The American company Aircela presented innovative a plant that converts carbon dioxide from the air into finished fuel. The development could change the approach to gasoline production, making it more environmentally friendly.
The honeycomb-like facility captures CO₂ from the atmosphere using a liquid sorbent based on potassium hydroxide. Next, carbon dioxide goes through several stages of processing:
- Electrolysis of the water produced by the reaction to release hydrogen.
- Conversion of CO₂ and hydrogen into methanol.
- Synthesis of gasoline from methanol.
The resulting fuel is fully compatible with conventional engines and does not contain harmful impurities – sulfur, ethanol and heavy metals.
During tests on the roof of a New York skyscraper, the installation produced 0.5 liters of gasoline. Its daily capacity is about 3.7 liters of fuel while processing 0.038 m³ CO₂. By the fall, Aircela plans to begin supplying equipment to industrial and commercial customers.
Although the technology looks promising, its cost-effectiveness is still questionable. The process requires expensive reagents and significant energy consumption. However, if developers manage to reduce costs, this could be a breakthrough in the fight against CO₂ emissions.
Experts note that such solutions are especially relevant for remote regions and industries where it is difficult to establish traditional fuel logistics.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology
Source: @chemproms
