Development of Hybrid Materials with Activated Carbon and Zeolite 13X for CO<sub>2</sub> Capture from Flue Gases by Electric Swing Adsorption
Maria João Regufe, Alexandre Ferreira, José M. Loureiro, Alírio E. Rodrigues, Ana M. Ribeiro
Abstract
New hybrid materials, shaped by extrusion, suitable to be used in the electric swing adsorption (ESA) process for CO2 capture, were developed. Pellets were produced using activated carbon (AC) and zeolite 13X (with four different compositions). An extensive study was carried out to determine the characterization and adsorption equilibrium of CO2 and N2. The CO2/N2 selectivity of the pellets was 62.8, 41.9, 24.6, and 12.2 at 1.5 bar, and 298 K, respectively, for the 30% AC–70% 13X, 50% AC–50% 13X, 70% AC–30% 13X, and 100% AC pellets, considering multicomponent adsorption of 20% CO2 of in N2. All pellets demonstrated a temperature increase when electric current was applied, except for the 30% AC–70% 13X pellets, concluding that these were not suitable for the ESA process because heat regeneration is used and also that there is a percolation threshold limit. Binary breakthrough curves developed using 50% AC–50% 13X pellets with electrification have proven that the heating by the Joule effect resulted in significantly faster adsorbent regeneration.