Trucks are one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector, accounting for about 6% of global CO2 emissions. To tackle this challenge, researchers have developed a novel system that can capture CO2 from truck exhaust and store it in liquid form on the vehicle. The system can reduce truck CO2 emissions by up to 90%, and the captured CO2 can be reused as fuel or for other industrial purposes.
How does the system work?
The system, developed by Qaptis, a spinoff of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, consists of three main components:
- A carbon capture unit that separates CO2 from other exhaust gases using a powder-like adsorbent material. The unit is installed on the truck’s exhaust pipe and can capture up to 50% of the CO2 emitted by the engine.
- A CO2 liquefaction unit that compresses the captured CO2 into a liquid state using high-speed turbochargers. The unit reduces the volume of CO2 by a factor of 500, making it easier to store and transport.
- A CO2 storage tank that holds the liquid CO2 in a pressurized container behind the truck’s cab. The tank can store up to 300 kg of CO2, equivalent to the amount emitted by a truck in a typical day.
The system operates autonomously and does not require any external power source. It uses the waste heat from the engine to regenerate the adsorbent material and to drive the compression process. The system also has sensors and controllers that monitor and adjust the operating conditions to optimize the performance and safety of the system.
What are the benefits of the system?
The system offers several advantages over conventional methods of reducing truck CO2 emissions, such as improving fuel efficiency, switching to alternative fuels, or electrifying the vehicles. Some of the benefits are:
- It can achieve a high CO2 capture rate of up to 90%, depending on the engine load and the driving conditions.
- It can be retrofitted to existing trucks without affecting their performance or payload capacity.
- It can be integrated with existing fueling infrastructure and logistics networks, as the liquid CO2 can be easily transferred to service stations or other facilities.
- It can create a circular economy of CO2, as the captured CO2 can be converted back into synthetic fuels or other valuable products using renewable energy sources.
The system has been tested under real-world conditions on a truck operated by a Swiss freight carrier. The results have shown that the system can capture and store CO2 effectively and reliably, while meeting the technical and regulatory requirements for road transport.
What are the challenges and opportunities for the system?
The system is still in the prototype stage and faces some challenges and limitations that need to be addressed before it can be widely deployed. Some of the challenges are:
- The system adds weight and complexity to the truck, which may increase the maintenance and operational costs.
- The system requires a reliable and affordable supply of the adsorbent material, which is currently produced in limited quantities.
- The system depends on the availability and accessibility of CO2 utilization or sequestration facilities, which are still under development or not widely distributed.
Despite these challenges, the system has the potential to transform the trucking industry and to contribute to the global efforts to mitigate climate change. The system can also create new opportunities for innovation and collaboration among various stakeholders, such as truck manufacturers, operators, fuel suppliers, and CO2 users.
