A DAC method as well as a unit containing an adsorber structure having an array of adsorber elements with a support layer and on both sides thereof a sorbent layer (1, 2), wherein the adsorber elements are parallel and spaced apart forming parallel fluid passages for flow-through of ambient atmospheric air and steam. The method involves the following sequential and repeating steps: (a) adsorption by flow-through; (b) isolating the sorbent; (c) injecting a stream of saturated steam through the parallel fluid passages and inducing an increase of the temperature; (d) extracting desorbed carbon dioxide from the unit and separating it from steam; (e) bringing the sorbent material to ambient temperature conditions wherein in step (a) the speed of the air is in the range of 2-8 m/s, and wherein at least in step (d) the speed of the steam is at least 0.2 m/s.

A method for separating gaseous carbon dioxide from a gas mixture having the following steps: (a) contacting the gas mixture with sorbent material to allow gaseous carbon dioxide to adsorb under ambient conditions, using a speed of the adsorption gas flow; (b0) isolating the sorbent with adsorbed carbon dioxide from said flow-through of gas mixture; (b1) injecting a stream of saturated steam at ambient conditions and inducing an increase of the temperature of the sorbent to a temperature between 60 and 110° C., (b2,b3) extracting at least the desorbed gaseous carbon dioxide while still injecting or circulating steam at ambient atmospheric pressure conditions into the unit; and (c) bringing the sorbent material to ambient atmospheric temperature conditions. The speed of steam flow through the unit in step (b1) or on average in steps (b1)-(b3) is in the range of 0.5-10 times the speed of the adsorption in step (a).

An improved DAC unit and process containing an adsorber structure comprising an array of adsorber elements with a support layer and on both sides thereof at least one sorbent layer and at least one protective layer comprising a microporous material disposed around the support layer and the sorbent layer, wherein the protective layer has greater hydrophobicity than the sorbent material, wherein the adsorber elements are parallel to each other and spaced apart forming parallel fluid passages for flow-through of ambient atmospheric air and/or desorbing media, the method comprising the following sequential and repeating steps: (a) adsorption by flow-through; (b) isolating said sorbent; (c) injecting a stream of desorbing media through said parallel fluid passages and inducing an increase of the temperature; (d) extracting desorbed carbon dioxide from the unit and separating it from desorbing media; (e) bringing the sorbent material to ambient temperature conditions.

A DAC method as well as a unit containing an adsorber structure having an array of adsorber elements with a support layer and on both sides thereof a sorbent layer (1, 2), wherein the adsorber elements are parallel and spaced apart forming parallel fluid passages for flow-through of ambient atmospheric air and steam. The method involves the following sequential and repeating steps: (a) adsorption by flow-through; (b) isolating the sorbent; (c) injecting a stream of saturated steam through the parallel fluid passages and inducing an increase of the temperature; (d) extracting desorbed carbon dioxide from the unit and separating it from steam; (e) bringing the sorbent material to ambient temperature conditions wherein in step (a) the speed of the air is in the range of 2-8 m/s, and wherein at least in step (d) the speed of the steam is at least 0.2 m/s.