Absorption and reaction of CO2 in capillaries

Abstract

The process of carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction to value-added chemicals is being extensively studied worldwide. The main purpose is to decrease emissions to the environment that are associated with global warming, as well as the creation of renewable and sustainable energy sources. In the aforementioned process, the absorption of CO2 is of paramount importance as well as the reactor where the CO2 conversion takes place. In this context, the objective of this chapter is to present and analyze the results of the CO2 absorption in alkaline solutions in capillary reactors. A hydrodynamic study is included in order to establish the operational window of liquid and gas velocities in order to achieve the Taylor flow regime. All experiments were conducted in a capillary reactor (dc = 3 mm). The studied variables were temperature, NaOH concentration (0-0.75 M) and capillary length (300 and 100 mm). It was found that the volumetric mass transfer coefficient of the absorption of CO2 in water increases when the temperature decreases, while the CO2 absorption in NaOH solutions increases directly with temperature. By means of the Ha number, it was concluded that the mass transfer controlled the absorption process when usingalkaline solutions.