Preparation, characterization, and performance of activated carbon for CO₂ adsorption from CI engine exhaust

Abstract

Mitigation of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from various sources is a major challenge in the world today. Apart from attempts to control CO 2 emissions from large CO 2 emitting sources such as coal-fired power plants and significant fossil fuel-consuming industries, there have also been attempts made to control CO 2 in internal combustion (IC) engines. Compression ignition (CI) engines find their applications mainly in automotive vehicles, decentralized power generation units, standby power requirements in hospitals and educational institutions. In recent years, there has been a great interest in developing eco-friendly and low-cost adsorbents for CO 2 capture via the adsorption method. This investigation explores the possibility of using activated carbon obtained from coconut shell for capturing CO 2 in a CI engine exhaust. Surface texture characteristics and physicochemical properties of the coconut shell-based activated carbon are determined for their suitability as a potential adsorbent for CO 2 adsorption. Furthermore, an attempt is made to combine a postcombustion carbon capture device in a CI engine. For this purpose, an in-house fabricated adsorption chamber is packed with activated carbon and attached to a single-cylinder, four-stroke, naturally aspirated, direct injection (DI) diesel engine exhaust. The test engine is operated on two different fuels; (i) diesel (D100) and (ii) biodiesel-diesel blend comprising 20% of Jatropha methyl ester (JME) and 80% of diesel (JME20). The engine performance and CO 2 emission without and with the adsorption chamber are evaluated for D100 and JME20 operations. Further, the performance parameters of the adsorption chamber packed with activated carbon are also evaluated in both fuel operations. The results are analyzed, discussed, and presented in this paper.

Experimental investigation on using adsorbent for post‐combustion carbon dioxide capture from CI engine exhaust

“…The proximate analysis is carried out to determine the values of volatile matter, moisture, ash, and fixed carbon content present in the raw Note: The total uncertainty of the engine experimentation was calculated as given below, 5 Uncertainty %…”

“…The total uncertainty of the adsorption experimentation was calculated as follows, 5 Uncertainty % Pore development and surface morphology of the activated carbon sample is examined by using SEM. The make of the SEM is TES-CAN VEGA3.…”

“…CO 2 adsorption can mitigate harmful CO 2 from engine exhaust emissions. 5 Activated carbon derived from biomass sources can be employed as an effective adsorbent for CO 2 capture due to the following merits; (i) higher adsorption isotherm, (ii) superior surface textural and structural characteristics, and (iii) good physical and chemical properties. [6][7][8] In recent years, small and medium capacity diesel engines have been employed in stationary power units and decentralized hybrid power generation units.…”

“…The adsorbent used in physical adsorption may be derived from biomass‐based and synthetic substances. CO 2 adsorption can mitigate harmful CO 2 from engine exhaust emissions 5 . Activated carbon derived from biomass sources can be employed as an effective adsorbent for CO 2 capture due to the following merits; (i) higher adsorption isotherm, (ii) superior surface textural and structural characteristics, and (iii) good physical and chemical properties 6–8 …”

Polyacrylonitrile-Derived N-Doped Nanoporous Carbon Fibers for CO2 Adsorption

“…Although variable methods such as cement manufacturing, amine scrubbing, the natural gas-fired combined cycle, CO 2 sequestration, and CO 2 capture and storage (CCS) have been implemented to level off the anthropogenic CO 2 concentration, , unfortunately, the high costs and complexity of those methods are likely unsustainable without notable subsidies. Recently, CCS upon physical adsorption is receiving great attention in both the industry and academic community since much progress had been conducted for the improvement of the advanced adsorbents. − The novel solid sorbents featuring reversible and high CO 2 uptake capacity, low regeneration energies, fast kinetics, and long-term thermal/chemical stabilities have been required to reduce the costs of these technologies to viable levels. Beyond these criteria, one important capability of the CO 2 capture sorbents is the selectivity of carbon gas toward other gases such as H 2 O and N 2 , in particular in the flue gas streams.…”