Sorbent Particles Research Articles

Study on the arrangement of CO2 sorbent and catalyst for integrated CO2 capture and methanation

Integrated CO2 capture and utilization (ICCU) is an emerging technology to reduce CO2 emissions by greatly simplifying the processes of conventional CO2 capture and utilization. In particular, ICCU-methanation could directly convert the low-concentration CO2 into CH4 using hydrogen from new energy electricity, representing an efficient Power-to-Gas route. CO2 adsorption/catalytic materials play a crucial role for the operation of ICCU-methanation, and it is more feasible to scale up material production and avoid components interference by directly combining the sorbent and catalyst. However, it is necessary to reveal the effect of different arrangements of sorbent and catalyst on reaction characteristics of ICCU-methanation. In the work, the matching of K2CO3-doped Li4SiO4 sorbent with various supported Ni-based catalyst was tested and four arrangements of sorbent and catalyst particles in a fixed-bed were investigated to understand the influences on ICCU-methanation. Results show that the presence of catalyst accelerates CO2 supply by sorbent and achieves quicker methanation, and the promotion effect becomes more obvious with a closer contact between the sorbent and catalyst. Under optimized conditions, ICCU-methanation of uniformly mixed K-Li4SiO4 and Ni/Al2O3 shows an excellent performance with very stable CO2 conversion of 95.58% and CH4 selectivity of 93.29% during cyclic reactions.

Nano Fe-Al-bi-MOF-based dispersive micro solid phase extraction of diazinon, acetochlor, hexaconazole, oxadiazon, fenitrothion, haloxyfop-R-methyl, diniconazole, and tebuconazole from fruit juices

This research presents an analytical technique based on nano Fe-Al-bi-MOF designed for the extraction and preconcentration of some pesticides from fruit juices. The MOF was synthesized using iron and aluminum salts along with 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid. The obtained sorbent was subjected to a series of characterization techniques to accurately determine the phase and characteristics of the material. The MOF (mg amount) was added in the fruit juices for extracting the targeted pesticides. The mixture was agitated using a vortex mixer to enhance the analytes sorption onto the sorbent, followed by centrifugation to facilitate settling down the analyte-loaded particles. Subsequently, the sorbent particles were subjected to elute with mL-volume of acetonitrile. Ultimately, the resulting eluate was mixed with a µL-volume of 1,2-dibromoethane and rapidly injected into deionized water. The milky solution underwent the process of centrifugation and sedimentation in order to separate the organic phase. An appropriate portion of it was injected into a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector. Low limits of detection (0.53–2.59 µg L−1) and quantification (1.75–8.57 µg L−1), high enrichment factors (295−350), appreciable extraction recoveries (59–70 %), and the use of three-dimensional nano MOF in the analytical method development are the highlights of the research.

Attrition rate of potassium-based sorbent particle in a riser and cyclone of a circulating fluidized bed for a 10 MWe scale post-combustion CO2 capture system

A dry sorbent post-combustion CO2 capture process using a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) was developed to a 10 MWe scale. Particle attrition is a major challenge for many CFBs owing to the loss of particles and increased operating costs. Furthermore, predicting and alleviating the rate of particle attrition in an entire CFB is difficult owing to limited information on attrition in the riser and cyclone. This study experimentally investigated particle attrition in risers and cyclones and the effect of system scale-up using CO2 adsorbent particles used in a 10 MWe scale CFB. Experiments were conducted in two types of CFBs to measure the attrition rate in the riser and cyclone for 22 and 12 h for each experimental condition. To verify the scaled-up effect, internals were added to the riser to measure the effect of the surface-area-to-volume ratio. Correlations for the attrition rate of CO2 adsorbent particles in riser and cyclone were proposed, and a model for the scale-up effect was suggested. In the 10 MWe scale system, particle attrition mainly occurred in the cyclone (58.0 %) and riser (37.3 %) according to the calculation, and the calculated overall attrition rate reasonably matched the operational data.

