Thermodynamic exploration of temperature vacuum swing adsorption for direct air capture of carbon dioxide in buildings

Highlights: • The novel ventilation can separate carbon dioxide from indoor air and outdoor air. • The minimum separation work for capturing from 400 ppm air is about 20 kJ/mol. • The optimal second-law efficiencies range from 31.60% to 44.57% for 1000–3000 ppm. • Possibility for approaching negative carbon buildings has been explored. -- Abstract: Abrupt climate change such as the loss of Arctic sea-ice area urgently needs negative emissions technologies. The potential application of direct air capture of carbon dioxide from indoor air and outdoor air in closed buildings or crowded places has been discussed in this paper. From the aspects of carbon reduction and indoor comfort, the ventilation system integrating a capture device is of great value in practical use. For ultra-dilute carbon dioxide sources, many traditional separation processes have no cost advantages, but adsorption technologies such as temperature vacuum swing adsorption is one of suitable methods. Thermodynamic exploration has been investigated regarding minimum separation work and second-law efficiency at various concentrations in the air. The influence of concentration, adsorption temperature, desorption temperature and desorption pressure on the energy efficiency has also been evaluated. Results show that the minimum separation work for the level of 400 ppm is approximately 20 kJ/mol. The optimal second-law efficiencies are 44.57%, 37.55% and 31.60%, respectively for 3000 ppm, 2000 ppm and 1000 ppm. It means that a high energy-efficiency capture device in buildings merits attention in the exploration of the possibility of approaching negative carbon buildings.