Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for controlling a system for separating carbon dioxide from the ambient air. The method distinguishes between normal operation, in which carbon dioxide is separated from the ambient air, and special operation, which is not primarily used to separate carbon dioxide. Normal operation comprises conveying a stream of air of ambient air into a first process space of the system, wherein the stream of air is dried in the first process space. The dried stream of air of the ambient air is conducted from the first process space into a second process space, in which adsorption and subsequent desorption of carbon dioxide takes place. In the special operation mode, which takes place before or after normal operation, the system is operated with operating parameters that deviate from normal operation.