Thermal analysis and kinetic investigation of using a hybrid adsorption-hydration method to promote CO2 capture

In this work, a hybrid adsorption-hydration method was utilized to promote CO2 capture. The CO2 capture performance in the fixed bed of coal particles was assessed at various water saturations (0 %, 20 %, 40 %, 70 %, and 100 %), 277.15 K, and 3.2 MPa. It was found that gas consumption at 100 % water saturation increased by 45 % compared to that at 0 % water saturation (dry coal particles). Moreover, as the water saturation increased, CO2 capture became dominated by hydrate formation rather than gas adsorption. The thermal analysis for CO2 capture at 0 % and 100 % water saturation detected the exothermic peaks associated with CO2 adsorption and CO2 hydrate formation, as well as the endothermic peaks corresponding to CO2 desorption and CO2 hydrate dissociation. This confirms that CO2 capture in the fixed bed of water-saturated coal particles consists of CO2 adsorption followed by hydrate formation. The morphologies of CO2 hydrate formation in the fixed bed of 100 % water-saturated coal particles were observed, and the mechanism of CO2 capture using the hybrid adsorption-hydration method was illustrated based on the thermal analysis and kinetic investigations. It was also found that after the adsorption-hydration process, the average cumulative pore volume of the coal particles decreased by 14.47 % compared to the original coal particles, and the micropores and mesopores were predominantly affected. Therefore, utilizing the hybrid adsorption-hydration process in a fixed bed of coal particles provides a promising method to enhance CO2 capture.