Life Cycle and Cost Assessment of a Marine Scrubber Installation

J of Industrial Ecology

2023

Direct air capture (DAC) is an essential nexus of CO 2 chemistry and climate mitigation. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is often used to validate the environmental potential of emerging technologies. Consequently, an increased number of ex ante LCAs is expected in this field. However, a comprehensive description through parameterized modeling of life cycle inventories of distinct technological pathways, which is essential for transparency, has recently been missing from the international literature. To fill this gap, the present study analyzes three selected DAC technologies to create an inventory. Amine-based adsorption and absorption, as well as alkali-based absorption, were modeled.The energy consumption of the operation, cradle-to-gate embodied energy, and sensitivity analysis based on parameter variations were carried out. The "cradle-to-gate" energy requirement of direct air capture (DAC) often lies in the range or above the formation energy of CO 2 (8.94 GJ energy can be obtained by formation of 1 t CO 2 from elementary C and O 2 ). This indicates that theoretically more energy is required for capture, as can be obtained during the formation of CO 2 . Because energy has continuously growing economic and ecological value, this energy intensity of DAC implies that DAC might have important role in CCU to add directly measurable economic value.The parametrized model includes over 60 parameters, resulting in an array of possible energy and material requirements. The use of this wide range of figures in life cycle assessment (LCA) sheds light on real opportunities for DAC in future product systems.The option of varying parameters enables the tailoring of the calculation to a particular situation or design. In this way, the calculator offers a common base for LCA, fostering an early stage analysis of DAC technologies.

Section: Technological Options Of the Analyzed Dacmentioning

confidence: 99%

Material flows and embodied energy of direct air capture: A cradle‐to‐gate inventory of selected technologies

J of Industrial Ecology

2023

“…A solution of GS in 50 wt.% is assumed to be used for CO2 capture purposes, as it leads to the lowest moisture absorption from the air 30 . Different elements were also adapted to the model, such as the design of sorption columns 24,25,[61][62][63] , sorbent recovery 64,65 or the captured fraction per pass 23,24,66 The civil engineering demand is based on the assumption that the system is constituted by packed bed columns with relatively large diameters. It enables a low surface load per square meter.…”

Section: Absorption In Organic Solution (Washing Column)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Material flows and Embodied Energy of Direct Air Capture

2021

Preprint

Direct air capture (DAC) is an essential nexus of CO2 chemistry and climate mitigation.Life cycle assessment (LCA) is often deployed to validate the environmental potentials of such future emerging technologies. Consequently, an increased number of ex-ante LCAs are expected in this field. However, recently a comprehensive life cycle inventory for LCA is missing from the international literature, which is essential for transparency. To fill this gap, the present paper analyses three selected DAC technologies to create an inventory for LCAs. Amine-based adsorption and -absorption, as well as, alkali-based absorption was modelled. Energy consumption of the operation, the cradle-to-gate embodied energy and sensitivity analysis based on parameter variations were carried out. The maximum energy released by the formation of CO2 (8.94-18.2 GJ/t CO2) were also considered in the evaluation. However several studies state that DAC is a negative emission technology, its energy requirement often lies in the range or above the formation energy of CO2. Accordingly, theoretically more energy is required for the capture as can be obtained during the formation of CO2. The calculation model includes over 60 parameters resulting in an array of the possible energy and material requirements. The use of this wide range of figures in life cycle assessment sheds light on the real opportunities of direct air capture in future product systems. The option of varying parameters enables tailoring the calculation to a particular situation or design. In this way, the calculator offers a common base for LCA fostering the early-stage analysis of DAC technologies.

“…A solution of GS in 50 wt.% is assumed to be used for CO2 capture purposes, as it leads to the lowest moisture absorption from the air 30 . Different elements were also adapted to the model, such as the design of sorption columns 24,25,[61][62][63] , sorbent recovery 64,65 or the captured fraction per pass 23,24,66 . Several system elements had to be also scaled (cf.…”

Section: Absorption In Organic Solution (Washing Column)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Material flows and Embodied Energy of Direct Air Capture

2021

Preprint

: Direct air capture (DAC) is an essential nexus of CO2 chemistry and climate mitigation. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is often deployed to validate the environmental potentials of such future emerging technologies. Consequently, an increased number of ex-ante LCAs are expected in this field. However, recently a comprehensive life cycle inventory for LCA is missing from the international literature, which is essential for transparency. To fill this gap, the present paper analyses three selected DAC technologies to create an inventory for LCAs. Amine-based adsorption and -absorption, as well as, alkali-based absorption was modelled. Energy consumption of the operation, the cradle-to-gate embodied energy and sensitivity analysis based on parameter variations were carried out. The maximum energy released by the formation of CO2 (8.94-18.2 GJ/t CO2) were also considered in the evaluation. However several studies state that DAC is a negative emission technology, its energy requirement often lies in the range or above the formation energy of CO2. Accordingly, theoretically more energy is required for the capture as can be obtained during the formation of CO2. The calculation model includes over 60 parameters resulting in an array of the possible energy and material requirements. The use of this wide range of figures in life cycle assessment sheds light on the real opportunities of direct air capture in future product systems. The option of varying parameters enables tailoring the calculation to a particular situation or design. In this way, the calculator offers a common base for LCA fostering the early-stage analysis of DAC technologies.