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Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2013, 52 (36), pp 13128–13136.
Gustavo Capannelli , Antonio Comite , Camilla Costa , Renzo Di Felice.
TICASS scrl, Via B. Bosco 57/4 – 16121 Genova, Italy &
Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università degli Studi di Genova, Via Dodecaneso, 31, 16146 Genova, Italy and
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile Chimica ed Ambientale, Università degli Studi di Genova, Via Opera Pia, 15, 16145 Genova, Italy.
Abstract
Carbon dioxide from a gas stream was captured in a liquid water solution through a polymeric membrane that provided the interfacial area between the two phases. Three different absorbents (monoethanolamine, piperazine, and potassium carbonate) were tested, and the effects of their concentrations on the CO2 absorption rate were investigated. The solution containing piperazine showed the best CO2 uptake, whereas that containing potassium carbonate was the least effective. This observation can be fully explained when the effects of the physicochemical parameters governing the absorption process (CO2 solubility, diffusivity, and reactivity in the solution) are taken into proper account. Useful guidelines for the correct design of a CO2 capturing system by a liquid solution were obtained.
The study of the performance of membrane contactors applied to industrial effluents is a research area relatively unexplored. The preliminary results presented in this article will be expanded and implemented in a R&D project with the main objective of promoting the use of membrane contactors as an innovative technology in the field of CO2 capture.
The project will be coordinated by TICASS (Innovative Technologies for Environmental Control and Sustainable Development), a non-profit Italian consortium composed of research authorities and large, medium and small companies. TICASS is the managing authority of the Regional Innovation Hub “Energy and Environment”. Its mission is to perform, promote and enhance research activities, as well as to transfer excellence technologies in the Energy and Environment area with regards to Sustainable Development and Quality of Life. TICASS is strongly involved in the area of CO2 reduction, capture, purification and reuse.
The R&D project is organized in various steps and is based on a partnership involving different subjects:
- · Iplom, a refinery located in Busalla, producing diesel and heating fuel, fuel oils and bitumens. The refinery is provided with a carbon dioxide recycling plant with 3’000 kg/h warehouse capacity.
- · Italiana Coke, a cokery plant located in Cairo Montenotte. Environmental issues are at the heart of Its activities: practically all the gas derived from the coke production is utilized by a cogeneration power station.
- · the Membrane and Membrane Processes Research Group of the University of Genoa, that has been operating in the membrane field for over 25 years and has acquired wide experience and expertise in the preparation, characterisation and application of synthetic membranes.
Copyright © 2013 American Chemical Society
