Enhanced Carbon Capture in a Multiport Microscale Absorber

Abstract

Increasing concerns on the effects of global warming leading to climate change has necessitated the development of efficient technologies to separate acid gas components, such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, from gaseous mixtures. Microscale technologies have the potential to substantially enhance gas-liquid absorption processes on account of their inherent high surface area to volume ratio. The present work reports the mass transfer characteristics during gas-liquid absorption in a multiport microscale absorber. The reactor was designed to comprise of 15 straight, parallel channels having a hydraulic diameter of 456 micrometer and square cross-sectional geometry. The absorption of CO2 mixed with N2 into aqueous diethanolamine was investigated. The performance of the absorber was characterized with respect to the absorption efficiency and mass transfer coefficient. Parametric studies investigating the effects of the gas and liquid phase superficial velocity were performed and discussed. Additionally, the effect of varying the liquid reactant concentration was investigated and discussed.

Hydrodynamics and mass transfer performance of a microreactor for enhanced gas separation processes

“…In addition to the above-reviewed studies (summarized in Table 1), which focus largely on laboratory-scale single channel reactors, scaled-up systems involving multiple channels [67][68][69][70] and further complex designs involving mesh structures [71][72][73][74] have also been reported in the literature. A common conclusion from these works is that the mass transfer characteristics during gas-liquid absorption can be substantially enhanced by using microscale technologies.…”