University of Alberta researchers develop new carbon capture technology using zeolites to reduce carbon capture costs

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[Energy people are watching, click on the upper right corner to add 'Follow'] Researchers at the University of Alberta have developed a time-saving and more effective carbon capture technology. The new technology can reduce carbon capture costs and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The new technology is a two-step screening process that can evaluate carbon capture materials called zeolites in seconds instead of a day. Zeolite mainly achieves carbon capture by adsorbing carbon dioxide, similar to the way activated carbon in a refrigerator absorbs odors. University of Alberta researchers have developed technology that could save significant time in developing more efficient carbon capture technologies, which could help reduce the cost of using these technologies and increase their adoption as a way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. In a carbon capture system, "flue gas" emissions from power plants can be passed through zeolites, capturing the carbon dioxide before it enters the atmosphere. In theory, millions of different types of materials can absorb CO2, but to be effective as part of an industrial process, the molecules must stick to the CO2 and release it on command when the carbon dioxide needs to be captured or used. Not all zeolites are equally effective, and some are superior in adsorbing and releasing carbon dioxide. The team evaluated 120,000 zeolites and narrowed them down to just 7,000, then screened out two target zeolites using traditional methods. The newly selected material is a major improvement over the current standard material zeelite-13x, which can increase electrical energy efficiency by 17%. A US University research team used what was known about carbon capture molecules to predict behavior and performance in real-world systems. They use machine learning * The algorithm eliminates the need to simulate the performance of each molecule, reducing computational effort by a factor of 10 without losing accuracy. Finding the ideal material for the region has been a challenge, research team's new machine science * Tools are pointing researchers toward viable new carbon capture materials, saving months of development of dead ends or inefficient materials. They also help engineers understand which carbon capture designs are most effective. If the adsorbents act like charcoal refrigerator filters, machine simulations could help researchers understand which brands capture odors most effectively and how their integration in refrigerators changes the effectiveness. Every possible molecule and every potential system design must be simulated individually, which requires extraordinary computing power. The new technology, recently published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering and Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, could be used to accelerate the discovery of other kinds of materials and processes relevant to climate change and industrial gas separation, including research into methane purification and oxygen purification. The research team is currently working on this. Disclaimer: The above content is reproduced from the energy industry, and the content posted does not represent the position of this platform. National Energy Information Platform contact number: 010-65367702, email: hz@people-energy.com.cn ,address: People's Daily, No. 2 Jintai West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing