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13 pages, 2384 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Process Configuration Studies of Methanol Production via Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation: Process Simulation-Based Optimization Using Artificial Neural Networks

by Prapatsorn Borisut and Aroonsri Nuchitprasittichai

Energies 2020, 13(24), 6608; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13246608 - 14 Dec 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5452

Abstract

Methanol production via carbon dioxide (CO₂) hydrogenation is a green chemical process, which can reduce CO₂ emission. The operating conditions for minimum methanol production cost of three configurations were investigated in this work. An artificial neural network with Latin hypercube [...] Read more.

Methanol production via carbon dioxide (CO₂) hydrogenation is a green chemical process, which can reduce CO₂ emission. The operating conditions for minimum methanol production cost of three configurations were investigated in this work. An artificial neural network with Latin hypercube sampling technique was applied to construct model-represented methanol production. Price sensitivity was performed to study the impacts of the raw materials price on methanol production cost. Price sensitivity results showed that the hydrogen price has a large impact on the methanol production cost. In mathematical modeling using feedforward artificial neural networks, four different numbers of nodes were used to train artificial neural networks. The artificial neural network with eight numbers of nodes showed the most suitable configuration, which yielded the lowest percent error between the actual and predicted methanol production cost. The optimization results showed that the recommended process design among the three studied configurations was the process of methanol production with two reactors in series. The minimum methanol production cost obtained from this configuration was $888.85 per ton produced methanol, which was the lowest methanol production cost among all configurations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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19 pages, 4738 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chemistry of Reservoir Fluids in the Aspect of CO₂ Injection for Selected Oil Reservoirs in Poland

by Ewa Knapik and Katarzyna Chruszcz-Lipska

Energies 2020, 13(23), 6456; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13236456 - 06 Dec 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2617

Abstract

Worldwide experiences related to geological CO₂ storage show that the process of the injection of carbon dioxide into depleted oil reservoirs (CCS-EOR, Carbon Capture and Storage—Enhanced Oil Recovery) is highly profitable. The injection of CO₂ will allow an increasing recovery factor [...] Read more.

Worldwide experiences related to geological CO₂ storage show that the process of the injection of carbon dioxide into depleted oil reservoirs (CCS-EOR, Carbon Capture and Storage—Enhanced Oil Recovery) is highly profitable. The injection of CO₂ will allow an increasing recovery factor (thus increasing CCS process profitability) and revitalize mature reservoirs, which may lead to oil spills due to pressure buildups. In Poland, such a solution has not yet been implemented in the industry. This work provides additional data for analysis of the possibility of the CCS-EOR method’s implementation for three potential clusters of Polish oil reservoirs located at a short distance one from another. The aim of the work was to examine the properties of reservoir fluids for these selected oil reservoirs in order to assure a better understanding of the physicochemical phenomena that accompany the gas injection process. The chemical composition of oils was determined by gas chromatography. All tested oils represent a medium black oil type with the density ranging from 795 to 843 g/L and the viscosity at 313 K, varying from 1.95 to 5.04 mm/s. The content of heavier components C25+ is up to 17 wt. %. CO₂–oil MMP (Minimum Miscibility Pressure) was calculated in a CHEMCAD simulator using the Soave–Redlich–Kwong equation of state (SRK EoS). The oil composition was defined as a mixture of n-alkanes. Relatively low MMP values (ca. 8.3 MPa for all tested oils at 313 K) indicate a high potential of the EOR method, and make this geological CO₂ storage form more attractive to the industry. For reservoir brines, the content of the main ions was experimentally measured and CO₂ solubility under reservoir conditions was calculated. The reservoir brines showed a significant variation in properties with total dissolved solids contents varying from 17.5 to 378 g/L. CO₂ solubility in brines depends on reservoir conditions and brine chemistry. The highest calculated CO₂ solubility is 1.79 mol/kg, which suggest possible CO₂ storage in aquifers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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14 pages, 1507 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coproduction of Acrylic Acid with a Biodiesel Plant Using CO₂ as Reaction Medium: Process Modeling and Production Cost Estimation

by X. Philip Ye and Shoujie Ren

Energies 2020, 13(22), 6089; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13226089 - 20 Nov 2020

Viewed by 2069

Abstract

Producing value-added chemicals from glycerol is imperative for the sustainable future of biodiesel. Despite worldwide efforts, the commercial production of acrylic acid from glycerol faces challenges, both technologically and economically. Based on our new technology using CO₂ as a reaction medium in [...] Read more.

