- 214 views
- 322 downloads
A study on pressure vacuum swing adsorption based process design for carbon dioxide capture
-
- Author / Creator
- Pai, Kasturi Nagesh
-
In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, realizing an energy efficient carbon dioxide capture process is important. Adsorption based carbon capture is a potential low energy separation technology. Although there have been considerable advances in this field, a full technological maturity of adsorption for carbon capture is yet to be achieved. The main aim of this thesis is to gain a better understanding of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) design for both pre and post-combustion based carbon dioxide capture. The first part of this thesis will investigate post-combustion carbon dioxide capture. Specifically, the recently published of diamine appended metal organic frameworks (MOFs) that show an unusual S-Shape isotherm for carbon dioxide. The characteristic carbon dioxide uptake of these materials shows a possibility to obtain larger theoretical working capacities when compared to typical classical materials such as Zeolite 13X which are Langmuirian-type isotherms. The performance of five different materials with S-Shape isotherms in a four step Vacuum Swing Adsorption(VSA) cycle was assessed using comprehensive simulation models. The optimization of VSA processes was achieved using a genetic algorithm. The optimization results establish the key link between feed temperature and the material. The materials showed a 20% improvement in energy reduction to the benchmark adsorbent Zeolite 13X. The diamine appended MOF-Mn showed a parasitic energy of 140 kW hr/ tonne carbon dioxide captured compared to Zeolite 13X, which is 170 kW hr/ tonne carbon dioxide captured. The purity and recovery of carbon dioxide were maintained at >95% and >90%, respectively for the energy and productivity related studies. The second part of this study deals with the design of pressure swing adsorption (PSA) cycles for implementation in a pre-combustion based carbon dioxide capture. Working with TDA Research Inc. Colorado, we have developed novel pressure swing adsorption cycles for their patented TDA AMS-19 material. The adsorbent is an advanced physical adsorbent that is selective to carbon dioxide and is used for coal-derived synthesis gas separation for temperatures as high as 300◦C. The overall objective of this project was to show that this new material can achieve the targets for carbon dioxide purity and recovery set at 95% and 90%, respectively by the US Dept. of Energy (DOE). Six novel cycles were configured and studied in this work. The cycle configurations that achieved the DOE targets were also scheduled using a graphic scheduling approach to use in an 8 bed PSA unit, for field testing.
-
- Graduation date
- Fall 2017
-
- Type of Item
- Thesis
-
- Degree
- Master of Science
-
- License
- This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.