A novel direct air capture (DAC) technology is being developed by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International with funding and management support provided by NETL on behalf of the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM). Through three collaborative research and development projects, RTI has selected a DAC sorbent material, completed initial testing of their air contactor design, and is now designing an integrated DAC process for field testing.

DAC technologies allow for the capture of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere, addressing both current and legacy emissions to achieve negative emissions. Captured CO₂ can then either be securely stored in geologic reservoirs or converted into various industrial products, including building materials and chemicals.

FECM's Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Program spans from applied research in novel materials and component systems to pilot-scale testing and front-end engineering and design studies to drive down both capital and operating costs in support of DOE's Carbon Negative Shot.

"The initial project focused on DAC material selection," said Mariah Young, an NETL federal project manager who managed one of the projects. Young goes on to state that "RTI led efforts to develop two types of advanced adsorbent materials - metal organic frameworks, or MOFs, and phosphorous dendrimers (P-dendrimers) - for use in DAC units. Both sorbent materials were thoroughly characterized and evaluated. A P-dendrimer material was selected as the sorbent based on performance under relevant DAC conditions."

A follow-on project enabled the design and testing of RTI's bench-scale DAC contactor that was optimized for wind-driven operation using the high-performance, high-durability P-dendrimer sorbent in partnership with Creare. Lei Hong, the NETL federal project manager for this follow-on project, said "Through initial testing of the advanced structured material and a contactor system under environmentally relevant DAC operating conditions, the design characteristics and operating conditions were optimized to reduce energy requirements and capital and operating costs."

The current project will support integrated bench-scale field testing of RTI's DAC technology under actual environmental conditions. "Integrated testing under actual DAC conditions, coupled with detailed techno-economic and life cycle analyses of the performance data, is essential element of transformational technology maturation in support of the Department of Energy's Carbon Negative Shot," said Erika Bittner who is the NETL federal project manager.

The RTI team, which includes Creare LLC, will design and field test a bench-scale DAC system optimized for wind-driven operation. The process incorporates high-performance, high-durability amine sorbents with hybrid additive manufacturing technology, to produce high-performance, compact heat and mass exchange structures at low cost. The DAC system will be validated and verified through long-term testing in actual ambient environmental conditions.

DOE's Carbon Negative Shot is an all-hands-on-deck call for innovation in CO₂ removal pathways that targets the capture of gigatons of greenhouse gas from the atmosphere and store it at a portfolio-wide average cost of $100 per net metric ton of CO₂-equivalent or less.

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that drives innovation and delivers solutions for an environmentally sustainable and prosperous energy future. By using its world-class talent and research facilities, NETL is ensuring affordable, abundant, and reliable energy that drives a robust economy and national security, while developing technologies to manage carbon across the full life cycle, enabling environmental sustainability for all Americans

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