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

该提案要求为半中试规模的吸附装置提供资金，以评估固体吸附剂在气体分离应用中的性能，特别关注CO2捕集。申请的设备将支持主要申请人和三个共同申请人在燃烧后CO2捕集、直接空气CO2捕集（DAC）和天然气净化（H2S和CH 4分离）领域的研究活动。用于评估固体吸附剂性能的现有实验室设备是基于使用几毫克来评估气体分离热力学（吸附等温线）和动力学的体积和重量技术。使用单组分吸附等温线、动力学数据、选择性和吸附热部署过程建模技术，以预测固体吸附剂在大规模工艺条件下的性能。然而，尽管这些性能指标很有价值，但它们不能准确地预测气体分离过程的成本、能量需求，也不能准确地预测分离气流的纯度和回收率。 所要求的设备被设计成在变温吸附（TSA）和压力-真空变吸附（PVSA）条件下操作，以模拟真实的规模的循环吸附过程并评估固体吸附剂在真实的条件下的性能。这些设施的可用性将有助于弥合实验室规模的材料评价方法和大规模的循环吸附过程之间的差距。它还将为过程建模工作提供一个很好的验证工具，以准确预测气体分离应用中固体吸附剂的性能。所要求的吸附装置将连接到我们实验室现有的质谱仪（MS），以便在线测量吸附装置出口处的气体成分，从而量化纯度和回收率。所要求的仪器对于支持4个申请人的研究计划至关重要，包括1个CO2捕获技术的工业研究主席（IRC），2个NSERC联盟，3个NSERC DG和2个Mitacs项目。由所要求的设备支持的研究计划集中在高素质人员的高级培训和教育，HQP（16名博士生，5名硕士生，2名博士后和2名研究助理）。与小规模实验室设备相比，半中试规模吸附装置提供了更广泛的培训机会，因为有效性和数据质量大大提高。 获得的知识对于在开发可行的温室气体减排技术方面取得突破和重大进展至关重要。预计利用这一设置产生的创新知识和新材料将易于商业化，从而促进环境友好型能源生产。

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.