Low-energy Direct Air Capture for windy coastal desert corridors
Flow-CC 2.0 is developing a modular Direct Air Capture architecture that combines passive / low-assist airflow, K2CO3 + glycine chemistry, seawater air preconditioning, staged falling-film absorption and low-temperature regeneration to validate a pathway toward verified sub-$100/t atmospheric CO₂ removal at scale.
Early-stage technical validation / TRL 2–3. Next milestone: 1–5 m² integrated validation rig.
DAC today is slowed by high heat needs, large fans, complex plants, and land/energy friction, resulting in costs of $300–800/t. To unlock mass buyers and public programs, we need sub-$100/t.
Flow-CC 2.0 combines passive / low-assist airflow, K2CO3 + glycine/glycinate solvent, a six-stage cascade falling-film absorber, seawater air preconditioning and low-temperature regeneration.
Ambient wind corridors provide the primary air movement, with low-assist airflow only where pressure drop or site conditions require it.
A promoted potassium carbonate solvent improves absorption kinetics while avoiding very aggressive KOH/NaOH open-contact chemistry.
Seawater preconditioning cools and humidifies incoming air before a six-stage falling-film absorber captures CO₂ for low-temperature regeneration.
Low-temperature regeneration is the first validation route, initially solar-assisted and later open to heat integration. The goal is to measure capture flux, water balance, pressure drop, salt carryover and solvent stability before scaling.
Stage TRL 2–3 technical validation • 1–5 m² integrated rig
What to prove: pressure drop, passive / low-assist airflow envelope, real wetted area and falling-film stability.
Why it matters: capture flux only matters if the absorber can move enough air without fan-heavy OPEX.
What to prove: air preconditioning benefit, water balance, salt carryover envelope and materials compatibility.
Why it matters: coastal desert deployment needs humidity control without turning freshwater into the hidden cost driver.
What to prove: K2CO3 + glycine/glycinate stability, low-temperature regeneration energy and CO₂ output quality.
Why it matters: the sub-$100/t pathway depends on measured thermal OPEX, not early spreadsheet confidence.
Flow-CC 2.0 is designed for coastal desert corridors where stable wind, seawater access, high solar resource and land availability can work together instead of being treated as separate deployment constraints.
Flow-CC 2.0 is not claiming mature commercial economics today. The cost target is a design constraint: validate the physics first, then update TEA from measured rig and pilot data.
Reduce energy loads: passive airflow targets fan power while low-temperature regeneration targets thermal OPEX.
Control the water penalty: seawater preconditioning must show humidity benefit without unacceptable salt carryover.
Validate contact efficiency: the rig must measure capture flux per wetted area under real pressure-drop limits.
Update TEA from evidence: measured rig and outdoor pilot data define whether the pathway can move toward verified sub-$100/t economics.
Buyers want high-quality, durable CO₂ removal with clear measurement. If verified below $100/t, DAC can move beyond premium buyers toward infrastructure-scale climate markets.
~0.5–1.5 Gt CO₂/yr of removal is needed by 2030, and ~5–10 Gt/yr by 2050 (IPCC & IEA).
At $100–200 per ton, this implies a market of ~$50–300B/yr by 2030 and ~$0.5–2.0T/yr by 2050.
High-quality, durable DAC credits are sold today for $200–$600 per ton, mainly to corporate buyers.
Solvent testing, seawater aerosol control, sensors, automation and fabrication support for the 1–5 m² integrated validation rig.
Expert review across gas-liquid contact, passive airflow, low-temperature regeneration, materials compatibility and measurement design.
Infrastructure, energy, coastal industrial and climate partners interested in moving from measured proof-of-concept to outdoor pilot readiness.
The system concept is coherent, but the critical coupled physics have not yet been demonstrated in one integrated rig.
Measure CO₂ capture flux, water balance, pressure drop, salt carryover, film stability, solvent degradation and regeneration behavior.
Prepare a 10–50 m² outdoor module, updated TEA, pilot budget, IP scope and partner package. Future Power-to-Gas integration remains strategic optionality after DAC validation.
If you want to invest, support the validation rig, provide technical mentorship or explore a future pilot partnership - contact us.