All-solid-waste-derived CaO-based sorbents for simultaneously enhanced calcium looping CO2 capture and thermochemical energy storage

Calcium looping (CaL) process relying on CaO as high-temperature CO2 sorbents is a prospective alternative technology for simultaneously cyclic CO2 capture and thermochemical energy storage. However, the cyclic stability and the energy storage density of the CaO-based sorbents decay drastically over repeated carbonation-calcination cycles. Herein, we yielded CaO-based sorbents derived from all industrial solid wastes with carbide slag (CS) as precursor and coal fly ash (CFA) as stabilizer featuring superior carbonation characteristics, stable CO2 cyclic uptake and high thermochemical energy storage density over multiple operation cycles. The optimal sorbent (CCS–H-G-CFA-D) exhibited a high initial CO2 uptake of 0.38 gCO2/gsorbent, superior cyclic stability with an average decay rate of 1.05% per cycle and remarkably stable energy storage density of 1375 kJ/kg, retaining 89.5% after 10 repeated cycles. Thereby, the simultaneously enhanced cyclic CO2 capture and thermochemical energy storage are attributed to adding CFA stabilizers in CS-derived CaO-based sorbents, forming stable skeleton to alleviate sintering, improving the uniform mixing degree between sorbent particles and promoting the carbonation reaction via synergistic effect. This simple and eco-friendly approach of cost-effective sorbents totally derived from industrial solid wastes provides a new avenue for large-scale practical CO2 capture and energy storage processes.

Effect of dry sorbent injection at different stages of industrial hybrid electrostatic filter on particle penetration and sulfur dioxide removal

This study investigates the influence of in-duct dry sorbent injection at different stages of an industrial hybrid electrostatic filter on particle penetration and sulfur dioxide removal. Installed downstream of a 220 MW coal-fired power boiler, the hybrid system includes a single-field electrostatic precipitator, kinematic unipolar electrostatic agglomerator, and bag filter. Three sets of in-duct dry sorbent injection nozzles are located at the system's inlet, upstream of the electrostatic agglomerator, and upstream of the bag filter. Dry sorbent injection of sodium bicarbonate resulted in SO2 removal efficiency >83% with outlet SO2 concentration ≪400 mg/m3. Results showed that the hybrid system exhibits PM2.5 mass collection efficiency of >99.9%. Sorbent injection at different stages influences the particle penetration and agglomeration of the sorbent and fly ash particles. The optimal results, regarding the SO2 removal, were obtained for injection of dry sorbent downstream of electrostatic agglomerator.

An investigation of monolithic nickel-based catalyst for clean hydrogen production with CCS technology: The effect of structure

At present, hydrogen is recognised as a carbon-free energy carrier, but its major production via the steam methane reforming (SMR) process requires further decarbonisation as a considerable amount of carbon dioxide is simultaneously emitted. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) techniques can be integrated with typical SMR to produce clean hydrogen. Previously, a novel structured catalyst (Ni/SiC-M) was developed, and it was highly active for SMR under low operating temperature and high gas space velocity. By integrating CCS techniques, this structured catalyst is promising to produce clean hydrogen, however, there is a lack of knowledge about the catalytic performance when CCS is applied, especially the effect of structure. In this work, the feasibility of producing cleaner hydrogen with monolithic catalysts (Ni/SiC-M) coupled with sorbent particles was discussed. Different modified structures were applied for performance evaluation with a fixed bed reactor, to better understand the relationship between the structure and the activity. The results showed that sorbent particles can adsorb most of the generated carbon dioxide, leading to a higher hydrogen purity; the limitation of internal mass transfer caused by high pressure drops can result in a decrease in catalytic activity, but the impact was limited. The pore size could be the key factor to influence the performance of structured catalysts.

