In-Line Monitoring of Carbon Dioxide Capture with Sodium Hydroxide in a Customized 3D-Printed Reactor without Forced Mixing
Journal article, 2022

Many industrial processes make use of sodium because sodium is the fifth most abundant metal and the seventh most abundant element on Earth. Consequently, there are many sodium-containing industrial wastes that could potentially be used for carbon capture, paving the way towards a circular and biobased economy. For example, a common industrial chemical is NaOH, which is found in black liquor, a by-product of the paper and pulp industry. Nonetheless, the literature available on CO2 absorption capacity of aqueous NaOH is scarce for making a fair comparison with sodium-containing waste. Therefore, to fill this gap and set the foundation for future research on carbon capture, the CO2 absorption capacity of NaOH solutions in a concentration range of 1–8 w/w% was evaluated, a wider range compared with currently available data. The data set presented here enables evaluating the performance of sodium-based wastes, which are complex mixtures and might contain other compounds that enhance or worsen their carbon capture capacity. We designed a customized reactor using a 3D-printer to facilitate in-line measurements and proper mixing between phases without the energy of stirring. The mixing performance was confirmed by computational fluid dynamics simulations. The CO2 absorption capacity was measured via weight analysis and the progress of carbonation using a pH meter and an FTIR probe in-line. At 5 w/w% NaOH and higher, the reaction resulted in precipitation. The solids were analyzed with X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope, and nahcolite and natrite were identified. With our setup, we achieved absorption capacities in the range of 9.5 to 78.9 g CO2/L for 1 w/w% and 8 w/w% of NaOH, respectively. The results are in fair agreement with previously reported literature, suggesting that non-forced mixing reactors function for carbon capture without the need of stirring equipment and a possible lower energy consumption.

absorption capacity

aqueous bases

FTIR

in-line measurements

carbon capture and storage

3D-printed reactors

chemical absorption

reactor design

Author

Emmanouela Leventaki

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemical Technology

Francisco Baena-Moreno

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemical Technology

Gaetano Sardina

Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Fluid Dynamics

Henrik Ström

Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Fluid Dynamics

Ebrahim Ghahramani

Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Fluid Dynamics

Shirin Naserifar

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemical Technology

Hoang Phuoc Ho

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemical Technology

Aleksandra Maria Kozlowski

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemical Technology

Diana Bernin

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemical Technology

Sustainability

20711050 (eISSN)

Vol. 14 17 10795

Subject Categories

Social Sciences Interdisciplinary

Business Administration

Environmental Sciences

DOI

10.3390/su141710795

More information

Latest update

10/3/2022