Producing value-added chemicals from glycerol is imperative for the sustainable future of biodiesel. Despite worldwide efforts, the commercial production of acrylic acid from glycerol faces challenges, both technologically and economically. Based on our new technology using CO₂ as a reaction medium in a two-step process to catalytically convert glycerol to acrylic acid, we established computer simulation models to analyze the energy efficiency and estimate production costs at different scenarios. The analysis was conducted in conjunction with published data of a typical, intermediate-sized biodiesel facility, aiming at the feasibility of producing acrylic acid on-site in the context of a circular economy. Variable analysis in response to the market value of glycerol, the source and cost of carbon dioxide recycling, and the changes in process scale and conditions are also presented. Results indicates that a cost-effective supply of CO₂ to the acrylic acid plant is key to the further research and development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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15 pages, 1879 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mass Transfer Correlation and Optimization of Carbon Dioxide Capture in a Microchannel Contactor: A Case of CO₂-Rich Gas

by Nattee Akkarawatkhoosith, Wannarak Nopcharoenkul, Amaraporn Kaewchada and Attasak Jaree

Energies 2020, 13(20), 5465; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13205465 - 19 Oct 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2739

Abstract

This work focused on the application of a microchannel contactor for CO₂ capture using water as absorbent, especially for the application of CO₂-rich gas. The influence of operating conditions (temperature, volumetric flow rate of gas and liquid, and CO₂ [...] Read more.

This work focused on the application of a microchannel contactor for CO₂ capture using water as absorbent, especially for the application of CO₂-rich gas. The influence of operating conditions (temperature, volumetric flow rate of gas and liquid, and CO₂ concentration) on the absorption efficiency and the overall liquid-side volumetric mass transfer coefficient was presented in terms of the main effects and interactions based on the factorial design of experiments. It was found that 70.9% of CO₂ capture was achieved under the operating conditions as follows; temperature of 50 °C, CO₂ inlet fraction of 53.7%, total gas volumetric flow rate of 150 mL min⁻¹, and adsorbent volumetric flow rate of 1 mL min⁻¹. Outstanding performance of CO₂ capture was demonstrated with the overall liquid-side volumetric mass transfer coefficient of 0.26 s⁻¹. Further enhancing the system by using 2.2 M of monoethanolamine in water (1:1 molar ratio of MEA-to-CO₂) boosted the absorption efficiency up to 88%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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7 pages, 1396 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Zr-Doped CaO CO₂ Sorbent Fabricated by Wet High-Energy Milling

by Vyacheslav V. Rodaev and Svetlana S. Razlivalova

Energies 2020, 13(16), 4110; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13164110 - 08 Aug 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1998

Abstract

We fabricated the Zr-doped CaO sorbent for high-temperature CO₂ capture by the wet high-energy co-milling of calcium carbonate and natural zirconium dioxide (baddeleyite) for the first time. The morphology of the material was examined by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and [...] Read more.

We fabricated the Zr-doped CaO sorbent for high-temperature CO₂ capture by the wet high-energy co-milling of calcium carbonate and natural zirconium dioxide (baddeleyite) for the first time. The morphology of the material was examined by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray diffraction. Its CO₂ uptake capacity was determined using thermogravimetric analysis. After 50 carbonation–calcination cycles, the Zr-doped CaO sorbent characterized by a high enough CO₂ uptake capacity of 8.6 mmol/g and unchanged microstructure due to CaZrO₃ nanoparticles uniformly distributed in the CaO matrix to prevent CaCO₃ sintering under carbonation. The proposed easy-to-implement CaO-based sorbents fabrication technique is promising for industrial application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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26 pages, 2806 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Implementation of Lean Management as a Tool for Decrease of Energy Consumption and CO₂ Emissions in the Fast Food Restaurant

by Olga Orynycz, Karol Tucki and Miron Prystasz

Energies 2020, 13(5), 1184; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13051184 - 05 Mar 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6612

Abstract

The manuscript presents the possibilities of using selected Lean Management tools at a fast food restaurant located at the international airport terminal in Poland. Observations in other points of the company lasting for five years, made possible fair proposals for improvement of selected [...] Read more.

