R&D firm GE Research, together with UC Berkeley and the University of South Alabama, has been awarded a $2 million project through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a game-changing system for capturing carbon dioxide directly from the air.
As part of the ‘AIR2CO2’ research project, the partners will combine 3D printed heat exchanger technology with innovative sorbent materials to develop a system for effectively extracting CO2 from the atmosphere. This same team is employing a similar innovative approach to extract water from air as part an ongoing project with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to provide potable clean water for troops in the field.
The DOE’s award totals $1.5 million, with a cost share of $500,000 from GE and its University partners.
“We’re combining GE’s extensive knowledge in materials, thermal management, and 3D printing technologies with UC Berkeley’s world-class expertise in sorbent materials development and the University of South Alabama’s absorption modeling and testing to design a novel system for removing carbon dioxide from the air.” – David Moore, Principal Investigator at GE Research
Owing to GE’s expertise in metal 3D printing via its GE Additive arm, the firm will serve as the project’s manufacturing partner. In addition, the company brings decades of heat exchanger and thermal technology development experience from its gas turbine platforms for the energy and aerospace sectors, which it will employ to 3D print heat exchanger devices for the decarbonization system.
The team from UC Berkeley, led by renowned Professor of Chemistry, Omar Yaghi, is a world-recognized leader in development of sorbent materials that are capable of extracting targeted elements out of the air.
Finally, the University of South Alabama team will be led by Prof. Grant Glover, and will provide support when it comes to material selection for the rest of the decarbonization system.
