Current Project:

Novel adsorbents applied to integrated energy-efficient industrial CO₂ capture

The UK Government has an ambitious target to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050. Industrial processes account for 25% of total EU CO2 emissions, and moreover, they are already operating at or close to the theoretical limits of efficiency. Therefore, CO2 capture and storage (CCS) is the only technology that can deliver the required emission reductions. However, efficiency and capital cost penalties associated with CO2 capture are hindering the deployment of CCS. There is an opportunity here for industrial CCS to operate at a wider range of temperatures and to integrate available thermal streams with heat required for on-site sorbent regeneration.

This multidisciplinary proposal unites leading engineers and scientists from the Universities of Heriot-Watt, Hull and Newcastle to realise our vision of integrating novel hydrotalcite solid sorbents with advanced heat integration processes for industrial CO2 capture. Hydrotalcite materials present a big potential for industrial CCS, as they show faster kinetics and better regenerability over other high temperature sorbents; however, their application in industrial capture processes remains largely unexplored. We will research novel methodologies to enhance and tailor performance of hydrotalcites for CO2 capture over a wide range of conditions needed in industrial processes. We will also address the challenge of designing a suitable process that combines the roles of heat management (heat recovery for desorption) and mass transfer (ad- and desorption) across a range of process conditions (temperature, pressure, humidity, gas constituents) with a degree of flexibility that is economically and technically viable.

Previous Project:

Applications of 3D Printed Fluidic Oscillators

Fluidic oscillators use internal feedback to induce periodic oscillations. By operating these devices with multiple outlet channels, periodic flow switching between the channels leading to dual stream pulsations can be achieved. This principle is shown below in Figure 1. In a previous study [1], the switching frequencies obtained in single feedback loop oscillators containing two outlet channels was investigated. Here the effects of geometry and fluid property were investigated. It was shown that frequencies in the range of 2-22 Hz could be produced for Re = 600-12,000 using water and water-glycerol mixtures.

Fig. 1 - Flow switching mechanism in a single feedback loop bistable oscillator; (a) wall attachment and formation of separation bubble, (b) growth of the separation bubble via flow around the feedback channel, (c) switching of the main jet to the other outlet [1]

Fig. 2 - Various 3D printed oscillator designs (single feedback loop) used to investigate the effect of geometry on flow-switching frequency

The aim of the current project is to test these oscillators in a variety of applications relevant to process intensification. These areas are:

1. Liquid distribution

2. Plug flow generation (a no-moving-parts OBR)

3. Enhanced heat transfer

4. Enhanced mass transfer

5. Enhanced mixing

6. Further modification of the design (e.g. lower Re designs)

1. McDonough JR, Law R, Kraemer J, Harvey AP. Effect of geometric parameters on flow-switching frequencies in 3D printed fluidic oscillators containing different liquids. Chemical Engineering Research and Design 117 (2017) 228-239