The manuscript presents the possibilities of using selected Lean Management tools at a fast food restaurant located at the international airport terminal in Poland. Observations in other points of the company lasting for five years, made possible fair proposals for improvement of selected elements of production and work organization. The research part presents the results of application of such tools as value stream mapping (VSM), Kaizen, and 5S. The Lean Management method, chosen after careful analysis of the work system in the facility, contributed to the increase of work efficiency. Production times were shortened. Additionally, the possibility of reducing energy consumption, and thus the reduction of CO₂ emissions associated with production, achieved without interfering with product quality was demonstrated. The timetable for device work was proposed. It was selected based on the analysis of the daily number of transactions compared with energy consumption. It should be emphasized that properly selected Lean tools allow for practical increase of work efficiency, reduction of production cycle times, and a decrease of energy consumption, which, in turn, leads to the decrease of CO₂ emissions. It is demonstrated that, concerning the large number of enterprises of that type, introducing appropriate changes in work organization is able to facilitate large changes in emissions on a global scale. The presented solutions were tested in practice, however, due to the nature of the place, it should be considered individually. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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27 pages, 6847 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multiobjective Optimization for the Greener Synthesis of Chloromethyl Ethylene Carbonate by CO₂ and Epichlorohydrin via Response Surface Methodology

by Bisi Olaniyan and Basudeb Saha

Energies 2020, 13(3), 741; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13030741 - 08 Feb 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2400

Abstract

In this paper, a statistical analysis with response surface methodology (RSM) has been used to investigate and optimize process variables for the greener synthesis of chloromethyl ethylene carbonate (CMEC) by carbon dioxide (CO₂) and epichlorohydrin (ECH). Using the design expert software, [...] Read more.

In this paper, a statistical analysis with response surface methodology (RSM) has been used to investigate and optimize process variables for the greener synthesis of chloromethyl ethylene carbonate (CMEC) by carbon dioxide (CO₂) and epichlorohydrin (ECH). Using the design expert software, a quadratic model was developed to study the interactions effect between four independent variables and the reaction responses. The adequacy of the model was validated by correlation between the experimental and predicted values of the responses using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) method. The proposed Box-Behnken design (BBD) method suggested 29 runs for data acquisition and modelling the response surface. The optimum reaction conditions of 353 K, 11 bar CO₂ pressure, and 12 h using fresh 12% (w/w) Zr/ZIF-8 catalyst loading produced 93% conversion of ECH and 68% yield of CMEC. It was concluded that the predicted and experimental values are in excellent agreement with ±1.55% and ±1.54% relative errors from experimental results for both the conversion of ECH and CMEC yield, respectively. Therefore, statistical modelling using RSM can be used as a reliable prediction technique for system optimization for greener synthesis of chloromethyl ethylene carbonate via CO₂ utilization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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11 pages, 4124 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Metal-Free Modified Boron Nitride for Enhanced CO₂ Capture

by Fereshteh Hojatisaeidi, Mauro Mureddu, Federica Dessì, Geraldine Durand and Basudeb Saha

Energies 2020, 13(3), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13030549 - 23 Jan 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3658

Abstract

Porous boron nitride is a new class of solid adsorbent with applications in CO₂ capture. In order to further enhance the adsorption capacities of materials, new strategies such as porosity tuning, element doping and surface modification have been taken into account. In [...] Read more.

Porous boron nitride is a new class of solid adsorbent with applications in CO₂ capture. In order to further enhance the adsorption capacities of materials, new strategies such as porosity tuning, element doping and surface modification have been taken into account. In this work, metal-free modification of porous boron nitride (BN) has been prepared by a structure directing agent via simple heat treatment under N₂ flow. We have demonstrated that textural properties of BN play a pivotal role in CO₂ adsorption behavior. Therefore, addition of a triblock copolymer surfactant (P123) has been adopted to improve the pore ordering and textural properties of porous BN and its influence on the morphological and structural properties of pristine BN has been characterized. The obtained BN-P123 exhibits a high surface area of 476 m²/g, a large pore volume of 0.83 cm³/g with an abundance of micropores. More importantly, after modification with P123 copolymer, the capacity of pure CO₂ on porous BN has improved by about 34.5% compared to pristine BN (2.69 mmol/g for BN-P123 vs. 2.00 mmol/g for pristine BN under ambient condition). The unique characteristics of boron nitride opens up new routes for designing porous BN, which could be employed for optimizing CO₂ adsorption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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25 pages, 3700 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Catalytic Activity of ZIF-8 and Zr/ZIF-8 for Greener Synthesis of Chloromethyl Ethylene Carbonate by CO₂ Utilization

by Bisi Olaniyan and Basudeb Saha

Energies 2020, 13(3), 521; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13030521 - 21 Jan 2020

