Chapter 7 - Novel gas-liquid contactors for CO2 capture: Mini- and micro-channels, and rotating packed beds

Abstract

Industrialization and a significant increase in energy requirement in the last decades have resulted in an increase in CO2 emission and consequently the global warming. Hence the environmental protection criteria enforced the scientific researches into the more efficient CO2 capture processes. In this case, increasing the efficiency of gas-liquid contact, e.g., increasing the contact time, contact area, and removing the mass transfer resistance, within the conventional and novel contactors plays the important role. Different novel contactors, e.g., rotating packed bed, mini- and micro-channels are three prototypes of the efficient contactors in gas-liquid processes. Besides the advantages of these contactors, industrialization of such processes is the main obstacle for real future applications. In this chapter, the main advantages, different types, basic principles and theoretical aspects, as well as fluid dynamics and design criteria of the aforementioned contactors were described.