MOF@N–doped carbon dots–based dispersive solid phase extraction combined dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction of several aflatoxins from raw cow’s milk samples prior to HPLC–FLD

A dispersive solid-phase extraction method based on metal–organic framework and nitrogen–doped carbon dot nanocomposite combined with magnetic ionic liquid-based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction was established for the extraction of aflatoxins from milk samples. For this purpose, the proteins in the sample were precipitated using a zinc sulfate solution. After vortexing (for 5 min) and centrifuging, 35 mg of the sorbent were added into the aqueous phase obtained from previous step, and the mixture was vortexed for five minutes. In the following, the sorbent particles were separated and eluted with methanol in the presence of vortex agitation (4 min). After centrifuging, the eluent phase was mixed with magnetic ionic liquid (1- octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate) and rapidly injected into deionized water to perform the dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction procedure. Finally, the magnetic solvent was separated in the presence of a magnet and injected into a high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector after diluting with the mobile phase. Referring to the results, the limits of detection and quantification of the studied aflatoxins were in the ranges of 0.69–1.09 and 2.31–3.63 ng/L, respectively. Extraction recoveries were in the range of 61 to 73 %. At the end, the suggested approach was employed in the analysis of the aflatoxins in the raw cow’s milk samples collected from different regions of East Azarbaijan and AFM1 was found in several samples (34 out of 60 samples). Also, AFB1 was found in three samples.

Phase field-volumetric lattice Boltzmann model of ion uptake in porous nuclear waste form materials under continuous flow

The flow field within the mesopores of sorbent particles plays a crucial role in radionuclide diffusion and ion uptake kinetics, thus, impacting the overall performance of porous nuclear waste form materials. To fundamentally understand the influence of microstructures and material properties on the radionuclide absorption and retention processes requires a coupled multi-physics model that considers the advection and diffusion within the flow field, the reaction at liquid-solid interfaces, and finally, the solid-state diffusion within a complex nanoporous medium. This study employs the volumetric lattice Boltzmann method (VLBM) to accurately and efficiently calculate the steady state velocity field inside the mesopores of sorbent particles. The obtained velocity field is then utilized to calculate the advection of ions in the steady flow. A phase field (PF) model of ion uptake is used to describe the reaction occurring at the solid-liquid interface and diffusion inside the porous medium. The integrated PF-VLBM model is verified in terms of the mass conservation and numerical efficiency and validated qualitatively with experimental observation data. Then, it is applied to study the influence of thermodynamic and kinetic properties, as well as flow field conditions on the ion uptake kinetics. The numerical results demonstrate that the ion uptake kinetics in porous particles has three distinct stages, which is in agreement with the observations in continuous flow experiments. In the first stage, the kinetics is predominantly controlled by the flow field and ion diffusivity in the liquid phase. The kinetics in the second stage is primarily governed by ion diffusivity in the solid phase. In the third stage the system reaches a dynamic equilibrium with a net zero uptake flux at the interface. It is also found that porous structures significantly affect the efficiency and capacity of ion uptake. The simulation results can help to understand the physics behind the observed ion uptake kinetics in experiments and to facilitate the development of constitutive equations that can account for heterogeneous microstructures in engineering performance codes.

Application of continuous magnetic solid phase extraction in the extraction of tetracycline antibiotics from honey samples

This study aimed to develop a continuous magnetic solid phase extraction method in a narrow bore tube for the extraction of tetracycline antibiotics from honey samples before their determination with high performance liquid chromatography–diode array detector. In this work, a magnetic covalent organic framework is used as the sorbent. The extraction method is performed in a narrow bore tube by adding 25 mg of a magnetic sorbent prepared from melamine, barbituric acid, and Fe3O4 into the diluted honey sample solution. By using a magnet, the sorbent is moved up and down through the narrow bore tube for five times to improve extraction efficiency. After adsorption the analytes, they are eluted from the sorbent surface using 2,2–dimethoxypropane under vortexing. Then, by using a magnet, the eluent containing the extracted analytes are taken and evaporated with continuous flow of nitrogen. Finally, the residue containing the enriched analytes is reconstituted in microliter–level of mobile phase and injected into chromatographic system for quantitative analysis. Based on the outcomes, the method demonstrated good linearity (0.37–1000 ng g−1), high enrichment factors (175–203), good extraction recoveries (70–81 %), low LODs (0.11–0.18 ng g−1) and LOQs (0.37–0.60 ng g−1). The proposed method is effectively applied for quantification of tetracyclines in twenty–four honey samples. Considering the results, none of the honey samples was contaminated with the studied antibiotics. Regarding to the above–mentioned analytical advantages of the proposed method, its simplicity and rapidity, and green synthesis of the magnetic sorbent particles, the suggested method can be used as a routine method for the extraction of tetracyclines from honey samples.

