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Model-based thermodynamic analysis of direct air capture units in repurposed power plant cooling towers

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  • Sager, Robert
  • Pehle, Lukas
  • Petersen, Nils Hendrik
  • Wirsum, Manfred
  • Hannes, Jens

Abstract

To achieve the climate goals, the energy supply system must be sourced by renewable energy instead of fossil fuels. Nevertheless, hard-to-abate sectors require negative emission technologies (NETs) to counteract their emissions. Thus, NETs play a significant role across all future scenarios considered. Since natural NETs, such as afforestation, exhibit lower scaling potential, technological approaches like Direct Air Capture (DAC) represent promising alternatives. However, DAC faces major drawbacks in terms of high energy demands and high required air mass flows due to the low CO2 concentration in ambient air (∼400 ppm). This results in elevated costs per captured tonne of CO2. Interestingly, the infrastructure of thermal power plants shares similarities with components of DAC units, in particular the cooling tower due to its handling of high air mass flows. As countries progressively shut down their coal-fired power plants, there is an opportunity to repurpose existing power plant infrastructure into DAC units.

Suggested Citation

  • Sager, Robert & Pehle, Lukas & Petersen, Nils Hendrik & Wirsum, Manfred & Hannes, Jens, 2025. "Model-based thermodynamic analysis of direct air capture units in repurposed power plant cooling towers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 378(PA).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:378:y:2025:i:pa:s0306261924020518
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.124668
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tyagi, S.K. & Pandey, A.K. & Pant, P.C. & Tyagi, V.V., 2012. "Formation, potential and abatement of plume from wet cooling towers: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 3409-3429.
    2. Sarah Deutz & André Bardow, 2021. "Life-cycle assessment of an industrial direct air capture process based on temperature–vacuum swing adsorption," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 6(2), pages 203-213, February.
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