Revolutionary Carbon Capture System Achieves 99% efficiency with Water and Pressure

A team in Texas has developed a groundbreaking system capable of capturing 99% of CO2 from industrial emissions using only cold water and pressure. Called PICC (Pressure Induced Carbon Capture), the technology mimics the process of carbonation in fizzy drinks: under pressure, carbon dioxide dissolves in water, and when the pressure is released, it effervesces out. The estimated cost? Approximately $26 per ton,significantly lower than the $50-100 per ton associated with current technologies.

A study from Texas A&M University, published on November 13, 2025, suggests this innovation could make decarbonizing power plants, steelworks, and cement factories economically viable. Notably, the system relies on basic physics, avoiding the use of degradable chemistry.

Capture CO2 with Water: The Amine Problem

Traditional carbon capture systems utilize amines – chemical compounds that bind too carbon dioxide in exhaust gases. While effective, these systems suffer from three key drawbacks: high costs, degradation when exposed to hot flue gas, and a limited capture rate, typically reaching only 90%.This remaining 10% of CO2 released into the atmosphere poses a significant challenge, especially as decarbonization goals become more ambitious. Mark holtzapple,a professor of chemical engineering at Texas A&M and co-inventor of PICC,emphasizes that:

“Allowing 10% of CO2 to return to the surroundings is no longer acceptable.”

The PICC system overcomes these limitations by employing physical absorption rather than chemical bonding. This means no molecular bonds need to be broken, allowing CO2 to move in and out of the water solely based on pressure changes – much like the bubbles released when opening a carbonated beverage. at high pressure, carbon dioxide dissolves in water; releasing the pressure causes it to re-emerge.

how the PICC Works

The process begins with industrial exhaust gases. Regardless of their source – coal, natural gas, or biomass power plants – the gases are first cooled and compressed. They then enter an absorption column where cold water cascades downwards while the gas rises from below, facilitated by structures designed to maximize contact between the two.

As the nearly purified gas reaches the top of the column, it encounters fresh