Part 7: A review of CO2 capture using hollow fiber membrane contactors

This paper is Part 7 of the post-combustion carbon capture technology Review Series. It reviews recent progress and developments in hollow fibre membrane contactor research for CO2 capture. Hollow fiber membrane contactors have been studied for CO2 capture from a gas stream since 1985. In recent years, this technology has been considered a promising alternative to conventional absorption technologies, since it offers higher absorption efficiency and avoids common operating problems found in traditional packed columns. In this review, research development focused on CO2 capture using hollow fiber membrane contactors-including membrane module design, mass transfer principles, membrane wetting, simulation and modeling, and solvent regeneration-is presented. Additionally, current significant pilot-scale applications of this technology are discussed and recommendations for future work are presented. © 2013 Future Science Ltd.