Ut-battelle, Inc.

The University of Tennessee Research Foundation

Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation

Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc.

Constantinos Tsouris

David W DePaoli

Mariappan Parans Paranthaman

Gyoung Gug Jang

Xin Sun

Marko Robert Ivancevic

Amit Kumar Naskar

Lonnie J Love

Christopher James Janke

James E Parks, Ii

Michael Z Hu

Kashif Nawaz

Radu Custelcean

Michelle K Kidder

Kai Li

Brian A Fricke

Joel T Shor

James Q Feng

Liyuan Liang

Junhang Dong

Zhong Cheng Hu

Canhai Lai

Michael Matuszewski

Scott Sluder

Abishek Kasturi

Joshua A Thompson

Samuel F Evans

Olivia R West

A method of capturing carbon dioxide (CO) present in air is provided. The method includes adding a carbon-dioxide-capturing device to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a building. The carbon-dioxide-capturing device is added to one or both of an air handler and air-distribution ductwork of the HVAC system. The method further includes circulating air including carbon dioxide through the carbon-dioxide-capturing device in the HVAC system. A direct decarbonization system for capturing carbon dioxide present in air is also provided. The system includes an HVAC unit, air-distribution ductwork connected to the HVAC unit, and a carbon-dioxide-capturing device disposed in one or both of the HVAC unit and the air-distribution ductwork. Carbon dioxide gas present in air passing through the HVAC unit or the air-distribution ductwork is removable from the air by the carbon-dioxide-capturing device.

Multi-functional equipment for direct decarbonization with improved indoor air quality

A solar-thermal vapor-permeation membrane is provided. The solar-thermal vapor-permeation membrane includes a thermally conductive, microporous support layer having a feed surface, and an active separation layer adjacent the feed surface of the support layer. The support layer is capable of absorbing solar-thermal radiation. Utilization of solar energy for a membrane separation process replaces fossil-fuel derived energy with renewable energy as the driving force and does not involve the generation of undesirable greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the solar-thermal vapor-permeation process using the provided membrane is cost effective, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly.

Solar-thermal membrane for dewatering aqueous organic-acid solutions

A high-flux direct air capture (DAC) contactor is provided. The contactor includes stainless steel mesh elements interlaced into a structured packing to increase the effective surface area for a suitable solvent. In laboratory testing, the contactor demonstrated significant potential in driving down the cost of solvent absorption-based DAC due to its high specific surface area and COuptake efficiency, resistance to corrosion, optimal wettability, smaller relative size, and low manufacturing cost. As a potential breakthrough strategy, the highly efficient COcapture contactor can be employed to significantly reduce capital costs in a compact DAC system.

Air-liquid contactor for carbon dioxide direct air capture using aqueous solvent

An adsorbent for a target compound can include porous carbon particles having pores with a predominant pore size less than 10 nm, and magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) nucleated on the carbon surface and within the pores of carbon particles to provide a carbon magnetic nanoparticle adsorbent (C-MNA). A method for removing target compounds with an adsorbent, a system for removing contaminants from a liquid, and a method for adsorbing target compounds from a fluid are also disclosed.

Adsorbents, systems and methods for the removal of heavy metals from contaminated water

A packing device for mass and heat transfer with a subject fluid includes a housing having opposing ends, and subject fluid openings at each opposing end defining a subject fluid flow path for at least one subject fluid flowing through the packing device. A plurality of mass and heat transfer plates each include an interior heat exchange fluid channel disposed between interior heat transfer surfaces of the mass and heat transfer plates. A heat exchange fluid inlet and fluid outlet can supply and remove heat exchange fluid to the heat exchange fluid channels of the mass and heat transfer plates. The mass and heat transfer plates can be oriented to define there between fluid flow channels for the subject fluid. A method and system for mass and heat transfer with a subject fluid, and a method and system for the removal of COfrom a gas stream are disclosed.

