(A) Study on high permeability hollow fiber module for continuous solid carbonation

Abstract

A successful transition to a future energy system that does not add extra $CO_2$ to the atmosphere, a net-zero emissions energy system, is likely to depend on a combination of known technologies enabled by scalable and modular devices. In this study, prominent technological opportunities and barriers are discussed for an integrated approach to carbon capture and utilization (CCU) that can simultaneously exploit both $CO_2$ and industrial wastes. It is shown that a hollow fiber module based on an ultrapermeable membrane synthesized with the polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) has the potential to directly utilize $CO_2$ from the flue gas stack via a continuous solid carbonation reaction. By a quantitative comparative assessment on the continuous PIM-1 module performance for different testing conditions, feasible routes for large-scale $CO_2$ utilization were proposed. Surmountable hurdles, such as membrane stability and possible scale formation were also identified. An integrated approach of two parallel research streams, $CO_2$ capture and utilization, could provide reliable and cost-effective strategies for large-scale CCU.