Shockwave CO2

Shockwave CO2 is a portable skid-based system that produces sodium carbonate or bicarbonate solids from stack gas emissions at low cost. The system’s key technology is the usage of shockwaves to force collision, energy transfer, agitation, and reagent vaporization in a “shock mixer” that reacts stack gas CO2 with chemical reagents. The amount of compressed gas to produce the shockwave needs to only be 10% of the entire stack gas mass to chemically react the entirety of the stack gas CO2. This ratio of shockwave to stack gas, along with the relatively low energy requirement of common compressed air, enables economical capture of CO2 while also making the equipment compact, very low cost, and installable at virtually any commercial or industrial facility. The eventual goal of the Shockwave CO2 system is to capture diluted concentrations of CO2 from stack gases, form a solid product as an intermediate, and then produce a concentrated, food-grade stream of CO2 for compression and process applications all onsite on modular skids. Target markets include food, beverage, agricultural, refrigeration, and chemical industries.

Shockwave CO2 plans to exist and organically build its business outside of the regulatory framework and guidelines of carbon capture. Instead, the focus is on reliably and economically producing quantifiable solid carbon products and eventually concentrated carbon dioxide gas for its customers onsite. Although Shockwave CO2 estimates its cost of CO2 capture to be between $10 - $20/ton using fresh reagent, and its capture efficiency to be above 75%, this is a rough approximate due to the diminishing absorption rate of CO2 into the reagent during the carbonate-bicarbonate product formation evolution. Instead, the company focuses on its attractive economics and ease of use for chemical production.

The minimal requirements to run the system include a standard commercial air compressor capable of delivering 100psi air at a total of 4.0#/min, which is well below the capacity of most commercial screw compressors, 110v electricity, and chemical reagent. The system is projected to produce between 1-3 tons of sodium carbon products per day, depending on the richness of the CO2 stream and selection and concentration of the chemical reagent. The estimated production cost of sodium bicarbonate ranges from $30-50 per ton while targeting a 90% conversion rate of reagent into product. Each skid system has a pricing point to be well less than $1M. Please keep in mind that all figures pertain to a prototype and early commercial units. Shockwave CO2 has identified many areas to gain dramatic efficiencies but has not yet developed these applications. Additionally Shockwave CO2 plans to develop a separate skid component that can efficiently release concentrated CO2 from the sodium bicarbonate it produces and is looking for a partner to collaborate on this project.

Shockwave CO2 hopes to enable an industry of distributive CO2 production where any commercial or industrial facility can produce its own carbonate, bicarbonate, or CO2 product for process applications, sanitation, and as feedstock. The company envisions a future where sodium bicarbonate and CO2 is more plentiful and readily utilized on consumer and retail scale replacing heat and water for various everyday routines.

The Shockwave CO2 system has successfully concluded indicative testing and is looking for customers and partners to test and record data on live stack gas, help commercialize, and deploy to markets. The company is actively looking for partners who have specific expertise in bicarbonate processing, catalyst development, and CO2 gas handling. A live demonstration will be available in McKinney, TX in the upcoming weeks. If interested, please contact me at brian.tang@shockwaveco2.com.