Intensification of CO₂ absorption and desorption by metal/non-metal oxide nanoparticles in bubble columns

In this study, four different metal/non-metal oxide nanoparticles including CuO, Fe₃O₄, ZnO, and SiO₂ were employed to improve CO₂ absorption and desorption in methyl diethanolamine (MDEA)-based nanofluid. CO₂ absorption experiment with various nanofluids was done in a bubble column reactor at ambient temperature. Also, CO₂ stripping experiments for all nanofluids were done at 60 and 70 °C. The influence of nanoparticles type, nanoparticle concentration, and the stability of nanoparticles were studied on both CO₂ absorption and stripping. The obtained results revealed that Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles at 0.01 wt.% concentration had the best influence on CO₂ absorption and it improved the CO₂ loading up to 36%. Also, CO₂ stripping experiments for all nanofluids were done at 60 and 70 °C. The desorption experiments illustrated that metal oxide nanoparticles can be more efficient in improving CO₂ desorption. In CO₂ desorption, the CuO nanoparticles at 0.05 wt.% had higher efficiency, and enhanced CO₂ concentration at outlet gas phase up to 44.2 vol.% at 70 °C. Finally, as an indication, the chemical stability of Fe₃O₄ NPs under optimum operational conditions was studied using XRD analysis and the result showed that the proposed operational condition did not have any negative effect on the chemical nature of Fe₃O₄ NPs.