Validation of an efficient analytical method for quantification of tetracycline antibiotic residues in egg samples along with investigating their decontamination using ultraviolet waves

ABSTRACT This study describes the development and application of a dispersive solid-phase extraction procedure combined with dispersive liquid – liquid microextraction for the extraction of tetracycline antibiotics from egg samples. In this method, a bio-metal organic framework was prepared and used in extraction of the analytes from sample solution. In this method, the sorbent synthesis was relatively easy and its crosslinker was vitamin B3 which is a green chemical compound. The sorbent provides particles can extract the analytes via interactions such as surface adsorption, occlusion van der waals and π–π interactions. The extraction procedure was done by mixing trichloroacetic acid with the egg sample to remove the sample proteins and then the synthesised sorbent at mg – level was added to the supernatant phase and the mixture was vortexed. After centrifuging, the supernatant phase was removed and sorbent particles containing the extracted analytes were eluted using acetonitrile. After that, this phase containing the analytes was taken and used in the following dispersive liquid – liquid microextraction process that was done to more enrichment the analytes using a deep eutectic solvent. After optimisation of the extraction process, sensitive limits of detection and quantification were found in the ranges of 0.21–0.28 and 0.70–0.93 ng g−1, respectively. Acceptable extraction recoveries of the analytes ranged from 60 to 73%. The method was selective regarding the analytes, as there were no interfering peaks eluted at the retention times of the analytes. After the validation step, the offered method was employed for the determination of the tetracycline antibiotics in various egg samples and the effect of ultraviolet waves in decontaminating them from egg samples was investigated.

Precision Calcination Mechanism of CaCO3 to High‐Porosity Nanoscale CaO CO2 Sorbent Revealed by Direct In Situ Observations

AbstractDeploying energy storage and carbon capture at scale is hindered by the substantial endothermic penalty of decomposing CaCO3 to CaO and CO2, and the rapid loss of CO2 absorption capacity by CaO sorbent particles due to sintering at the high requisite decomposition temperatures. The decomposition reaction mechanism underlying sorbent deactivation remains unclear at the atomic level and nanoscale due to past reliance on postmortem characterization methods with insufficient spatial and temporal resolution. Thus, elucidating the important CaCO3 decomposition reaction pathway requires direct observation by time‐resolved (sub‐)nanoscale methods. Here, chemical and structural dynamics during the decomposition of CaCO3 nanoparticles to nanoporous CaO particles comprising high‐surface‐area CaO nanocrystallites are examined. Comparing in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and synchrotron X‐ray diffraction experiments gives key insights into the dynamics of nanoparticle calcination, involving anisotropic CaCO3 thermal distortion before conversion to thermally dilated energetically stable CaO crystallites. Time‐resolved TEM uncovered a novel CaO formation mechanism involving heterogeneous nucleation at extended CaCO3 defects followed by sweeping reaction front motion across the initial CaCO3 particle. These observations clarify longstanding, yet incomplete, reaction mechanisms and kinetic models lacking accurate information about (sub‐)nanoscale dynamics, while also demonstrating calcination of CaCO3 without sintering through rapid heating and precise temperature control.

Magnetic Particle Spray Mass Spectrometry.

