Hollow Fibre Membrane Contactors for CO2 Capture

Hollow fiber membrane contactors have emerged as an attractive and promising technology for post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) capture by contacting exhaust gas with amines. This study focuses on investigating the performance of a modularized PTFE hollow fiber membrane contactor developed by Ionada. Comparative analyses were conducted between Ionada's technology and a traditional packed bed column. Results from simulations indicate a remarkable 20% reduction in solvent regeneration requirement and a 28% decrease in amine losses when employing Ionada's contactor, while maintaining the same operating conditions and target CO 2 removal as the packed bed column. Consequently, these findings translate into substantial operational cost savings for carbon capture processes. The simulation results were validated through experimental runs, revealing an average absolute deviation of only 4% when comparing CO 2 mass flux. Furthermore, the technology exhibits scalability, as an increase in the number of modules allows for the treatment of flue gas streams with higher flowrates without necessitating a complete unit change. Notably, scaling up the system correspondingly enhances absorption efficiency.