Game-Changing Tech Captures 99% CO2 for Just $26/Ton, Inspired by Soda Fizz

A revolutionary carbon capture method, drawing inspiration from the simple fizz of a soda bottle, promises to dramatically reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of trapping CO2 emissions from major industrial polluters.

This innovative technique, known as Pressure Induced Carbon Capture (PICC), utilizes only water and pressure to extract an astonishing 99% of carbon dioxide from flue gases before they escape into the atmosphere. Early economic modeling suggests this could be achieved for an unprecedentedly low cost of just $26 per metric ton.

The Science Behind the Fizz: How PICC Works

At its core, the PICC method leverages the same physical principle that causes Champagne to sparkle or a carbonated drink to hiss upon opening. Under high pressure, carbon dioxide readily dissolves into water. When the pressure is subsequently reduced, the CO2 bubbles back out, ready for collection and permanent storage.

Co-inventors Dr. Mark Holtzapple of Texas A&M University and Jonathan Feinstein of ExcelThermic Enterprises have filed patents for this groundbreaking technology. They envision its application across a wide spectrum of industries, including power plants, hydrogen production facilities, steel blast furnaces, and cement kilns – all significant contributors to global carbon emissions.

Overcoming Traditional Carbon Capture Challenges

Dr. Holtzapple highlights that PICC offers a powerful solution to a persistent problem, especially as fossil fuels continue to play a crucial role in global energy systems. “Our invention is a cost-effective way to address one of the greatest challenges facing humanity,” Holtzapple states. “We can capture carbon dioxide from flue gas using only water and pressure, which makes the process simple, clean and less expensive than competing technologies.”

Traditional carbon capture systems often rely on chemical amines that bind with CO2. These chemicals are expensive, prone to degradation in harsh industrial exhaust streams, and typically achieve a maximum capture efficiency of around 90%. As industries strive for deeper decarbonization, leaving even 10% of emissions uncaptured is becoming increasingly unacceptable.

PICC circumvents these limitations through physical absorption. Since no chemical bonds are involved, the dissolved carbon dioxide “pops” effortlessly out of the water when pressure is lowered, mirroring the experience of opening a carbonated beverage.

Achieving Near-Total Capture at a Fraction of the Cost

The operational process involves cooling and compressing flue gas from sources like coal, natural gas, or biomass combustion. This gas is then fed into an absorption column where cold water flows downwards, and the high-pressure gas rises upwards. Engineered structures within the column maximize contact between the water and gas, ensuring optimal CO2 absorption.

As the nearly clean gas exits the top, any residual CO2 dissolves into fresh incoming water. The water, now laden with dissolved carbon dioxide, moves through vessels operating at progressively lower pressures. In each stage, CO2 bubbles out, ready to be compressed for secure, permanent underground storage.

Economic analyses demonstrate that the PICC process can capture and compress an impressive 99% of carbon dioxide emissions for just $26 per metric ton. This figure stands in stark contrast to the typical $50 to $100 per ton cost associated with existing carbon capture technologies.

Furthermore, by introducing a small amount of lime, the capture rate can reach 100% for under $28 per ton, even effectively removing CO2 present in the incoming air. “Without adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, PICC allows us to use abundant fossil fuels on which our civilization is built,” Dr. Holtzapple explains. He also notes the potential to “remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere cost effectively” by coupling PICC with biomass combustion.

This innovative, soda-fizz inspired technology presents a significant leap forward in the global effort to mitigate climate change, offering a highly efficient and economically viable pathway to drastically reduce CO2 emissions.