CAPTURING CARBON DIOXIDE

1 . A system for capturing CO 2 from a dilute gas source, the system comprising:

a gas-liquid contactor comprising:

a housing coupled to a plurality of structural members;

one or more basins positioned within the housing and configured to hold a CO 2 capture solution, the one or more basins comprising a bottom basin;

one or more packing sections positioned at least partially above the bottom basin;

a fan operable to circulate a CO 2 -laden gas through the one or more packing sections; and

a liquid distribution system configured to flow the CO 2 capture solution onto the one or more packing sections, wherein:

the gas-liquid contactor comprises one or more materials of construction (MOCs) that are compatible with the CO 2 capture solution.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more MOCs comprise at least one of:

stainless steel or fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) comprising vinyl ester and fiberglass.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises one or more openings and one or more cut ends lined with a sealant layer.

4 . The system of claim 3 wherein the sealant layer comprises vinyl ester resin.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a protective coating applied to at least one of: the plurality of structural members, the housing, or the one or more basins.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the protective coating comprises at least one of: vinyl ester, polyurethane, stainless steel, or epoxy.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the bottom basin comprises at least one of: an HDPE basin section or a concrete basin section.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the concrete basin section embeds a waterstop comprising at least one of: thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), PVC, hydrophilic chloroprene rubber, or stainless steel.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a geomembrane liner surrounds at least a portion of the bottom basin, the geomembrane liner comprising at least one of: HDPE or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein a leak detection system intervenes the bottom basin and the geomembrane liner.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of structural members define a plenum comprising a containment that is at least partially segregated from the bottom basin by one or more walls, the bottom basin positioned at least partially below the packing.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more walls comprise at least one of: concrete or stainless steel.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the containment comprises a sump fluidly coupled to a drain pipe that is operable to flow a volume of liquid outside of the containment.

14 . The system of claim 11 wherein the containment comprises a sump pump positioned within a sump, the sump pump operable to flow a volume of liquid to the bottom basin.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plenum comprises a plenum containment floor fitted with a drainage slope of at least 2%.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of structural members is mounted above a liquid level in the bottom basin.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of structural members is mounted on one or more walls bordering the bottom basin.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more walls comprises one or more raised walls that extend above the liquid level of the bottom basin.

19 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising a protective coating applied to at least one of: the one or more walls or the one or more raised walls.

20 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid distribution system comprises:

one or more liquid distribution pipes each having a set of sparger holes; and

a set of nozzles positioned below the one or more liquid distribution pipes.

21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein:

the one or more basins comprises a top basin; and

the set of sparger holes is oriented at least partially towards a bottom surface of the top basin.

22 . The system of claim 21 , further comprising a weir coupled to the bottom surface of the top basin, the weir configured to form a first reservoir and a second reservoir of the CO 2 capture solution in the top basin, wherein the CO 2 capture solution flows from the first reservoir to the second reservoir.

23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the set of sparger holes are at least partially submerged in the first reservoir in the top basin.

24 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the set of nozzles are fluidly coupled with the second reservoir in the top basin.

25 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more packing sections comprises a first packing section positioned at least partially above a second packing section.

26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein at least one packing support intervenes the first packing section and the second packing section of the one or more packing sections.

27 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the first packing section comprises a first flute angle and the second packing section comprises a second flute angle that is different from the first flute angle.

28 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the one or more packing sections comprises a set of cross-corrugated packing sheets.

29 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the one or more packing sections comprise substantially no gaps.

30 . The system of claim 25 , further comprising a liquid redistributor positioned in between the one or more sections of packing.

31 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the liquid redistributor comprises the second packing section of the one or more packing sections.

32 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the liquid redistributor comprises one or more redistribution nozzles configured to flow the CO 2 capture solution to the second packing section.

33 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a fan stack partially enclosing the fan, wherein the fan stack comprises a fan stack height that is between 10 ft. and 30 ft., between 10 ft. and 20 ft., or between 20 ft. and 30 ft.

34 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the fan comprises a fan diameter that is between 10 ft. and 30 ft., between 10 ft. and 15 ft., or between 15 ft. and 30 ft.

35 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fan is configured to discharge a CO 2 -lean gas at an exhaust velocity ranging from 9 m/s to 15 m/s.

36 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the set of slatted louvers positioned upstream of the one or more packing sections, the set of slatted louvers oriented to block at least a portion of the CO 2 capture solution.

37 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the set of slatted louvers is positioned upstream of a set of structured louvers.

38 . A method for removing carbon dioxide from a dilute gas mixture, the method comprising:

flowing a CO 2 -laden gas into a gas-liquid contactor by operating a fan, the gas-liquid contactor comprising:

a housing comprising a plurality of structural members;

one or more packing sections;

one or more basins; and

a fan stack partially surrounding the fan;

flowing a CO 2 capture solution over the one or more packing sections; and

absorbing at least a portion of CO 2 from the CO 2 -laden gas with the CO 2 capture solution to yield a CO 2 -lean gas.

39 . The method of claim 38 , further comprising:

receiving a volume of liquid into a containment, wherein the containment is positioned within a plenum defined by the plurality of structural members and at least a portion of the containment is segregated from the one or more basins.

40 . The method of claim 39 , wherein at least a portion of the containment is segregated from the one or more basins by one or more raised walls.

