DEVELOPMENT OF AN ELECTROCHEMICAL SYSTEM FOR CARBON DIOXIDE CONCENTRATION

CONTROL OF CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) EMISSIONS FROM THE COMBUSTION OF FOSSIL FUELS MAY BECOME NECESSARY TO MINIMIZE GLOBAL WARMING PRODUCED BY THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT. SEPARATION OF CO2 FROM FLUE GASES WILL INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY AND LOWER THE COST OF PROCESSES TO FIX CO2 CHEMICALLY OR OTHERWISE PREVENT ITS DISCHARGE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. SUCH A CO2 TRANSPORT SYSTEM MUST OPERATE AT HIGH EFFICIENCY TO MINIMIZE THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND COST OF REDUCING CO2 EMISSIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL INVESTIGATE A NOVEL ELECTROCHEMICAL SYSTEM FOR THE REMOVAL OF CO2 FROM THE FLUE GAS OF COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS. PREVIOUS WORK HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT ELECTROCHEMICAL CO2 SEPARATION SYSTEMS CAN POTENTIALLY OPERATE AT HIGHER THERMODYNAMIC EFFICIENCY THAN OTHERS. A CRITICAL PART OF THIS SYSTEM IS A CARRIER MOLECULE THAT CAN REVERSIBLY BIND AND RELEASE CO2. THE INNOVATION IS A CLASS OF WATER-SOLUBLE CARRIERS FOR CO2 TRANSPORT AND CONCENTRATION. PHASE I WILL PREPARE AND TEST POTENTIAL CO2 CARRIERS TO IDENTIFY THOSE MOST EFFECTIVE IN ELECTROCHEMICALLY TRANSPORTING CO2. PHASE II WILL TEST THE DURABILITY OF THE NEW CARRIERS, AND WILL DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, AND TEST A PROTOTYPE ELECTROCHEMICAL PROCESS FOR CO2 REMOVAL.