Systems and methods for carbon sequestration using enhanced weathering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12083475-B2
Application number	US-202318298168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2023
Priority date	Aug 31, 2021
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates, in part, to enhanced weathering systems and/or apparatuses and methods of use thereof. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of at least partially sequestering CO 2 from an influent aqueous solution comprising aqueous and/or gaseous CO 2 . In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of at least partially sequestering CO 2 from a gaseous CO 2 source. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides systems and/or apparatuses suitable for use in the methods described herein. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of optimizing the design and operation of a system for at least partial sequestration of CO 2 from a water source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aqueous solution treatment system comprising:
(a) an influent aqueous solution inlet connected to a container by an optionally sealable inlet junction,
wherein the container comprises at least one optionally sealable inlet suitable for addition of at least one acidifying agent to an aqueous solution contained therein, and
wherein the container is suitable to contain a mineral feedstock, wherein the mineral feedstock comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a metal silicate, a metal carbonate, and a metal oxide; and

(b) an effluent aqueous solution outlet connected to the container by an optionally sealable outlet junction,
wherein the container is equipped with at least two sensors, comprising at least one inlet sensor and at least one outlet sensor, each of which are suitable to measure at least two parameters selected from the group consisting of pH, alkalinity, dissolved CO 2 concentration, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration, bicarbonate ion concentration, carbonate ion concentration, and partial pressure of CO 2 (g), and optionally further suitable to measure at least one parameter of the aqueous solution contained therein selected from the group consisting of temperature, conductivity, turbidity, salinity, dissolved oxygen concentration, total suspended solids concentration, total dissolved solids concentration, hardness, concentration of a dissolved metal, and concentration of a dissolved non-metal or metalloid,
wherein the dissolved metal is optionally at least one metal selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, nickel, iron, cobalt, chromium,
wherein the dissolved non-metal is optionally a phosphate,
wherein the dissolved metalloid is optionally silica,
wherein each of the at least two sensors are is positioned within the container at different distances from the inlet junction or outlet junction;

(c) a means for calculating a change in dissolved CO 2 concentration by comparing the at least two measured parameters at two of the at least two sensors in the container; and
(d) a means for controlling the change in dissolved CO 2 concentration.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for controlling the change in dissolved CO 2 concentration comprises at least one of the following:
(a) a closed loop process controller that modifies at least one measured parameter at the inlet junction; and
(b) a closed loop process controller that modifies at least one contacting condition in the container which is selected from the group consisting of flow rate of the influent aqueous solution, agitation rate, flow recirculation rate or schedule, concentration (w/v %) of the metal silicate, the metal carbonate, or the metal oxide in the mineral feedstock.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises at least one additional instance of the container of claim 1 , wherein each additional instance of the container is in fluid communication with every other instance of the container, which are arranged in parallel, series, or a combination thereof, wherein the container of claim 1 is an instance of said container, and wherein each additional instance of the container is connected to each additional container by an optionally sealable junction.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the system further comprises a recirculating line, wherein at least one of the following applies:
(a) the recirculating line connects a first point and a second point of the container,
wherein the first point and second point are is positioned within the container at different distances from the inlet junction or outlet junction; and
(b) the recirculating line connects two instances of the container in series;
wherein the recirculating line comprises two termini which are each connected to the container with a sealable junction, and
wherein the recirculating line permits upstream transfer of the aqueous solution.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the recirculating line facilitates recirculation of the aqueous solution contained therein upon detection of a pH of less than about 8.5 in the aqueous solution.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each instance of the container is equipped with a means for agitating at least one of the aqueous solution contained therein and the mineral feedstock contained therein, wherein the means for agitating is selected from the group consisting of an agitator, baffle, and impeller.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the effluent outlet connects to an ancillary pH adjustment system suitable to modify effluent pH to within a desired range upon detection of the aqueous liquid having a pH greater than 5 but less than 8.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container is connected to a mineral feedstock inlet by an optionally sealable junction, and wherein the mineral feedstock inlet is connected to an aqueous mineral slurry container, wherein the aqueous mineral slurry container is equipped with a pump suitable to permit transfer of the aqueous mineral slurry contained therein to at least one instance of the container.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises at least one gas stripper.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container is equipped with a device suitable for aeration of the aqueous solution contained therein.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a dissolved metal treatment container connected to the container by an optionally sealable junction.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the dissolved metal treatment container comprises at least one sorbent selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, one or more clay minerals, and biochar, wherein the at least one sorbent adsorbs at least one metal or non-metal selected from the group consisting of P, Fe, Ni, Cr, and Co.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the dissolved metal treatment container has an inlet which comprises a connection to the container, and an outlet which is optionally connected to the container.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the effluent outlet is equipped with at least one filter having a porosity ranging from about 1 μm to about 100 μm.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the influent aqueous solution inlet is connected to at least one water source selected from the group consisting of municipal wastewater, industrial wastewater, rainwater, river water, lake water, freshwater, tap water, runoff, storm water, groundwater, and seawater.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the acidifying agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of CO 2 (g), CO 2 (aq), one or more organic acids, and one or more inorganic acids.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the metal carbonate has a formula of:
(M 1 ) m (CO 3 ) n (OH) o (L 1 ) p ,
wherein:
M 1 comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of a Group IA, Group IIA, Group IIIA, Group IVA, Group IB, Group IIB, Group IIIB, Group IVB, Group VB, Group VIB, and Group VIIIB element,
wherein each occurrence of M 1 can comprise one element or two distinct elements;

L 1 is a neutral ligand, wherein the neutral ligand is optionally H 2 O; and
wherein m, n, o, and p are each independently numbers which are selected such that the metal carbonate has a net zero charge, and
wherein each number is independently optionally an integer.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the metal silicate has a formula of:
(M 2 ) q (SiO 4 ) r (OH) s (L 2 ) t ,
wherein:
M 2 comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of a

Assignees

• Univ Yale

Inventors

• Katchinoff Joachim
• Planavsky Noah
• Jordan Jacob
• Takahashi Dean
• Crotty Sinead
• Freiberg Justin

Classifications

• B01D2253/304

  Linear dimensions, e.g. particle shape, diameter · CPC title

• B01D2253/1124

  Metal oxides · CPC title

• B01D2253/106

  Silica or silicates · CPC title

• B01D2252/103

  Water · CPC title

• B01D53/1493

  Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents · CPC title