Systems and Methods for Processing CO2
Systems and methods for lowering levels of carbon dioxide and other atmospheric pollutants are provided. Economically viable systems and processes capable of removing vast quantities of carbon dioxide and other atmospheric pollutants from gaseous waste streams and sequestering them in storage-stable forms are also discussed.
1 . An emissions control system operably connected to a power plant wherein the power plant produces energy and an industrial waste gas comprising carbon dioxide, wherein the emissions control system is configured to absorb at least 50% of the carbon dioxide from the waste gas and is configured to use less than 30% of the energy generated by the power plant.
2 . An emissions control system operably connected to a power plant wherein the power plant produces energy and an industrial waste gas comprising oxides of sulfur, wherein the emissions control system is configured to absorb at least 90% of the oxides of sulfur from the waste gas and is configured to use less than 30% of the energy generated by the power plant.
3 . An emissions control system operably connected to a power plant wherein the power plant produces energy and an industrial waste gas comprising carbon dioxide and sulfur oxide, wherein the emissions control system is configured to absorb at least 50% of the carbon dioxide and at least 80% of the sulfur oxide from the waste gas, and wherein said emissions control system is further configured to use less than 30% of the energy generated by the power plant.
4 . The emissions control system of any of the previous claims, wherein the emissions control system is configured to accept at least 10% of the industrial waste gas from the power plant.
5 . The emissions control system of any of the previous claims, wherein the emissions control system is configured to accept an alkaline solution from an electrochemical system configured to produce a caustic solution.
6 . The emissions control system of claim 5 , wherein the electrochemical system comprises an anode, a cathode, and at least one ion-selective membrane between the anode and cathode.
7 . The emissions control system of claim 6 , wherein the electrochemical system is configured to operate at a voltage of 2.8V or less applied across the anode and the cathode.
8 . The emissions control system of any of the previous claims, wherein the emissions control system is configured to accept a pH adjusting agent, wherein the pH adjusting agent comprises an industrial waste, a naturally occurring pH adjusting agent, a produced pH adjusting agent, or any combination thereof.
9 . The emissions control system of any of the previous claims, wherein the emissions control system is configured to operate at a liquid flow rate to gas flow rate ratio (L/G) ranging from 5 to 5,000 gallons per minute/1000 actual cubic feet per minute.
10 . The emissions control system of claim 9 , wherein the system is configured to operate at a liquid flow rate to gas flow rate ratio (L/G) ranging from 100 to 500 gallons per minute/1000 actual cubic feet per minute.