Facilitated transport of CO2 across a liquid membrane:: Comparing enzyme, amine, and alkaline

In this work we compare the efficiency of facilitated transport of CO2 across a liquid membrane by different facilitators as tested in either a supported liquid membrane (SLM) or a hollow fiber contained liquid membrane (HFCLM) configuration. Permeance and selectivity were evaluated by both experimental test and numerical simulation. These comparisons were used to define the best liquid membrane composition to maximize separation performance. We also consider other factors that affect the choice of the facilitator, e.g. operation temperature and cost. Under ambient operating conditions, carbonic anhydrase (CA) combined with an alkaline carbonate gives better performance than does diethanolamine (DEA). (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.