Project

SENSATION - Sorbent Assisted Carbon Capture Tailored for Low CO₂ Concentrations from Air and Low Industrial CO₂ Emissions

The SENSATION project will develop a sorbent-based carbon capture technology tailored for low CO₂ concentrations, varying from 400 ppm in air (Direct Air Capture) to 1-3 vol % for industrial sources.

Contact person

Anna Maria Lind

Senior Research Scientist

6. June 2024

The technology will be demonstrated at TRL6 level for both the Direct Air Capture (DAC) case and for CO₂ capture from the emissions of a glass plant by temperature swing adsorption using structured sorbents. The project involves screening and structuring of sorbents, process modelling and optimization, design and construction of a pilot unit, TRL6 demonstration at two different sites, techno-economic analysis, life cycle assessment and social assessment, as well as exploitation activities including commercialization and scalability.

A schematic representation of the concept of the SENSATION project

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26 Glasgow) confirmed that to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, global carbon dioxide emissions must be cut by 45 % by 2030 relative to the 2010 level and to net zero by midcentury. Reaching this target requires significant reduction of CO₂ emissions and further development of negative-emission technologies, such as DAC, to cut atmospheric concentrations. In addition, there is also a need to advance technologies that can effectively handle flue gases with low CO₂ concentrations, since the cumulated effect of low-concentration CO₂ emitters is significant.

The main challenges of low-concentration CO₂ capture are the high costs and energy requirements. Due to this, there is currently no capture technology available for industries with low CO₂ concentrations in their off gas. To reach the climate goals, technologies for capture of low-concentration CO₂, including both capture from air by DAC and from industries with low CO₂ concentrations in their off gas, need to be implemented at large scale.

In SENSATION, reduction in the energy demand and the cost will be achieved through optimization of both the adsorbent used in the capture technology, as well as optimization of the process configuration through structured adsorbents for a low pressure drop and intensified capture cycle. Further, SENSATION puts great emphasis on the fact that the technology needs to be scalable, and thereby accelerate the time to market and contribute to a significant CO₂ reduction by 2030.