41 . The method of claim 40 , wherein the one or more raised walls comprise at least one of: stainless steel or concrete.

42 . The method of claim 40 , further comprising raising at least a portion of the plurality of structural members above a liquid level in the one or more basins by supporting the plurality of structural members on the one or more raised walls.

43 . The method of claim 39 , further comprising draining the volume of liquid from the containment.

44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the draining the volume of liquid from the containment comprises:

flowing the volume of liquid into a sump and a drain pipe; and

flowing the volume of liquid outside of the containment.

45 . The method of claim 43 , wherein draining the volume of liquid from the containment comprises:

flowing the volume of liquid into a sump comprising a sump pump;

operating the sump pump to flow the volume of liquid to the bottom basin.

46 . The method of claim 43 , wherein draining the volume of liquid from the containment includes flowing the volume of liquid on a plenum containment floor fitted with a drainage slope of at least 2%.

47 . The method of claim 38 , further comprising flowing the CO 2 -laden gas through a set of slatted louvers.

48 . The method of claim 47 , further comprising flowing the CO 2 -laden gas through a set of structured louvers downstream of the set of slatted louvers.

49 . The method of claim 38 , further comprising:

flowing the CO 2 capture solution into a distribution pipe;

flowing the CO 2 capture solution through a set of sparger holes in the distribution pipe into a top basin of the one or more basins; and

flowing the CO 2 capture solution through a set of nozzles in the top basin to at least a portion of the one or more packing sections.

50 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the set of sparger holes are oriented at least partially towards a bottom surface of the top basin.

51 . The method of claim 50 , further comprising flowing the liquid over a weir coupled to the bottom surface of the top basin, the weir forming a first reservoir and a second reservoir in the top basin, wherein the CO 2 capture solution flows from the first reservoir to the second reservoir.

52 . The method of claim 51 , wherein flowing the CO 2 capture solution through the set of sparger holes includes flowing the CO 2 capture solution through the set of sparger holes submerged in the first reservoir.

53 . The method of claim 51 , wherein flowing the CO 2 capture solution through the set of nozzles includes flowing the CO 2 capture solution from the second reservoir in the top basin.

54 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the one or more packing sections comprises a set of cross-corrugated packing sheets.

55 . The method of claim 49 , further comprising flowing the CO 2 capture solution through a liquid redistributor positioned at least partially below a first packing section of the one or more packing sections.

56 . The method of claim 55 , wherein flowing the CO 2 capture solution through the liquid redistributor comprises flowing the CO 2 capture solution through a set of collection troughs and a set of redistribution nozzles.

57 . The method of claim 56 , further comprising flowing the CO 2 capture solution from the set of redistribution nozzles to a counterflow film packing positioned below the redistribution nozzles.

58 . The method of claim 55 , wherein flowing the CO 2 capture solution through the liquid redistributor comprises flowing the CO 2 capture solution through a counterflow film packing.

59 . The method of claim 55 , wherein flowing the CO 2 capture solution through the liquid redistributor comprises flowing the CO 2 capture solution through a pressurized distribution pipe and a set of redistribution nozzles.

60 . The method of claim 38 , further comprising flowing the CO 2 capture solution through a first packing section having a first flute angle and flowing the CO 2 capture solution through a liquid redistributor comprising a second packing section having a second flute angle that is different from the first flute angle.

61 . The method of claim 38 , wherein operating a fan comprises operating the fan to discharge the CO 2 -lean gas from the fan stack at an exhaust velocity of at least 9 m/s to 15 m/s.

62 . The method of claim 61 wherein the fan comprises a fan diameter that is between 10 ft. and 30 ft., between 10 ft. and 15 ft., or between 15 ft. and 30 ft.

63 . The method of claim 61 , wherein the fan stack comprises a fan stack height that is between 10 ft. and 30 ft., between 10 ft. and 20 ft., or between 20 ft. and 30 ft.

64 . A system for contacting a gas with a liquid, the system comprising:

a housing coupled to a plurality of structural members;

one or more basins positioned within the housing and configured to hold a liquid, the one or more basins comprising a bottom basin and a top basin;

one or more packing sections positioned at least partially above the bottom basin, the one or more packing sections comprising substantially no gaps;

a fan operable to circulate a gas through the one or more packing sections; and

a liquid distribution system configured to flow the liquid onto the one or more packing sections, the liquid distribution system comprising a set of nozzles and one or more liquid distribution pipes each having a set of sparger holes, wherein the set of nozzles is positioned below the one or more liquid distribution pipes.

65 . The system of claim 64 , further comprising a weir coupled to a bottom surface of the top basin, the weir configured to form a first reservoir and a second reservoir of the liquid in the top basin, wherein:

the liquid flows from the first reservoir to the second reservoir;

the set of sparger holes are at least partially submerged in the first reservoir; and

the set of nozzles is fluidly coupled with the second reservoir.

66 . The system of claim 64 , further comprising a liquid redistributor positioned in between the one or more packing sections, wherein the one or more packing sections comprises a first packing section and a second packing section, and the liquid redistributor comprises at least one of: the second packing section or a plurality of redistribution nozzles configured to flow the liquid to the second packing section.

67 . The system of claim 64 , further comprising a set of baffles positioned adjacent to at least one of: the one or more packing sections or a liquid redistributor.