How to Save Money When Buying Co2 Recovery Plant

NASA Technology

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Building on work he and his companies did with Johnson Space Center’s In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) team, Robert Zubrin has developed and commercialized technologies that could prove revolutionary in their Earth applications, such as a system that could extract millions of barrels of oil from defunct oil wells around the world and another that can harness all the natural gas currently burned off as waste at many oil drilling rigs (Spinoff ).

But when he’s not working to change this world or colonize others, the president of Pioneer Astronautics, Pioneer Energy, and the Mars Society enjoys a good microbrew. Now, he’s applied some of that same technology to cut costs for craft breweries that produce anywhere between 3,000 and 300,000 barrels per year.

Beginning in the mid-s, as a NASA contractor and then as founder of Pioneer Aeronautics, Zubrin worked with Johnson’s ISRU team to develop technology that could break down elements that are abundant on Mars and turn them into essential resources for exploration missions. Early work devised means to capture the carbon dioxide (CO2) that comprises more than 95 percent of the thin Martian atmosphere and turn it into oxygen and fuel. He built systems that could, for example, collect and separate CO2 from other gases, raise its pressure by two orders of magnitude, combine it with hydrogen to make methane and water, break the water down into oxygen and hydrogen, and remove water vapor from the resulting oxygen before it was stored.

Some of this technology, such as systems that manipulate temperature and pressure to liquefy and store gases or to strip water from a gas, as well as the technology that allows such systems to run autonomously, has found its way into Lakewood, Colorado-based Pioneer Energy’s latest creation, the CO2 Craft Brewery Recovery System.

Technology Transfer

“When you ferment beer, the process that produces alcohol also produces carbon dioxide,” Zubrin explains, noting that CO2 is also necessary later, to carbonate the beverage.

Major breweries typically have systems that capture the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation for use in carbonation and other functions, such as purging process tanks. These are high-capacity, multimillion-dollar systems, however, and don’t make sense for a small craft brewery. “They don’t have the capacity to liquefy the carbon dioxide that comes off their fermenters to put it into the beer,” Zubrin says. Instead, microbreweries are left to release the gas from fermentation and buy carbon dioxide from an outside vendor.

Pioneer’s CO2 recovery system fills that gap. “We made a system that would produce about five tons of carbon dioxide per month,” Zubrin says, adding that this is enough for a brewery that generates up to about 60,000 barrels per year, and units can essentially be stacked to increase that capacity. “Two of my key engineers, Andy Young and Matt Lewis, saw the need, and together with the rest of the team, created a flexible system that works like a charm.”

“We’ve taken our general technology acumen, which we developed under NASA, and applied it here,” Zubrin says. “If you want to get CO2 from the Martian atmosphere, you want to compress it, and you want to liquefy it.” With some modifications, the same technology can put the bubbles into beer.

On Mars, carbon dioxide would more likely be frozen, at least initially, rather than liquefied, says Gerald Sanders, chief ISRU engineer at Johnson. But the products made from it would be stored as liquids. “The types of technologies Bob is talking about to liquefy carbon dioxide are similar to technologies we would use to liquefy and store any oxygen or methane we produced on Mars,” he says. “It’s a similar process. It requires things like mechanical compressors and cryocoolers.”

Liquid CO2 could also come in handy on the Red Planet, as some NASA researchers are looking into the possibility of using it for washing clothes during a Mars mission, Sanders says. “What Bob has done could fall into that realm if we decide to go that route.”

Another commonality is the use of devices like desiccant beds, which Sanders says would be used on Mars to remove any remaining water molecules from final products before storing them. “Before you liquefy oxygen or methane, you have to strip water out of it.”

“The fermenters in breweries have water in them, and you’ve got to keep it out of the carbon dioxide, or it will freeze in the lines and block them,” says Zubrin, noting that this is where desiccant beds enter into Pioneer’s CO2 recovery system.

“None of this is really new physics, although we do use our own blend of refrigerants, which is new,” he continues.

Any system for mixing and matching molecules on Mars would also have to be fully automated using techniques Zubrin worked out during his years of ISRU work. “Typically, for the missions to Mars we’ve been considering, we would send the return vehicle 26 months before the crew even leaves,” Sanders says, noting that systems on the vehicle would produce resources for both the mission and the journeybefore the astronauts arrive. And they couldn’t even be controlled remotely in real time, as there is a communication delay of around 4 to 24 minutes each way, depending how far apart Mars and Earth are at the time.

In the case of a brewery CO2 recovery system, while the device may save a couple thousand dollars a month, it wouldn’t be economical to hire an employee to run it, Zubrin says. “On a smaller scale, this thing’s got to be totally automated, too. The robotic control you would need for a system on Mars is key to this.”

