Supporting Efficient Carbon Capture With Woven Wire Mesh

As we work towards resolving climate change concerns, carbon capture technology is gaining a reputation as a key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Striving to improve carbon capture equipment's stability and efficiency, industry entities are eagerly looking to find supportive materials that can propel operational success.

Woven wire mesh, in particular, has proven to deliver the strength, durability, and precision needed to support multiple stages of the carbon capture process. The material's versatile and unique properties can enhance the performance and longevity of a wide range of carbon capture systems.

But is woven wire mesh fit to serve as a supportive structure in your carbon capture system?

For over 150 years, W.S. Tyler has dedicated itself to providing woven wire solutions that inspire innovation in efforts to facilitate cleaner, more sustainable carbon capture processes.

With that, we wrote the following article to shed light on woven wire's role as a support structure in carbon capture systems and give you a better idea of whether it makes sense for you. It will cover the following:

What Is Carbon Capture?

Carbon capture, or carbon capture and storage (CCS), is an industrial process designed to remove and capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the flue gases industrial operations emit. Once captured, the CO₂ is transported and stored in underground geological formations that are specially designed to keep the gas from entering the atmosphere.

This process has become increasingly vital as it is key to reducing the effects of greenhouse gasses, reversing climate change, and promoting carbon neutrality.

What Is Woven Wire Mesh?

Woven wire mesh is a specialized, versatile material made up of hundreds of metal wires interwoven, forming specific weave patterns. A heavily monitored weaving process results in precise and rigid pore openings.

What makes the material so versatile, however, is its ability to be customized at almost every turn. Parameters, including wire diameter, alloy, mesh count, layer configuration, etc., can all be determined by you to ensure they perform within your particular carbon capture equipment.

Why Supportive Structures Matter to Carbon Capture

Supportive elements are essential to effective carbon capture operation when strength, stability, and precision are valued. Not only do they help filtration systems maintain peak performance under harsher conditions, but they also work to reduce maintenance costs through peak durability.

When properly integrated, support structures can help aid the functionality of multi-stage filtration systems. They provide the right amount of separation and support between each filter layer.

In short, a supportive structure provides the stability and robustness needed to withstand harsh conditions, maintain industry-leading performance, and easily incorporate new elements into the process. This, in turn, creates a more efficient process that produces purer CO₂.

Why Use Woven Wire Supportive Structures

Woven wire mesh offers the strength, durability, and precision needed for successful carbon capture operation. Its metallic construction allows it to withstand harsh conditions, thus offering long-lasting stability.

As the material is outfitted with accurate, rigid pore openings, it has the strength to provide desirable structural stability while facilitating accurate filtration and gas flow. These high flows translate into minimal pressure drop and energy use, creating a more budget-friendly process.

Its smooth, metallic surface makes cleaning woven wire components a breeze, ensuring that the operation continues with minimal downtime.

Customizing Woven Wire To Best Serve as a Carbon Capture Support Structure

Several customization options can be applied to your woven wire to ensure it provides the best possible structural performance. First and foremost, you need to select the right alloy, as it will determine how well your mesh withstands your system's atmosphere.

Woven wire is typically woven using either 304 or 316 stainless steel; however, you also have specialty alloys like Inconel at your disposal. You will want to analyze the specific needs of your process to ensure the alloy you select provides adequate corrosion resistance and durability.

Get to know the key differences between 304 and 316 stainless steel in the article below:

• 304 vs 316 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh: Which Alloy Should I Use?

You will also want to determine what weave pattern best serves your needs. But this can prove daunting.

Typically, Plain weaves are used when uniform openings throughout the wear are preferred, twilled weaves are used when enhanced strength is needed, and Dutch weaves are reserved for operations that rely on ultra-fine filtration.

The wire diameter you select plays a crucial role in balancing stability and filtration capacity. To that end, wire diameter can influence the aperture sizes throughout the weave, which can be altered to better optimize the mesh's filter capabilities.

There is even the option of layering multiple wire mesh sections within one component. While the layer configuration should be explicitly based on your needs, methodically selecting the correct configuration can improve the filtration efficiency and structural integrity of your mesh.

You may also implement treatments to alter the surface of your mesh. Treatments such as surface coating, texturizing, etching, plating, etc., can help protect the woven wire support structure from fouling, corrosion, and scaling.

And despite its metallic construction, woven wire can be stamped, cut, and formed to create a support structure custom to your equipment.

Heat Treating Your Woven Wire Can Build Long-Lasting Results

Woven wire mesh is a versatile material that can filter flue gasses and serve as supportive elements within carbon capture systems. Its open, metallic characteristics allow for peak gas flow and superior stability without risking significant pressure drop.

As your woven wire must be formed and maintain performance in harsher conditions, you should explore the heat treatment options available. Knowing whether or not to sinter or anneal your mesh can be pivotal to the success of your operation.

At W.S. Tyler, our mission is to share the woven wire expertise we hold within our four walls to help you navigate the world of woven wire mesh and select a solution that will help you develop a cleaner, safer carbon capture process.

Read the article below to get a better understanding of wire mesh heat treatment and get a better idea if it is right for you:

• Annealed vs Sintered Wire Mesh: Which Is Best for Me?