| Project Detail |
Coupled acid and base formation is a key part of the DAC and DOC cycle regeneration step. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will dramatically reduce acid/base production costs by developing advanced electrodialysis systems to split salt to enable electrochemical sorbent regeneration in contrast to the high-temperature, natural-gas-fired calcination step used today. NREL and its partners aim to improve the performance, durability, and manufacturability of bipolar membranes (BPMs)—critical components of electrodialysis devices—using three-dimensional interfaces and new catalysts that speed up the dissociation of water molecules into acid and base. The BPMs will be produced on roll-to-roll manufacturing equipment at near commercial scale. The electrodialysis devices will operate at ten times the rate and greater energy efficiency than current technology. Driving electrodialysis with carbon-free electricity for DAC/DOC enables scalable environmental CO2 capture and could significantly reduce DAC/DOC operating costs.
Potential Impact:
If successful, this project will produce mass-manufacturable bipolar membranes incorporating highly efficient catalysts and advanced 3D interfaces with unrivaled performance and durability for DAC and DOC. |