Multifunctional intensified reactor device with integrated heat and mass transfer

A capacitive deionization system includes first and second electrodes comprising tire derived carbon particles obtained from a carbonaceous waste-tire source material containing carbon black. A conductive polymer coating on the carbon particles forms coated carbon particles. The first electrode and the second electrode define a flow channel there between, having a first opening for conducting saline solution into the flow channel and a second opening for conducting treated saline solution from the flow channel. A first current collector is provided for the first electrode and a second current collector is provided for the second electrode. An electrical connection between the first and second electrodes. A method of making a system for the capacitive deionization of a salt from a liquid, and a method for the capacitive desalination of a saline solution are also disclosed.

Carbon electrodes based capacitive deionization for the desalination of water

A liquid CO injection system produces a negatively buoyant consolidated stream of liquid CO , CO hydrate, and water that sinks upon release at ocean depths in the range of 700-1500 m. In this approach, seawater at a predetermined ocean depth is mixed with the liquid CO stream before release into the ocean. Because mixing is conducted at depths where pressures and temperatures are suitable for CO hydrate formation, the consolidated stream issuing from the injector is negatively buoyant, and comprises mixed CO -hydrate/CO -liquid/water phases. The &ldquo;sinking&rdquo; characteristic of the produced stream will prolong the metastability of CO ocean sequestration by reducing the CO dissolution rate into water. Furthermore, the deeper the CO hydrate stream sinks after injection, the more stable it becomes internally, the deeper it is dissolved, and the more dispersed is the resulting CO plume. These factors increase efficiency, increase the residence time of CO2 in the ocean, and decrease the cost of CO sequestration while reducing deleterious impacts of free CO gas in ocean water.

Method and apparatus for efficient injection of CO2 in oceans

The present invention is directed to the effects of applied electric fields on liquid-liquid dispersions. In general, the present invention is directed to the control of phase inversions in liquid-liquid dispersions. Because of polarization and deformation effects, coalescence of aqueous drops is facilitated by the application of electric fields. As a result, with an increase in the applied voltage, the ambivalence region is narrowed and shifted toward higher volume fractions of the dispersed phase. This permits the invention to be used to ensure that the aqueous phase remains continuous, even at a high volume fraction of the organic phase. Additionally, the volume fraction of the organic phase may be increased without causing phase inversion, and may be used to correct a phase inversion which has already occurred. Finally, the invention may be used to enhance mass transfer rates from one phase to another through the use of phase inversions.

Methods to control phase inversions and enhance mass transfer in liquid-liquid dispersions

The present invention relates to a method for the rapid production of homogeneous, ultrafine inorganic material via liquid-phase reactions. The method of the present invention employs electrohydrodynamic flows in the vicinity of an electrified injector tube placed inside another tube to induce efficient turbulent mixing of two fluids containing reactive species. The rapid micromixing allows liquid-phase reactions to be conducted uniformly at high rates. This approach allows continuous production of non-agglomerated, monopispersed, submicron-sized, sphere-like powders.

Method for the production of ultrafine particles by electrohydrodynamic micromixing

A method and apparatus to electrolytically produce high-purity magnetite particles is provided. The apparatus comprises a container for holding an electrolytic solution. In accordance with one embodiment, the electrolytic solution includes sodium chloride and deionized water. A pair of carbon steel electrodes are submerged within the electrolytic solution. A d.c. power supply is also provided to apply a voltage to the electrodes for a period of time sufficient to produce the magnetite particles.

Method and apparatus to electrolytically produce high-purity magnetite particles

A method for use in electrically forming dispersions of a nonconducting fluid in a conductive medium that minimizes power consumption, gas generation, and sparking between the electrode of the nozzle and the conductive medium. The method utilizes a nozzle having a passageway, the wall of which serves as the nozzle electrode, for the transport of the nonconducting fluid into the conductive medium. A second passageway provides for the transport of a flowing low conductivity buffer fluid which results in a region of the low conductivity buffer fluid immediately adjacent the outlet from the first passageway to create the necessary protection from high current drain and sparking. An electrical potential difference applied between the nozzle electrode and an electrode in contact with the conductive medium causes formation of small droplets or bubbles of the nonconducting fluid within the conductive medium. A preferred embodiment has the first and second passageways arranged in a concentric configuration, with the outlet tip of the first passageway withdrawn into the second passageway.

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Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America

Constantinos Tsouris