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4416

Abstract

The catalytic activity of both ZIF-8 and Zr/ZIF-8 has been investigated for the synthesis of chloromethyl ethylene carbonate (CMEC) using carbon dioxide (CO₂) and epichlorohydrin (ECH) under solvent-free conditions. Published results from literature have highlighted the weak thermal, chemical, and mechanical [...] Read more.

The catalytic activity of both ZIF-8 and Zr/ZIF-8 has been investigated for the synthesis of chloromethyl ethylene carbonate (CMEC) using carbon dioxide (CO₂) and epichlorohydrin (ECH) under solvent-free conditions. Published results from literature have highlighted the weak thermal, chemical, and mechanical stability of ZIF-8 catalyst, which has limited its large-scale industrial applications. The synthesis of novel Zr/ZIF-8 catalyst for cycloaddition reaction of ECH and CO₂ to produce CMEC has provided a remarkable reinforcement to this weak functionality, which is a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of green and sustainable engineering. The enhancement in the catalytic activity of Zr in Zr/ZIF-8 can be attributed to the acidity/basicity characteristics of the catalyst. The comparison of the catalytic performance of the two catalysts has been drawn based on the effect of different reaction conditions such as temperature, CO₂ pressure, catalyst loading, reaction time, stirring speed, and catalyst reusability studies. Zr/ZIF-8 has been assessed as a suitable heterogeneous catalyst outperforming the catalytic activities of ZIF-8 catalyst with respect to conversion of ECH, selectivity and yield of CMEC. At optimum conditions, the experimental results for direct synthesis of CMEC agree well with similar literature on Zr/MOF catalytic performance, where the conversion of ECH, selectivity and the yield of CMEC are 93%, 86%, and 76%, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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14 pages, 863 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Light Wavelength on CO₂ Capture, Biomass Production and Nutrient Uptake by Green Microalgae: A Step Forward on Process Integration and Optimisation

by Ana F. Esteves, Olívia S. G. P. Soares, Vítor J. P. Vilar, José C. M. Pires and Ana L. Gonçalves

Energies 2020, 13(2), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13020333 - 09 Jan 2020

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 3902

Abstract

Microalgae have drawn the attention of several researchers as an alternative to the traditional physicochemical CO₂ capture methods, since they can convert CO₂ and water into organic matter and release oxygen into the atmosphere. Microalgal growth can be improved by changing [...] Read more.

Microalgae have drawn the attention of several researchers as an alternative to the traditional physicochemical CO₂ capture methods, since they can convert CO₂ and water into organic matter and release oxygen into the atmosphere. Microalgal growth can be improved by changing light supply, such as light intensity, wavelength, and photoperiod. In this study, the effect of different light wavelengths on CO₂ capture, nutrient removal from a synthetic effluent and biomass production of Chlorella vulgaris, Tetradesmus obliquus and Neochloris oleoabundans was studied. The experiments were conducted with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with different wavelengths: 380–750 nm (white), 620–750 nm (red) and 450–495 nm (blue). The maximum specific growth rate was obtained by N. oleoabundans with white LEDs (0.264 ± 0.005 d⁻¹), whereas the maximum biomass productivity (14 ± 4 mg_dw L⁻¹ d⁻¹) and CO₂ fixation rate (11.4 mg_CO2 L⁻¹ d⁻¹) were obtained by C. vulgaris (also with white LEDs). Nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies obtained under white light conditions were also the highest for the three studied microalgae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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18 pages, 4687 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Performance Comparison of Methanol Production Processes with Carbon Dioxide Utilization

by Yih-Hang Chen, David Shan-Hill Wong, Ya-Chien Chen, Chao-Min Chang and Hsuan Chang

Energies 2019, 12(22), 4322; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12224322 - 13 Nov 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 10992

Abstract

Carbon dioxide recycling is one of the possible contributions to CO₂ mitigation and provides an opportunity to use a low-cost carbon source. Methanol is a commodity chemical that serves as an important basic chemical and energy feedstock with growing demand. For each [...] Read more.

