Integration of Membrane Separation with Nonthermal Plasma Catalysis: A Proof-of-Concept for CO₂ Capture and Utilization

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and utilization (CCU) plays an important role in abating carbon emissions, mitigating global warming, and converting CO2 as feedstock to value-added fuels and chemicals. Herein, a proof-of-concept study of a novel integrated process, consisting of a membrane separator (MS) followed by a nonthermal plasma reactor (NTPR) in tandem, was presented and systematically investigated, as an efficient platform, for potential applications in CCU. Specifically, biogas upgrading via CH4 enrichment was used as the model system to investigate the proposed integrated system (using SAPO-34 zeolite membrane in a MS and Ni/NaBETA and Ni/UiO-66 catalyst in the NTPR). Upon optimization, the hybrid MS-NTPR system showed satisfactory carbon capture efficiency (CCE) and carbon utilization efficiency (CUE) of ca. 91.8% and 71.7%, respectively. In addition, the integrated process also exhibited excellent stability for CCU in upgrading synthetic biogas with a stable performance over a 40-h longevity test. This work, for the first time, showed the feasibility of using the novel integrated process for effective CCU.

Structured Ni@NaA zeolite supported on silicon carbide foam catalysts for catalytic carbon dioxide methanation

“…Therefore, many efforts have been made recently to develop highly efficient CO 2 capture and utilization (CCU) technologies for reducing and converting CO 2 emissions, fighting against the urgent environmental issues 2 . The power‐to‐gas (P2G) process is an energy storage and conversion technology that can convert the surplus sustainable energy into gas fuel (i.e., hydrogen, H 2 ) effectively, which can be subsequently used for CO 2 conversion (to methane) 3‐8 . P2G relies on water electrolysis (for sustainable H 2 production) and CO 2 hydrogenation (the so‐called catalytic CO 2 methanation for producing methane, CH 4 , Equation ).…”

Post-combustion carbon capture

“…For example, SAPO-34 (a silico aluminophosphate zeolite) membranes have shown a good CO2 selectivity and good CO2 adsorption capacity. Fan et al utilized SAPO-34 zeolite membrane combined with a non-thermal plasma reactor, and this hybrid system gives a satisfactory CO2 efficiency (91.8%) with excellent stability according to the 40h longevity test [163].…”

Recent advances in integrated CO2capture and utilization: a review

“…In addition to DFMs containing adsorbents and catalysts, membrane reactor is also gaining researchers' attention. Chen et al 127…”