Predicticting performance of carbon capture in intensified rotating packed beds using CFD

Carbon capture is considered the only technology able to decarbonise the
hard-to-abate industries. Many of these industries utilise legacy sites with little
space for large new unit operations required in conventional carbon capture.
Rotating packed beds (RPB) look to solve this problem by intensifying carbon
capture and reducing the footprint required by up to ten times, while also
significantly decreasing the capital cost of these units. When combined with
proprietary solvents, it is believed the cost of capture can be reduced to
$30/tonne CO2 in some cases, helping to enable the rapid uptake of carbon
capture and progression towards net zero.

RPB is a novel technology that utilises the principles of process intensification
to enhance the performance of mass transfer processes between fluids. Given
the application of RPB to the field of CO2 capture is relatively new, there is
uncertainty regarding the impact of different process variables on the
performance of the RPB that would otherwise require a significant amount of
practical experimentation to investigate.

Computational fluid dynamics can
enable the process to be accurately modelled, allowing for quick and
inexpensive prediction of performance under various conditions.
In this project a rotating packed bed absorber will be modelled in Ansys
FLUENT, with validation of the model's outputs through use of the 1 tonnes of
CO2 per day (TPD) pilot-scale rotating packed bed absorber at the University of
Sheffield's Translational Energy Research Centre. Initial research will involve
investigating the impact of operational conditions and physical properties of
the solvent on capture performance. As the project continues, the scope will
widen to include sensitivity analysis of design parameters and the impact of
scaling the RPB absorber on the existing project outputs and learnings.
Additionally, further rotating unit operations could also be investigated.

This project will utilise and develop your knowledge surrounding CFD
modelling, mass and heat transfer, reaction kinetics and chemical equilibria.
You will work closely with Carbon Clean, a global leader in the development of
carbon capture technology and pioneers in the use of RPB for industrial
decarbonisation. Your findings could directly impact the design and operation
of commercial working carbon capture facilities, supporting the pathway to net
zero