G.V.Lab.（Global Volunteer Laboratory)

Gray Liquefied CO2

Gray CO2 recovery and liquefaction

Twenty years have passed since then, and the average carbon dioxide concentration on Earth is steadily rising.
People fear heatstroke, and deaths from heatstroke are increasing even in countries where air conditioning was previously unnecessary. Furthermore, predictions of frequent typhoons and torrential rains around the world have become reality, while on the other hand, large-scale forest fires caused by extreme heat have become commonplace every year in countries worldwide. Many companies that publicly declared in 2006 that they were "taking measures against global warming" by "cultivating forest resources" have now been forced into silence. How many people realize that continuing with current measures such as CCUS and EV development will not only worsen global warming but also accelerate it to an irreversible point? Do they know that their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and future generations will experience an even worse, accelerated global warming than they did? If they know, then people all over the world, especially the selfish and powerful rulers of today who will not survive until global warming gets any worse, must realize that they must stop all wars and confront the reality of accelerating global warming.

 Liquefied CO2 is recovered and reused as a by-product (waste) from petroleum refining plants, steel mills, fertilizer plants, etc. It is also recovered as a by-product (waste) from hydrogen production from natural gas. Recovery from incinerators is also beginning.

Liquefied CO2 has a wide range of applications and is used in various ways.

•Arc welding: CO2 gas is used to prevent oxidation and nitriding of welded parts.
•Dry ice: Used for food preservation and cleaning of precision and machine parts.
•Agriculture: Used in agricultural greenhouses to promote cultivation, enabling increased production and planned cultivation.
•Beauty and health: Used in artificial carbonated springs, carbonated shampoos, and lotions.
•Medical: Used in laparoscopic surgery, characterized by less patient damage and faster postoperative recovery.

These applications demonstrate the versatility and importance of liquefied CO2.

 Liquefied CO2 is recovered and reused as a by-product (waste) from petroleum refining plants, steel mills, fertilizer plants, etc. It is also recovered as a by-product (waste) from hydrogen production from natural gas. Recovery from incinerators is also beginning.

Liquefied carbon dioxide is recovered and reused as a by-product (waste) from petroleum refineries, steel mills, fertilizer plants, and other facilities.
The transport of gray liquefied CO2 will further increase CO2 emissions.

Gray liquefied CO2 market and future concerns

Liquefied CO2 is sold for welding, medical, and food products, and as a raw material for dry ice.
The raw material has traditionally been collected and distributed as a by-product from oil refineries. However, in recent years, there has been an accelerating movement to reduce the production and use of petroleum fuels such as gasoline, and plastics, as part of measures to combat global warming. In the future, there will likely be a shortage of liquid CO2 sources, even though there will be a lot of CO2 in the atmosphere.
For this reason, research, development, and demonstration tests are being conducted in various countries to capture CO2 from combustion exhaust gases from thermal power plants, etc., but there are many issues that need to be resolved in terms of initial costs, running costs, and the treatment of captured CO2.

The limitations of conventional TSA (Thermal Swing Adsorption) CO2 concentration methods.

I was researching and developing desiccant dehumidifiers and VOC removal and concentration technology at my company.
20 years ago, I had the idea of ​​applying this technology to create a revolutionary, energy-saving desiccant air conditioning system that would separate and remove carbon dioxide from conditioned air.
The dehumidifiers and VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) concentration devices that I specialized in employ a separation technology called the TSA method (Thermal Swing Adsorption). In this method, water vapor and gases are adsorbed onto an adsorbent (adsorbent material) to dehumidify and purify the air. The adsorbed gases and water vapor are desorbed with heated air and regenerated, allowing for continuous use. This method has been in practical use for over 100 years, and in recent years, dehumidifiers and VOC separation/concentration devices using adsorbent corrugated honeycomb have become increasingly widespread.
There are various methods for CO2 separation and concentration, but I have been trying to use the TSA method, which I am good at. However, I realized that it would be impossible to put this technology into practical use because it was incomplete, complicated, required a lot of energy for desorption, and was not competitive in terms of performance. It was a technological wall that I just couldn't break through. Many companies and research institutes have attempted to use the TSA method in the past, but none have been able to break through the barriers.

Advantages and disadvantages of DAC, a direct air capture technology

The CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is about 400 ppm (0.04%), which is much lower than the 10% concentration in exhaust gas from power plants, making it more difficult to capture at high concentrations.
　The reason DAC is being researched and developed is that it can be installed anywhere that captures CO2, not just in places where power plants or combustion furnaces that generate a lot of CO2 are installed, or where there are large-scale heat sources such as geothermal energy. In addition, combustion exhaust gas is a high-temperature, high-humidity gas that contains SOx, dust, and combustion by-product gases, so expensive pre-treatment equipment is required. However, DAC has the advantage of being able to use relatively clean air with almost the same components anywhere on the planet.

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