Three-Dimensional Printable Sodium Carbonate Composite Sorbents for Efficient Biogas Upgrading

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Biogas upgrading is crucial for producing pipeline-quality biomethane.
• Current methods for carbon dioxide (CO2) removal face challenges in cost, efficiency, and energy consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize novel sodium carbonate/silicone composite sorbents for selective CO2 capture.
• To evaluate the performance of these sorbents in biogas purification and assess their economic viability.

Main Methods:

• Composite sorbents were synthesized and characterized using X-ray computed tomography, SEM, and XRD.
• Sorption capacities and breakthrough curves were measured using simulated and industrial biogas.
• A numerical model was developed and validated with experimental data to simulate industrial-scale processes.

Main Results:

• The composite sorbents demonstrated high specific CO2 sorption rates (>5 μmol s-1 g-1 bar-1) and selectivity.
• Sorption capacities reached up to 0.62 mol CO2 kg-1.
• Technoeconomic analysis indicated a lower upgrading cost of ~$0.97 per GJ compared to existing techniques.

Conclusions:

• The developed composite sorbents offer a promising, cost-effective solution for biogas upgrading.
• Their properties combine the advantages of liquid and solid sorbents, with low-energy regeneration.
• This technology has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of producing biomethane.