A method for manufacturing a carbon dioxide adsorbent includes: forming a kneaded product containing a hydrophilic fiber, a powdery porous material, and an aqueous hydrophilic binder dispersion into particles and drying the particles to generate porous material particles containing the hydrophilic fiber and the powdery porous material combined by the hydrophilic binder; and preparing an aqueous amine solution having an amine concentration of 5% or more and 70% or less and a temperature of 10° C. or higher and 100° C. or lower, impregnating the aqueous amine solution into the porous material particles, and aeration-drying the porous material particles impregnating the amine. The carbon dioxide adsorbent contains the porous material particles and the amine carried by the porous material particles, the porous material particles containing the hydrophilic fiber and the powdery porous material combined by the hydrophilic binder.

Systems and methods are provided for conversion of oxygenate feeds to distillate boiling range products using multiple moving bed reactor stages. The systems and methods allow for multiple stages to be used while avoiding the need for distillation or other boiling point based separation as the mixture of feed and effluent is passed between stages. Instead, a stripping gas is used to disengage the feed and effluent from the catalyst solids. In combination with an improved moving bed reactor design, this can allow substantially all of the feed and effluent from a first moving bed reactor stage to be passed into a second moving bed reactor stage, even when the feed and effluent include both vapor and liquid phase portions.

Systems and methods are provided for conversion of oxygenate feeds to distillate boiling range products using multiple moving bed reactor stages. The systems and methods allow for multiple stages to be used while avoiding the need for distillation or other boiling point based separation as the mixture of feed and effluent is passed between stages. Instead, a stripping gas is used to disengage the feed and effluent from the catalyst solids. In combination with an improved moving bed reactor design, this can allow substantially all of the feed and effluent from a first moving bed reactor stage to be passed into a second moving bed reactor stage, even when the feed and effluent include both vapor and liquid phase portions.

An apparatus includes a housing that defines a first zone, a second zone, a third zone, and a fourth zone. The apparatus includes an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a conveyor belt. The inlet is configured to receive a carbon dioxide-containing fluid in the first zone. The first outlet is configured to discharge a carbon dioxide-depleted fluid from the first zone. The second outlet is configured to discharge a carbon dioxide-rich fluid from the third zone. The conveyor belt passes through each of the zones. The conveyor belt includes a carbon dioxide sorbent. Within the first zone, the carbon dioxide sorbent is configured to adsorb carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide-containing fluid to produce the carbon dioxide-depleted fluid. Within the third zone, the carbon dioxide sorbent is configured to desorb the captured carbon dioxide to produce the carbon dioxide-rich fluid.

An apparatus includes a housing that defines a first zone, a second zone, a third zone, and a fourth zone. The apparatus includes an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a conveyor belt. The inlet is configured to receive a carbon dioxide-containing fluid in the first zone. The first outlet is configured to discharge a carbon dioxide-depleted fluid from the first zone. The second outlet is configured to discharge a carbon dioxide-rich fluid from the third zone. The conveyor belt passes through each of the zones. The conveyor belt includes a carbon dioxide sorbent. Within the first zone, the carbon dioxide sorbent is configured to adsorb carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide-containing fluid to produce the carbon dioxide-depleted fluid. Within the third zone, the carbon dioxide sorbent is configured to desorb the captured carbon dioxide to produce the carbon dioxide-rich fluid.

A carbon dioxide separation recovery method includes: bringing a particulate carbon dioxide adsorbent and a treatment target gas containing carbon dioxide into contact with each other to make the carbon dioxide adsorbent adsorb the carbon dioxide contained in the treatment target gas; and bringing the carbon dioxide adsorbent which has adsorbed the carbon dioxide and desorption steam into contact with each other to desorb the carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide adsorbent, and thereby, regenerate the carbon dioxide adsorbent and recover the desorbed carbon dioxide. The step of recovering the carbon dioxide includes utilizing a recovery gas as a heat source of a heat exchanger, the recovery gas containing the desorption steam which has contacted the carbon dioxide adsorbent and the carbon dioxide which has been desorbed from the carbon dioxide adsorbent.

A carbon dioxide separation recovery method includes: bringing a particulate carbon dioxide adsorbent and a treatment target gas containing carbon dioxide into contact with each other to make the carbon dioxide adsorbent adsorb the carbon dioxide contained in the treatment target gas; and bringing the carbon dioxide adsorbent which has adsorbed the carbon dioxide and superheated steam into contact with each other to desorb the carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide adsorbent and thereby regenerate the carbon dioxide adsorbent, and recovering the desorbed carbon dioxide. A saturation temperature of the superheated steam which is brought into contact with the carbon dioxide adsorbent is not more than a temperature of the carbon dioxide adsorbent which contacts the superheated steam. The regenerated carbon dioxide adsorbent is utilized for adsorption of the carbon dioxide again without being subjected to a drying step.

Solar thermal units and methods of operating solar thermal units for the conversion of solar insolation to thermal energy are provided. In some examples, solar thermal units have an inlet, and a split flow of heat absorbing fluid to either side of the solar thermal unit, along a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path. Optionally, one or more photovoltaic panels can be provided as part of the solar thermal unit, which may convert solar insolation to electric power that may be used by a system connected to the solar thermal unit.

Solar thermal units and methods of operating solar thermal units for the conversion of solar insolation to thermal energy are provided. In some examples, solar thermal units have an inlet, and a split flow of heat absorbing fluid to either side of the solar thermal unit, along a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path. Optionally, one or more photovoltaic panels can be provided as part of the solar thermal unit, which may convert solar insolation to electric power that may be used by a system connected to the solar thermal unit.

Solar thermal units and methods of operating solar thermal units for the conversion of solar insolation to thermal energy are provided. In some examples, solar thermal units have an inlet, and a split flow of heat absorbing fluid to either side of the solar thermal unit, along a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path. Optionally, one or more photovoltaic panels can be provided as part of the solar thermal unit, which may convert solar insolation to electric power that may be used by a system connected to the solar thermal unit.