In a new carbon capture testing apparatus, synthetic air flows through a column. The sorbent traps and captures the carbon molecules. The device measures how fast the sorbent becomes saturated with CO₂.
Credit: N. Hanacek/NIST
More than 100 facilities designed to remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere are in various stages of development around the world. In the United States, the first direct air capture (DAC) plant opened last fall in Northern California. The U.S. Department of Energy is funding four more regional DAC hubs with billions of dollars in seed money.
Now, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) aims to facilitate the development of this rapidly emerging technology that the International Energy Agency (IEA) says will be a “key technology” for combating global warming.
NIST scientists have developed a high-precision testing apparatus for benchmarking the performance of the materials, called sorbents, used in DAC plants to trap and remove carbon from the air.
The apparatus will enable the agency to develop research-grade test material (RGTM) sorbents for the DAC industry. These reference materials will be tested in the apparatus and validated to remove a certain amount of CO₂ from a given amount of air.
Two of the apparatuses designed to test materials used in DAC plants to trap and remove carbon from the air.
Credit: J. Manion/NIST
Companies will have the option of using the RGTMs to calibrate their equipment, making sure they get the same results as NIST does when they test the agency’s materials. They can also use the material ..
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