Carbon dioxide recycling is one of the possible contributions to CO₂ mitigation and provides an opportunity to use a low-cost carbon source. Methanol is a commodity chemical that serves as an important basic chemical and energy feedstock with growing demand. For each of the four types of industrial methanol production processes from natural gas (methane), i.e., steam reforming (SR), autothermal reforming (ATR), combined reforming (CR), and two-step reforming (TSR), CO₂ utilization cases of (A) no utilization, (B) as reforming step feedstock, and (C) as methanol synthesis step feedstock were designed based on common industrial operation conditions and analyzed for energy consumption, exergy loss (EX_loss), net CO₂ reduction (NCR) and internal rate of return (IRR). The utilization of CO₂ can reduce energy consumption. The processes with the lowest and the highest EX_loss are SR and ATR, respectively. All SR processes give negative NCR. All the B-type processes are positive in NCR except B-SR. The highest NCR is obtained from the B-ATR process with a value of 0.23 kg CO₂/kg methanol. All the processes are profitable with positive IRR results and the highest IRR of 41% can be obtained from B-ATR. The utilization of CO₂ in the industrial methanol process can realize substantial carbon reduction and is beneficial to process economics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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13 pages, 3876 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Propagation Characteristics of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Induced Fractures under True Tri-Axial Stresses

by Yi Hu, Feng Liu, Yuqiang Hu, Yong Kang, Hao Chen and Jiawei Liu

Energies 2019, 12(22), 4229; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12224229 - 06 Nov 2019

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2549

Abstract

Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) fracturing is a non-aqueous fracturing technology, which has attracted considerable attention on exploiting shale gas. In this study, shale specimens and artificial sandstone specimens were used to conduct SC-CO₂ fracturing and water fracturing experiments to investigate [...] Read more.

Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) fracturing is a non-aqueous fracturing technology, which has attracted considerable attention on exploiting shale gas. In this study, shale specimens and artificial sandstone specimens were used to conduct SC-CO₂ fracturing and water fracturing experiments to investigate the characteristics of SC-CO₂ induced fractures. An acoustic emission (AE) monitoring device was employed to monitor the AE energy release rate during the experiment. The experiment results indicate that the breakdown pressure of SC-CO₂ fracturing is lower than that of water fracturing under the same conditions, and the AE energy release rate of SC-CO₂ fracturing is 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than that of water fracturing. In artificial sandstone, which is homogeneous, the main fracture mainly propagates along the directions perpendicular to the minimum principal stress, no matter if using SC-CO₂ or water as the fracturing fluid, but in shale with weak structural planes, the propagation direction of the fracture is controlled by the combined effect of a weak structural plane and in-situ stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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19 pages, 2295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determination of the Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Potential of a Nickel Mine Mixed Dump through Leaching Tests

by Bernard Jomari B. Razote, Mark Kenneth M. Maranan, Ramon Christian P. Eusebio, Richard D. Alorro, Arnel B. Beltran and Aileen H. Orbecido

Energies 2019, 12(15), 2877; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12152877 - 26 Jul 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3755

Abstract

Carbon dioxide sequestration via mineralization is one of the methods that has the capability to efficiently store carbon dioxide in a stable form. A mixed dump sample collected from a nickel laterite mine in Southern Philippines was tested for its carbon dioxide sequestration [...] Read more.

Carbon dioxide sequestration via mineralization is one of the methods that has the capability to efficiently store carbon dioxide in a stable form. A mixed dump sample collected from a nickel laterite mine in Southern Philippines was tested for its carbon dioxide sequestration potential through HCl leaching tests, employing the Face-Centered Cube (FCC) experimental design for Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Mineralogical analysis performed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis suggests the presence of three minerals, namely goethite, khademite and lizardite; additional X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) results, however, established goethite as the main component due to the dominance of iron in the sample. Morphological analyses performed through a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method suggest high accessible surface area despite considerable variability in sample composition. Leaching tests further confirmed the high reactivity of the mixed dump as high extraction rates were obtained for iron, with the maximum iron extraction efficiency of 95.37% reported at 100 °C, 2.5 M, and 2.5 h. The carbon dioxide sequestration potential of the mixed dump was reported as the amount of CO₂ that can be sequestered per amount of sample, which was calculated to be 327.2 mg CO_2/g sample using the maximum iron extraction obtained experimentally. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilization)

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