direct air capture

Direct Air Capture (DAC) is a technology designed to extract carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the ambient air. The process involves ambient air passing through a separator that removes a portion of the CO₂, resulting in a highly concentrated form of CO₂ that can be utilized for various applications.

PlasmaAir AG has developed a pilot plant to separate CO2 from the ambient air on behalf of the ZSW (Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg). This facility serves as a technology demonstrator, producing approximately 10 kg/h of highly concentrated CO2 (> 99.5% by volume). Installed at the ZSW in Stuttgart Vaihingen, the plant functions as a testbed for process qualification. It is a key component of the “Direct Air Capture made in Baden-Württemberg” project, funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport and the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs.

PlasmaAir AG and ZSW have established a cooperation and licensing agreement to advance the development and commercialization of this technology. PlasmaAir plans to further industrialize and market ZSW’s DAC technology.

The market adoption of these applications will depend on factors such as the cost of the extraction process and the purity of the CO₂. The primary objective of this pilot plant is to accurately determine these parameters and develop scaling concepts based on the findings.

The process employed is an absorption-desorption technique. During the absorption phase, CO₂ is separated from the ambient air using a liquid absorbent. An amine-water mixture serves as the absorbent, which flows in cross-current with the gas phase inside the column. The CO₂ from the air is absorbed by this liquid. In the parallel desorption process, the CO₂ is extracted from the liquid using thermal energy at approximately 100°C, resulting in a highly concentrated and pure form of CO₂ for further use.