Use of nanoparticles Cu/TiO(OH)2 for CO2 removal with K2CO3/KHCO3 based solution: enhanced thermal conductivity and reaction kinetics enhancing the CO2 sorption/desorption performance of K2CO3/KHCO3

Global climate change resulting from substantial CO2 emissions is increasingly attracting attention, and coal-fired power plants are a major source of CO2 emission, so it is necessary to control and reduce CO2 emissions from power plants. Using alkali-based solutions for CO2 capture is thought to be an effective method to achieve this but poor CO2 sorption/desorption kinetics inhibit its development. The use of nanofluids, prepared by adding nanoparticles to an alkali-based solution, is a promising way to improve CO2 sorption/desorption reactivity because the addition of nanoparticles not only improves the gas-liquid mass/heat transfer but also enhances the reaction kinetics. In this paper, a nanostructured Cu/TiO(OH)(2) was prepared and used to accelerate the CO2 sorption/desorption performance of a potassium-based solution. The CO2 sorption/desorption reaction rates increased with the thermal conductivity of the nanofluid but the inclusion of more nanoparticles resulted in particle sedimentation. The potassium-based solution containing 0.014 vol% of the nanostructured Cu/TiO(OH)(2) was therefore the targeted nanofluid that gave the best CO2 sorption/desorption performance and cyclic stability. (c) 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.