Abstract
Membrane gas-solvent contactors are a hybrid approach that combine membrane gas separation with solvent absorption to undertake highly efficient CO2 removal. However, solvent boundary layer in many gas-solvent membrane contactors has a high mass transfer resistance to CO2 capture. Here, for the first time, an oscillating solvent flow was applied to a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane contactor system to enhance the absorption of CO2. The oscillating solvent flow enhanced the overall mass transfer coefficient of CO2 (Kov) compared to the non-oscillating solvent flow. The effect of the oscillating solvent frequency and amplitude on Kov was investigated. Increasing the oscillating frequency from 0.83 Hz to 2.03 Hz resulted in 53% enhancement in Kov. Doubling the value of the oscillating amplitude increased Kov by 30%. An oscillating Reynolds number (Reos) was introduced to the oscillating solvent flow described by the root mean square oscillating solvent velocity (uos,rms). Using this Reynolds number, a Sherwood number correlation (Shos) was proposed for the hollow fibre membrane contactor, which accounted for the enhancement effects of solvent oscillation on the performance of gas-solvent membrane contactor.
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