Global concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere is increasing rapidly. CO 2 emissions have an impact on global climate change. Effective CO 2 emission abatement strategies such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) are required to combat this trend. There are three major approaches for CCS: Post-combustion capture, Pre-combustion capture and Oxyfuel process. Post-combustion capture offers some advantages as existing combustion technologies can still be used without radical changes on them. This makes postcombustion capture easier to implement as a retrofit option (to existing power plants) compared to the other two approaches. Therefore, post-combustion capture is probably the first technology that will be deployed. This paper aims to provide a state-of-the-art assessment of the research work carried out so far in post-combustion capture with chemical absorption. The technology will be introduced first, followed by required preparation of flue gas from power plants to use this technology. The important research programmes worldwide and the experimental studies based on pilot plants will be reviewed. This is followed by an overview of various studies based on modelling and simulation. Key issues such as energy consumption and plant flexibility will be included. Then the focus is turned to review development of different solvents and process intensification. Based on these, we try to predict challenges and potential new developments from different aspects such as new solvents, pilot plants, process heat integration (to improve efficiency), modelling and simulation, process intensification and government policy impact.

A multiphase microreactor based upon the use of slug flow through a narrow channel has been developed. The internal circulation, which is stimulated within the slugs by their passage along the channel, is responsible for a large enhancement in the interfacial mass transfer and the reaction rate. Mass transfer performance data has been obtained for a glass chip-based reactor in a 380 microm wide channel by monitoring the extraction of acetic acid from kerosene slugs as they moved along the reactor channel. Finally, the data was compared with that provided from other inter-phase contacting techniques.

The absorption and desorption of carbon dioxide in aqueous monoethanolamine (MEA) was measured in a rotating packed bed of size 398 mm outside diameter, 156 mm inside diameter, and axial depth 25 mm. The effect of lean amine temperature (20 and 40°C), peripheral rotor gravity (31 and 87 g), and various MEA concentrations were investigated. Using MEA concentrations above 30 wt % achieved lower CO 2 penetration levels. This is particularly pronounced for the 100% MEA solution. Comparison with conventional columns showed the advantages of using rotating packed beds in terms of saving size and space and efficient operation.