Heat- and Mass-Transfer Kinetics of Carbon Dioxide Capture Using Sorbent-Loaded Hollow Fibers

Sorbent-loaded hollow fibers operating in a rapid temperature-swing adsorption cycle are a unique platform for the capture of CO(2) from power plants. They are ideally suited for heat recovery strategies that will reduce the operating costs of capture facilities. Accurate estimates of the fiber-level heat- and mass-transfer kinetics are critical for the design and implementation of these systems. A detailed coupled heat- and mass-transfer model of the adsorption process in sorbent-loaded fibers is developed here. The effects of varying fiber geometry on the heat- and mass-transfer kinetics are presented. The rapid diffusion and adsorption in the fiber and the direct cooling of the fibers will enable efficient capture of CO(2), as well as substantial recovery of the sensible heat capacity of the beds, thus reducing energy costs of the thermal-swing adsorption process.