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October 16, 2025 Street Food

Engineering thermal physics research of carbon dioxide solid absorbent has progressed

At present, carbon capture technologies based on coal utilization primarily consist of pre-combustion CO2 capture, post-combustion flue gas CO2 capture, and chemical-looping or pure oxygen combustion techniques. Among these, pre-combustion CO2 capture is particularly relevant in coal gasification, coal-to-methane, and coal-to-hydrogen processes. This method not only reduces CO2 emissions but also enhances the concentration of valuable gases like CH4 or H2 by effectively capturing CO2 during the gas conversion stage. It is considered a promising approach for future carbon capture systems. The Energy and Power Research Center at the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been working on pre-combustion dry CO2 capture technology integrated with the IGCC (Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle) process. A major challenge in this area is the development of absorbents that exhibit strong CO2 absorption capacity and good cycle stability. Calcium oxide-based CO2 absorbents are widely studied due to their abundant availability and high theoretical CO2 absorption capacity. However, their practical application faces several challenges. For instance, the calcination temperature required for CaCO3 regeneration can reach as high as 900°C, leading to thermal sintering and a decline in absorption performance over multiple cycles. To address these issues, the Energy and Power Research Center focused on two main areas: improving the activity of calcium-based materials and exploring magnesium-based double salt CO2 absorbents that operate at lower temperatures. These efforts aim to reduce energy consumption and enhance the durability of the absorbent during repeated cycles. In one study, researchers investigated the impact of adding MgO to CaO-based absorbents. They found that incorporating MgO within the range of 31.5% to 38.7% significantly improved the cycle stability of the CaO-MgO absorbent derived from natural dolomite. Additionally, the effect of water vapor on the absorption properties of CaO-MgO absorbents was examined. The results showed that under water vapor conditions, the absorption capacity of the material after 30 cycles increased by 50% compared to anhydrous conditions. Water vapor enhanced both the reaction rate during the diffusion-controlled stage and the absorption capacity during the rapid chemical reaction phase. The beneficial effect became more pronounced with higher MgO content. To tackle the high regeneration temperature of calcium-based absorbents, the center collaborated with U.S. institutions such as the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Together, they developed new types of CO2 absorbents, including magnesium-based double salts. These magnesium-based absorbents demonstrated stable performance during cyclic absorption and regeneration, with a much lower regeneration temperature (around 400°C) compared to calcium-based ones (around 900°C). This significantly reduced the risk of thermal degradation and energy demand for regeneration. Further research involved modifying natural calcium magnesium ores using alkali metal nitrates to create more efficient CO2 absorbents. The study analyzed the modification mechanism from the perspective of ion diffusion, providing insights into how these additives improve performance. All these studies were part of a joint China-U.S. research project on CO2 capture and storage technology. Some of the findings have been published in reputable journals such as *Energy & Fuels* and the *Asia-Pacific Journal of Chemical Engineering*, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in advancing carbon capture technologies.

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