes used in some systems. It is, therefore, imperative that the energy used in these processes has to be renewable for DAC to play its part in climate mitigation as use of energy otherwise may lead to more emissions cancelling out the impact of CO₂ capture.

Advantages of Direct Air Capture

Carbon Removal: Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology effectively combats climate change by reducing atmospheric CO2 levels directly.

Scalability: Because Direct Air Capture (DAC) systems may be implemented at various scales, they are adaptable enough to be used in a variety of applications.

Carbon Neutrality: Using spent CO2 in a range of processes can help create a circular carbon economy.

Mitigating Climate Impacts: By actively reducing CO2 levels, Direct Air Capture (DAC) helps mitigate the effects of global warming, such as extreme weather events and rising sea levels.

KERONE is pioneer in application and implementation engineering with its vast experience and team of professionals. KERONE is devoted to serve the industry to optimize their operations both economically and environmentally with its specialized heating and drying solutions.