Experimentation of a novel sequential moving-bed DAC System

Solid sorbent Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies face significant challenges due to the high energy demands associated with adsorption and regeneration phases. Overcoming these limitations is essential to improve the scalability and sustainability of carbon removal solutions. This study investigates the performance of a novel sequential moving-bed (SMB) DAC architecture that utilizes solid sorbent cells circulating through three distinct zones: adsorption, regeneration, and heat exchange, in order to increase system duty cycle and allow for heat recovery between sorption and desorption. The primary objective is to evaluate the energy and capture performance of this configuration in comparison to a conventional fixed-bed system, using the same sorbent under the same operating conditions. Compared to a conventional fixed-bed system, the SMB configuration increased CO 2 uptake by nearly 30% while reducing total energy intensity by more than 35%, to just over 1000 Wh/kgCO 2 . These gains are attributed to reduced sorbent working mass, lower pressure drops, and efficient heat recovery. The findings highlight the potential of the SMB approach to enhance the performance and energy efficiency of DAC systems, offering a pathway toward more sustainable and scalable carbon removal solutions. • CO 2 uptake increased by more than 30% with the sequential moving-bed process. • Energy intensity decreased by over 35% with the sequential moving-bed process. • Energy intensity reduced to near 1000 Wh/kgCO 2 with the sequential moving-bed.