Modeling of circulating fluidized beds systems for post‐combustion CO₂ capture via temperature swing adsorption

Abstract

The technology of circulating fluidized beds (CFBs) is applied to temperature swing adsorption (TSA) processes for post‐combustion CO 2 capture employing a commercial zeolite sorbent. Steady state operation is simulated through a one‐dimensional model, which combines binary adsorption with the CFB dynamics. Both single step and multi‐step arrangements are investigated. Extensive sensitivity analyses are performed varying the operating conditions, in order to assess the influence of the main operational parameters. The results reveal a neat superiority of multi‐step configurations over the standard one, in terms of both separation performance and efficiency. Compared to fixed‐bed TSA systems, CFB TSA features a high compactness degree. However, product purity levels are limited compared to the best performing fixed‐bed processes, and heat management within the system appears to be a major issue. As regards energy efficiency, CFB systems place themselves in between the most established absorption‐based technologies and the fixed‐bed TSA. © 2017 The Authors AIChE Journal published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J , 64: 1744–1759, 2018