In this work, the concept of magnetic particle spray mass spectrometry (MPS-MS) is reported for the first time. Magnetic sorbent particles are used to extract the analytes from a liquid sample. The particles are magnetically attracted to the tip of a magnetic probe that is positioned at the entrance of the mass spectrometer. A solvent is dispensed on the particles, and a high voltage promotes the formation of the Taylor cone around the particles agglomerate. Analytes are desorbed by the solvent, ionized, and analyzed by mass spectrometry. MPS-MS is totally in consonance with the green chemistry principle. A minimal consumption of sample (100 μL), solvent (34 μL), and magnetic sorbent (500 μg) is needed per analysis for an excellent performance of MPS-MS in terms of sensitivity and selectivity. The determination of amitriptyline, citalopram, clomipramine, chlorpromazine, doxepin, haloperidol, nortriptyline, and venlafaxine in human plasma samples using magnetic restricted-access carbon nanotubes was carried out as a proof of principle. Limits of quantification of 10 μg L-1 and correlation coefficients higher than 0.98 were obtained for all of the analytes. Limits of detection ranged from 0.43 to 2.82 μg L-1. Precision (as relative standard deviation) and accuracies (as relative error) ranged from 3.6 to 23.6%, as well as -12.8 to 18.7%, respectively. MPS-MS opens a new line of developments in the association of sample preparation with ambient ionization. New sorbents, device configurations, and physical and chemical conditions can also be analyzed for the analysis of many other analytes in different samples.

Simultaneous extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and tetracycline antibiotics from honey samples using dispersive solid phase extraction combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction before their determination with HPLC-DAD

A dispersive solid-phase extraction method combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction was offered for the extraction of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (anthracene, fluorene, phenanthrene, and pyrene) and tetracycline antibiotics (tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and chlortetracycline) from honey samples, simultaneously. In this work, cobalt-gallic acid bio-metal organic framework was synthesized and 20 mg of it was added into of 10 mL the diluted honey solution to efficiently adsorb the analytes. After vortexing (3 min) and centrifuging, the sorbent particles were eluted with 0.75 mL acetonitrile under vortexing for 3 min. In the following, this phase was mixed with 55 µL [Ch: 4-chlorophenol]+[FeCl4]- magnetic deep eutectic solvent and rapidly injected into deionized water. After separating the extractant phase in the presence of an external magnet and diluting it with the mobile phase, it was injected into a high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector. Under optimum extraction conditions, extraction recoveries were in the range of 63–84%. The limits of detection of the opted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and tetracyclines were in the ranges of 0.18–0.26 and 0.25–0.29 ng g−1, respectively. Also, good repeatability (relative standard deviations ≤ 7.5 and 8.3% for intra– (n=6) and inter-day (n=4) precisions, respectively) was obtained. In summary, the validated method was successfully recommended for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and tetracyclines in various honey samples and pyrene was found in two samples at 5.5 and 12.9 ng g−1. The used bio-metal organic framework has sufficient ability in extraction of different classes of compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and antibiotics) from honey. Performing the microextraction step has direct effect in analysis of the analytes in low concentrations and the use of magnetic solvents, eliminate the use of centrifugation in this step.

Ni-CaO-CaZrO3 bi-functional materials for high purity hydrogen production via sorption enhanced steam reforming of ethanol

Ethanol is an ideal hydrogen carrier, which can be converted to hydrogen-rich syn-gas via the steam reforming reaction. Sorption-enhanced steam reforming is a promising approach to produce high-purity hydrogen by mixing the sorbent and catalyst particles. The idea of bi-functional materials, loading both sorption and catalytic site in a single particle, could transform the inter-particle heat-mass transfer to intra-particle heat-mass transfer. This work studied the sorption-enhanced steam reforming of ethanol (SESRE) over Ni-CaO-CaZrO3 bi-functional catalysts containing sorption and catalytic sites. Bi-functional Ni-CaO-CaZrO3 catalysts were synthesized using a simple sol-gel technique. The influence of operating conditions including temperature, steam-to-carbon ratio (S/C) and weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) on Ni10-Ca90Zr10 bi-functional materials were discussed. The operating condition with a temperature of 600 °C, weight hourly space velocity of 0.34 h−1 and steam-to-carbon ratio of 3 was the most suitable reaction condition for hydrogen production in this study. Over the optimized operation conditions, the influence of Ni loadings on hydrogen production performance was further studied. The result indicated that 10 wt% is the best Ni loading in this study for Ni-CaO-CaZrO3, which enables >95% hydrogen purity in the gaseous product in the pre-breakthrough stage, with the longest breakthrough time (90 min). Furthermore, under the best operation conditions, the Ni10-Ca90Zr10 displayed excellent stability over 10 cyclic tests. In the 10th cycle, about 90% hydrogen purity was constantly obtained for at least 60 min during the pre-breakthrough stages. This study demonstrated that the Ni10-Ca90Zr10 bi-functional material is effective and stable for producing hydrogen from ethanol and has the potential to establish a method of generating clean energy with minimal carbon emission.

