Researchers in the U.S. have proposed a new carbon-capture technique that relies on only water and pressure, offering a potentially cheaper and cleaner way for heavy industries to trap their emissions. The approach — called Pressure-Induced Carbon Capture (PICC) — could appeal to power plants, hydrogen producers, steel manufacturers, and other facilities struggling with rising decarbonization costs.
Developed by Mark Holtzapple, professor of chemical engineering at Texas A&M University, and Jonathan Feinstein, founder of ExcelThermic Enterprises, the method stores captured CO₂ in “fizzy” water before extracting it for storage. The team has filed multiple patents and is now seeking commercial licensees.
Instead of relying on chemical sorbents, PICC cools and compresses exhaust gas and forces it through an absorber where pressurized CO₂ rises upward while cold water flows in the opposite direction. This increases the surface contact between the two, allowing the water to “physically” absorb the gas.
Holtzapple said the approach can capture up to 99% of emissions — higher than the ~90% typically achieved with chemical-based methods — while simplifying the process. After absorption, the CO₂-rich water moves through a series of chambers with progressively lower pressure, where the gas is released, dried, and recompressed for long-term storage.
The economic model presented by the researchers estimates a capture cost of around $26 per metric ton, well below the $50 to $100 often associated with conventional systems. A small addition of lime can reportedly push capture rates to 100%, adding only minimal cost.
As interest in unconventional carbon-removal strategies grows — from ocean-based sequestration to the storage of carbon-rich human waste — PICC offers a low-complexity alternative that avoids chemical handling. Companies like Microsoft have begun exploring such options, recently signing a long-term agreement to buy carbon credits from Vaulted Deep for underground waste-based storage.
Featured image credits: Freepik
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