A Semi-pilot scale Adsorption Setup for Solid Sorbents Evaluation in Gas Separation Applications

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This proposal is requesting funding for a semi-pilot scale adsorption setup for the evaluation of solid sorbents performance in gas separation applications with a special focus on CO2 capture. The requested equipment will support the research activities of the principal applicant and three co-applicants working in the field of post-combustion CO2 capture, direct air CO2 capture (DAC), and natural gas purification (H2S and CH4 separation). Existing laboratory equipment used to evaluate solid sorbents performance is based on volumetric and gravimetric techniques using few milligrams to evaluate the gas separation thermodynamics (adsorption isotherms) and kinetics. Process modeling techniques are deployed using single-component adsorption isotherms, kinetics data, selectivity, and heat of adsorption to predict the performance of solid sorbents in large-scale process conditions. However, as valuable as these performance indicators are, they do not accurately predict the cost of the gas separation process, energy requirements, nor the purity and recovery of the separated gas stream. The requested equipment is designed to operate under temperature swing adsorption (TSA) and pressure-vacuum swing adsorption (PVSA) conditions to mimic the real scale cyclic adsorption process and evaluate the performance of solid sorbents under real conditions. The availability of such facilities will help bridge the gap between laboratory-scale materials evaluation methods and the large-scale cyclic adsorption processes. It will also offer a great validation tool for process modeling efforts to accurately predict the performance of solid sorbents for gas separation applications. The requested adsorption setup will be connected to an existing Mass Spectrometer (MS) in our laboratory to enable the online measurement of gas composition at the exit of the adsorption set up to quantify the purity and recovery percent. The requested instrument is essential to support the research programs of 4 applicants, including 1 Industrial Research Chair (IRC) in CO2 Capture Technologies, 2 NSERC-Alliance, 3 NSERC-DG, and 2 Mitacs projects. The research programs supported by the requested equipment are centered on the advanced training and education of Highly Qualified Personnel, HQPs (16 PhD students, 5 MSc students, 2 postdocs, and 2 research assistants). The semi-pilot scale adsorption setup offers a broader training opportunity compared to the small-scale laboratory equipment as the effectiveness, and the quality of data is greatly improved. The gained knowledge will be crucial to making a breakthrough and major advances in developing viable GHG reduction technologies. It is anticipated that the innovative knowledge and novel materials generated from the utilization of this setup will be readily transferable for commercialization, thereby facilitating environmentally friendly energy production.