“Even if it’s not 100 percent something we would use on Mars directly, there’s a lot of synergy between what he’s done in the past and what he’s doing here,” Sanders says.

Benefits

Carbon dioxide typically runs about $200 to $300 a ton, although costs can be much higher depending on the distance from a source, Zubrin says, noting that, while the price is currently around $300 in Denver, breweries in Durango 300 miles away are paying $600 a ton. A typical brewery producing 60,000 barrels a year and paying $300 a ton for CO2 would save around $15,000 a year by using Pioneer’s recovery system, he says. The units are priced to pay for themselves within two years or so.

Quality is another advantage the system offers. The carbon dioxide brewers buy is typically a byproduct from ammonia and urea plants and may not be entirely pure, Zubrin says. “Here, you’re getting it pure from the fermenter, so it’s high-quality CO2, without even the slightest trace of industrial contaminants. We have tested it, and it is free from air contamination as well.”

And, of course, the technology allows reuse of a greenhouse gas that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.

By June , the company had taken at least a dozen orders, and the system went into production late last year. Pioneer also has a unit that it brings around the country for demonstrations. Zubrin says the technology has already received a lot of interest. He notes that microbreweries have proliferated over the last decade, a trend that continues today. “Within the United States, there are several thousand breweries that would be targets for this, and probably 20,000 worldwide.”

He credits his NASA work with the money and greenhouse gas emissions he plans to save breweries around the world.

“The intellectual capital being developed in NASA’s research and development programs is playing out across the economy, and this is just a small example,” Zubrin says. “The intellectual capital is the big spinoff.”

Breweries produce more CO2 during fermentation than they need for carbonation - about 4kg per hectoliter versus the 3kg required. Modern CO2 recovery systems solve this by capturing, purifying, and reusing the excess gas. This reduces emissions by up to 50% and can cut CO2 costs in half.

Key Benefits:

• Cost Savings: Systems often pay for themselves in 2-4 years, saving breweries like Alaskan Brewing $500,000 annually.
• Environmental Impact: Medium breweries can reduce emissions by 1,500-2,000 tons annually, while large ones save up to 10,000 tons.
• New Revenue: Excess CO2 can be sold to industries like agriculture and manufacturing.

These systems are transforming brewing operations, offering a practical way to reduce waste, save money, and even generate income.

CO2 in the Brewing Process

How Fermentation Creates CO2

During fermentation, yeast transforms malt sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide (C6H12O6 → 2 C2H5OH + 2 CO2) [1]. The amount of CO2 produced depends on the beer's sugar content and the yeast strain used, which can vary by beer style. This natural process presents both operational benefits and environmental concerns.

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Impact of CO2 Release

Although CO2 is a crucial part of brewing, releasing it unchecked can have serious consequences. For smaller craft breweries, fermentation can account for up to 50% of their total emissions, while for larger industrial breweries, this figure is typically around 25-35%. On a global scale, brewing generates 28 million metric tons of CO2 annually [6][7], adding to climate challenges.

Because of this, fermentation CO2 is a key focus for recovery systems, which will be explored in later sections.

Leading Experts in Craft-Scale CO2 Recovery

CO2 Recovery Methods

Modern breweries are turning to pre-assembled systems to manage the 1kg CO2 surplus per hectoliter mentioned earlier, converting what was once waste into a usable resource. One standout option is Earthly Labs' CiCi units, widely adopted by craft breweries. These systems can recover up to 5,000 pounds of CO2 every month [1].

Collection Equipment

The capture process starts with specialized equipment, which includes:

• Collection hoods and pipes connected to fermentation tanks
• Foam traps to remove liquid droplets
• Multi-stage scrubbers
• Dehumidification systems
• High-pressure compressors [2]

For example, The Alchemist Brewery uses a system that recovers enough CO2 to package 1.8 million cans each year [8].

Processing and Storage Steps

After collection, the CO2 goes through a multi-step purification process to meet food-grade standards, achieving 99.9% purity [6]. Here's how it works:

Processing Stage Function Components Initial Filtration Removes particles Foam traps, primary filters Purification Eliminates contaminants Scrubbers, carbon filters Dehumidification Removes moisture Industrial dehumidifiers Compression Prepares for storage High-pressure compressors Quality Control Verifies purity Gas chromatography

Once purified, the CO2 is stored in insulated, pressurized tanks kept at -20°C (-4°F) and 300 psi. This ready-to-use CO2 serves brewing operations and other applications, ensuring a steady supply for tasks like carbonation, which will be discussed later.

