Application of Multiphase Transport to CO2 Capture

Abstract

Climate change due to emission of fossil energy has created a world-wide interest in capturing carbon dioxide. Thus cost-effective capturing of the CO2 before it is emitted to the atmosphere and then utilizing and storing it are becoming critically important. Energy loss due to CO2 sorption and desorption can be significantly reduced using solid sorbents in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) system with a regeneration system that may be performed at lower pressure. To successfully scale up carbon capture CFB processes, a rigorous numerical modeling tool, such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD), is needed to fill the gap between the lab/bench scale and the large scales needed for demonstration. In this research, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) researchers used the CFD approach to simulate CO2 sorption and regeneration in a CFB system using sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, and MgO-based solid sorbents. CFD simulation of the entire CFB loop was performed. The solid circulation rate, extent of CO2 removal, and regeneration of solid sorbents were calculated in the entire loop. This simulation with the regeneration reactor operating at reduced pressure shows a more efficient carbon capture system.