REDESIGNING OF A SCRUBBER IN CAPTURING CO2 FROM OBTAINED ACTIVATED CARBON

BY

AYAMA DANIEL
MATRICULATION NUMBER
FUO/17/CME/4793

A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, FACULTY OF

ENGINEERING, FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OTUOKE

NOVEMBER, 2023.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The research problem addressed in this study is the need to redesign a scrubber system for capturing CO 2 using obtained

activated carbon. The current scrubber design may have limitations or inefficiencies that hinder its performance in CO 2

capture. Therefore, there is a need to explore and develop a more effective and efficient scrubber system that maximizes

CO2 capture from activated carbon. The specific research problem includes the following aspects:

Scrubber Efficiency, design Limitations, regeneration Challenges, Scale-Up Considerations.

1.3 JUSTIFICATION

The work represents waste-to-wealth concept, which is highly essential today. The work involves the redesigning

of a scrubber in capturing CO2 from obtained activated carbon. The chosen biomass used as the activated carbon

is in abundance within the Niger Delta region.

1.4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVE
1.4.1 Aims

This work is aimed at studying the redesigning of a scrubber in capturing CO 2 from obtained activated carbon.
1.4.2 Objectives

The objectives of the proposed study are to address the identified gaps and limitations in previous research regarding CO 2

capture using activated carbon-based scrubbers. The study aims to make the following contributions to advance the field of

CO2 capture

1. The study will focus on investigating the scalability of activated carbon-based scrubbers for CO 2 capture. By

conducting experimental studies and using process modeling tools

2. Detailed techno-economic analysis will be conducted to evaluate the economic feasibility and competitiveness of

activated carbon-based CO2 capture systems.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH

The scope of the research for the redesigning of a scrubber system in capturing CO 2 from obtained activated carbon

encompasses Scrubber Design Optimization, Absorbent Selection and Characterization, Mass Transfer, Regeneration

Methods and Efficiency, Scale-Up Considerations, Performance Evaluation and Comparison.

 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 OVERVIEW OF CO2 CAPTURE TECHNOLOGIES

The increased concentration of Green House Gases (GHGs) is causing dramatic climatic changes (rise in

temperature, changes in the distribution, intensity and pattern of rainfall, rising sea levels, floods, droughts and

increased occurrence of extreme climatic phenomena) as a result of well-known phenomenon “Global Warming”.

The temperature of the planet has risen by 0.85°C from 1880 to 2012 and it has been forecasted that by the end of

this century, a rise of 1.4–5.8°C would be witnessed (De Silva et al., 2015). The concentration of CO2, the most

important GHG and the major contributor to global warming, has reached to formidable levels. Corresponding to a

32% increase, from around 280 ppm to 400 ppm, since the industrial revolution (De Silva et al., 2015). The primary

causes being irrational use of fossil fuels and change in land use pattern.
 METHODOLOGY

3.1. LIST OF MAJOR MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT WITH THEIR MODELS:

• Activated carbon samples ( Norit RB3, Calgon F400) with varying characteristics

• Lab-scale and pilot-scale scrubber setups (custom-designed)

• Process modeling tools (Aspen Plus, COMSOL)

• Economic modeling software (SuperPro Designer)

• Instruments for cyclic absorption studies (Thermo Scientific FTIR Spectrometer)

• Material characterization tools (BET analyzer - Quantachrome Nova 1200e, SEM - JEOL JSM-7800F)

• Surface modification reagents (citric acid, amine solutions)

• Statistical analysis software (R or Python with relevant libraries)

 REFERENCES

Abbas, A.F., & Ahmed, M.J. (2016). Mesoporous activated carbon from date stones (Phoenix dactylifera L.) by one- step

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reviews journal of send mental chemical Engineering 7,

103022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. jece.2019.103022

Y. Belmabkhout et al. (2016). Low concentration CO2 capture using physical adsorbents: are metal-organic frameworks

becoming the new benchmark materials? Chem. Eng. J.

O. Boujibar et al. (2018). CO2 capture using N-containing nano porous activated carbon obtained from argan fruit shells,