(6jk) Enhancement of CO2 Absorption from Gas Streams Using Nanofluids in Hollow Fiber Gas–Liquid Membrane Contactor

Teaching Interests: Chemical engineering courses

Abstract

In this work chemical absorption of CO₂ from gas streams was carried out in a polypropylene porous asymmetric hollow fibre membrane contactor (HFMC). Aqueous solutions containing 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2 M monoethanolamine (MEA) were used as chemical absorbent solution.

Several stable suspensions of Fe3O4, CNT and Al2O3 nanoparticles in MEA were prepared and tested as new absorbents to investigate the effect of nanoparticles on the rate of mass transfer during CO2 absorption.

Gas mixtures were passed through the shell-side and the nanofluid flowed co-currently through the lumen side of the fibers.

The effects of different operating conditions including gas flow rate (500, 600, 700 and 800 mlit/min), liquid flow rate (50, 100, 150 and 200 mlit/min) and nano particle content (0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.15 wt. %) on the CO₂ outlet concentrations and the separation performance were investigated.

Results showed that among operating parameters, gas flow rate and nano-particle concentration had the more significant effects on the CO2 absorption.

The results revealed also that nanofluid stability and rheological characteristics of nanoparticles in the base fluid are the key factors in nanoparticle selection for CO2 absorption in membrane contactor.

Experimental results indicated that using nanofluid in membrane contactor is very efficient in the removal of CO₂ at high gas/liquid flow ratio. The removal of CO₂ was almost complete with recovery of higher than 96%.