Uses for Recovered CO2

Brewery Operations

Recovered CO2 plays a key role in brewery operations, cutting down the need for purchased gas. One of its main uses is beer carbonation, where purified CO2 is reintroduced to ensure the perfect fizz and mouthfeel. This helps brewers maintain consistent carbonation levels across different beer styles while keeping quality in check.

Some key uses in breweries include:

• Controlling carbonation for consistent products
• Purging tanks to eliminate oxygen during packaging
• Powering automated cleaning systems

Alaskan Brewing Co. offers a great example of the benefits of CO2 recovery. Since installing their system in , they've captured 95% of the CO2 produced during fermentation. This has saved them over $500,000 annually on gas and transportation costs[4].

Sales to Other Industries

Excess CO2 opens up opportunities for breweries to sell to other industries, creating additional revenue streams. The CO2 recovered during fermentation is high-purity and meets food-grade standards, making it suitable for a variety of uses.

Blindman Brewing, based in Lacombe, Alberta, captures around 100 metric tons of CO2 every year. Their $200,000 system pays for itself in just three years through a combination of gas savings and selling surplus CO2[5].

Selling CO2 also helps reduce emissions further. Blindman Brewing’s approach highlights the demand across industries such as:

Industry Applications Requirements Agriculture Greenhouse CO2 enrichment Regular supply Food Production Beverage carbonation Food-grade purity Manufacturing Welding, industrial cooling Technical grade Water Treatment pH adjustment, process control Chemical grade Cold Chain Dry ice production Chemical grade

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Success Stories

Real-world examples show how breweries can use CO2 recovery to cut costs and reduce environmental impact. Here are two standout cases:

Blindman Brewing Results

Blindman Brewing made history as the first small brewery in Canada to adopt carbon capture technology[5]. Using a compact Earthly Labs system, they recover enough CO2 to stop buying it from external suppliers. They've also teamed up with data collection partners to fine-tune industry benchmarks[5].

Kirk Zembal, the brewery's co-founder, has collaborated with Olds College to gather performance data that can benefit other breweries in the industry[5].

Kaiserdom Brewery System

In , Kaiserdom Brewery introduced a system developed with academic partners that allows them to fully meet their CO2 needs. By applying advanced purification methods, they ensure their beer maintains consistent quality[9]. These methods align with the purification standards discussed earlier in the Processing and Storage Steps section.

These examples highlight how breweries of different sizes can successfully adopt CO2 recovery systems, reinforcing the earlier points about their practical application in brewing operations.

Cost and Climate Impact

Closing the CO2 loop offers measurable benefits, balancing both financial and environmental priorities.

Financial Results

These systems often pay for themselves within 2-4 years. For larger breweries producing over 1 million hectoliters annually, the return on investment can happen in as little as 18 months. Fluctuations in CO2 prices can further increase savings by up to 50%. A great example is Alaskan Brewing, which saves $500,000 every year - a clear indication that these systems can scale effectively across different operations.

Recovered CO2 has also opened up new revenue opportunities for breweries.

CO2 Reduction Numbers

The emissions reductions are significant, with Blindman Brewing capturing 100 tons annually. On a broader scale, industry-wide figures illustrate the impact:

Brewery Size (Annual Production) Annual CO2 Reduction Medium (500,000 hl) 1,500-2,000 tons Large (1,000,000+ hl) 10,000 tons

These reductions highlight how CO2 recovery is becoming a key practice for breweries dedicated to reducing their environmental footprint while maintaining efficient closed-loop systems as outlined earlier.

Conclusion

The brewing industry is making strides by adopting CO2 recovery systems, which offer both environmental and financial benefits. For example, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has implemented a system that captures 99% of fermentation CO2, resulting in $400,000 in annual savings [2].

These systems make financial sense, with a return on investment typically achieved within 2-4 years, thanks to reduced costs [1]. Additionally, selling excess recovered CO2 to other industries can open up new revenue opportunities [3]. This approach shows that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.

As this technology continues to develop, it not only raises the bar for sustainable brewing but also serves as a practical model for other industries. It aligns with the brewing sector's broader push toward closed-loop systems, as discussed earlier [3].

FAQs

How much CO2 does beer fermentation produce?

Beer fermentation produces about 4kg of CO2 per hectoliter[1]. This opens the door for breweries to reuse this gas, potentially becoming self-reliant in CO2 and even turning it into a source of income. For instance, breweries like Blindman Brewing have successfully implemented systems to recover and reuse fermentation CO2.

Modern CO2 recovery systems can capture up to 100% of emissions[4]. Kaiserdom Brewery is an example of how these systems can help breweries manage their CO2 emissions effectively. This recovered gas can then be used across various brewery operations, including the following:

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Application Purpose Counter-pressure Filling Prevents oxidation Draft Systems Powers tap line operation pH Adjustment Controls water chemistry

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