Daniel Codd

• BEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering
• Intensified carbon capture using adsorption with potential uses in industry

Industrial processes already operate at close to maximum levels of efficiency but still account for 25% of total EU CO₂ emissions. CO₂ capture and storage is therefore the only short-term solution that can meet the required emissions targets for 2050. However, current state-of-the-art liquid absorbent capture technologies have a significant energy penalty; solid adsorbents require 30-50% less energy.

In this project, 3D printed adsorbent beds were used to screen activated carbon in both packed and fluidized configurations. A novel miniature toroidal fluidized bed (‘Torbed’) was also investigated; although this technology already exists commercially, this is the first time that the Torbed has been demonstrated at 50 mm diameter scale (made possible by 3D printing). Breakthrough experiments were performed at different temperatures under dry/humidified gas conditions. From these experiments, the CO₂ adsorption capacities were calculated, and kinetic data were fitted to three different models to inform larger scale capture modelling/design.

Funding source: Newcastle University

Project supervisor: Dr Vladimir Zivkovic and Dr Steven Wang