Diels-Alder clickable furan-thiosemicarbazide cellulose for selective ruthenium (III) imprinting

Developing an efficient adsorbent for Ru3+ ions in wastewater is crucial for both environmental protection and resource recovery. This study introduces a novel approach using cellulose-based adsorbents, specifically modified with furan-thiosemicarbazide (FTC), to enhance their selectivity for Ru3+ ions. By cross-linking the Ru3+/FTC-modified cellulose (FTC-CE) complex with a bis(maleimido)ethane (BME) cross-linker, we created a Ru3+ ion-imprinted sorbent (Ru-II-CE) that exhibits a strong affinity and selectivity for Ru3+ ions. The synthesis process was thoroughly characterized using NMR and FTIR spectroscopy, while the surface morphology of the sorbent particles was examined with scanning electron microscopy. The Ru-II-CE sorbent demonstrated exceptional selectivity for Ru3+ among competing metal cations, achieving optimal adsorption at a pH of 5. Its adsorption capacity was notably high at 215 mg/g, fitting well with the Langmuir isotherm model, and it followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. This study highlights the potential of FTC-CE for targeted Ru3+ removal from wastewater, offering a promising solution for heavy metal decontamination.

Toxic dye removal by thermally modified lignocellulosic waste in a threephase air-lift reactor: Kinetic insights

This paper investigates the influence of the air flow rate in a three-phase air-lift reactor on the sorption of toxic dye, Brilliant green, onto a promising and efficient sorbent, sour cherry stone biochar. In order to gain a comprehensive insight into the sorbent/sorption behaviour, sour cherry stone biochar was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection, pH of the suspension, point of zero charge, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The experiments were performed in an air-lift reactor using airflows of 2.50 and 5.55 dm3 h-1. The experimental data of sorption kinetics experiments were fitted by non-linear form of pseudo-first and, pseudo-second models as well as the Weber-Morris model based on intraparticle diffusion. The overall sorption rate was found to be limited by the Brilliant Green mass transport rate to the sorbent at a lower airflow and thus mixing intensity, while it was kinetically controlled at a higher rate following the pseudo-second order kinetic model. Furthermore, sorption at lower air flow was delayed by mass transfer resistance through the liquid boundary layer surrounding sorbent particles. Presented results clearly indicate that airflow intensity plays a significant role in the overall sorption kinetics and support possible application of the applied biochar for efficient Brilliant Green sorption.

Embedding Mixed Sorbents in Binder: Solid-Phase Microextraction Coating with Wide Extraction Coverage and Its Application in Environmental Water Analysis.

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a simple and highly effective sample-preparation technique for water analysis. However, the extraction coverage of a given SPME device with a specific coating can be an issue when analyzing multiple environmental contaminants. Therefore, instead of synthesizing one sorbent material with dual or multiple functions, we investigated a new strategy of preparing SPME blades using a homogeneous slurry made by mixing three different sorbent particles─namely, hydrophobic/lipophilic balanced (HLB), HLB-weak cationic exchange (HLB-WCX), and HLB-weak anionic exchange (HLB-WAX)─with a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) binder. The developed coating is matrix compatible, as the binder functions not only as a glue for immobilizing the sorbent particles but also as a porous filter, which only allows small molecules to enter the pores and interact with the particles, thus avoiding contamination from large elements. The results confirmed that the proposed mixed-coating SPME device provides good extraction performance for polar and nonpolar as well as positively and negatively charged compounds. Based on this device, three comprehensive analytical methodologies─high-throughput SPME-LC-MS/MS (for the quantitative analysis of targeted drugs of abuse and artificial sweeteners), in-bottle SPME-LC-high resolution MS (HRMS) (for the untargeted screening of organic contaminants), and on-site drone sampling SPME-LC-HRMS (for on-site sampling and untargeted screening)─were developed for use in environmental water analysis. The resultant data confirm that the proposed strategies enable comprehensive water quality assessment by using a single SPME device.

