New device captures carbon dioxide by pumping it across a battery
The design requires less energy to capture CO 2 than current systems.
The design requires less energy to capture CO 2 than current systems.
The short version
- Equipment to capture carbon dioxide from ambient air or smokestacks generally works through a sort of reversible filter.
- Air is passed through granules or a liquid that absorbs the CO 2 , then that CO 2 -loaded substance undergoes a process (usually heating) that causes it to let go of all that CO 2 .
- The resulting gas can be collected in a separated stream.
What happened
It’s also possible to do a similar sort of operation on a smaller scale—like inside a battery. A new study from a team led by James Buchen of the University of Delaware demonstrates an example of a battery-based electrochemical carbon-capture technique that they say is more viable than previous attempts.
Why it matters
It has the potential to require less energy—and therefore be cheaper—than the reversible-filter designs that currently dominate.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.