Change in dispersion of synthetic magnetite particles from the conditions of precipitation from iron sulfate-containing solutions

The paper analyzes the problems of the reagent method of wastewater treatment of machine–building enterprises, and the advantages of the magnetic sorption method in comparison with the reagent method are presented. The magnetosorption method, based on the treatment of a liquid with particles of a ferromagnetic material with the aim of sorption on their surface of substances to be extracted, has proven itself well not only in the purification of wastewater from impurities of heavy metals, but also from petroleum products, surfactants, radioisotopes, and suspended substances. The efficiency of water purification processes depends on the properties of the sorbent particles, such as dispersion, sorption capacity and magnetic properties of the particles. The paper presents the results on the dispersion of particles. Changes in the dispersion of synthetic magnetite particles obtained under various conditions, such as storage time, temperature, pH, K=[Fe2+]:[Fe3+] ratio, salt content, and nature of the precipitant, were studied. It is shown that with an increase in storage time, the number of small particles less than 10 μm decreases, and the number of large particles increases due to recrystallization processes. It has been determined that at 20 ℃ without the influence of a magnetic field, a suspension with a maximum content of particles with a diameter of 10 μm is formed, at a temperature of 40 – 70 ℃ particles with a size of 8 – 10 μm prevail in the suspension, and with an increase in the pH of the solution, the number of small particles in the suspension increases. Conversely, with an increase in salt content, the particle size increases with a decrease in the fraction of small particles by almost half. It is noted that at K = 0.8; 2.0, the largest number of particles (about 60 %) with a size of 10 μm are formed in the solution. It is shown that the maximum number of particles larger than 20 μm is formed using NaOH.

Engineering design of direct‐air‐capture contactors composed of sorbent particles using numerical simulations

AbstractWe study the transport of CO2 molecules inside direct‐air‐capture (DAC) contactors made of packed beds of solid‐sorbent‐particles separated by airgaps using numerical solution of the convection‐diffusion and first‐order adsorption kinetics equations. We quantify an apparent slowdown in the CO2 uptake in such contactors relative to the CO2 uptake of a high‐capacity sorbent particle making the bed. We derive two naturally occurring length‐scales associated with the adsorption process: (1) thickness of the sorbent related to the sorbent chemistry (capacity and adsorption rate constants), packing density, and diffusion coefficient of CO2 inside bed; and (2) extent of the bed in the air‐flow direction related to convective air‐flow velocity, sorbent chemistry, packed bed thickness, and packing density. DAC designs that have a bed thickness of O() and streamwise extent O() are shown to have faster CO2 uptake and more economical capture costs ($/ton‐CO2) compared with designs further away from this design set‐point. Our work should provide guidance to engineering design of DAC contactors with packed bed sorbents and related porous materials.

Synthesis of core-shell magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles to disperse amine functionalities for post-combustion carbon dioxide capture

BackgroundPost-combustion capture technology appears a suitable approach to reduce the emission of CO2 by power plants. The use of solid sorbents would permit to overcome the limitations of the well-established liquid amine-based absorption process. In particular, mesoporous silica materials have been proposed as suitable sorbents especially if functionalized with amines. MethodsThe properties of as-synthesized (by using dodecylamine as synthesis amine) and calcined hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS), impregnated or not with tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), were studied. Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles were specifically used to obtain HMS core-shell nanoparticles in order to investigate the effect of the magnetite core on CO2 uptake capability. CO2 uptake measurements were carried out on all HMS and core-shell particles. Furthermore, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra and N2 adsorption/desorption measurements allowed analyzing some important properties of the sorbent particles, such as particle aggregation, incorporation and dispersion of amines, surface area, pore volume and pore size distribution. Significant FindingsThe best performance in terms of chemical CO2 uptake was obtained on core-shell material, calcined and impregnated with TEPA (about 89 mg/g), but also the as prepared core-shell sample impregnated with TEPA seems promising since the synthesis dodecylamine sites can be activated during the impregnation process.