CO2 absorption using membrane contactors: Recent progress and future perspective
C. Chuah, K. Kim, J. Lee, D.-Y. Koh*, T.-H. Bae*, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 59 (15) 6773-6794 (2019)
CO2 absorption is a key to alleviating the environmental consequences of fossil fuel combustion, which is a major source of global CO2 emission. Membrane contactors have showcased several competitive advantages in CO2 absorption over conventional gas–liquid contactors (e.g., packed towers), such as a large mass-transfer area and a safe operation owing to the membranes that physically separate the gas and liquid phases. This Review discusses the state-of-the-art studies related to CO2 absorption using membrane contactors, with focuses on membrane materials, liquid absorbents, process design, and pilot-scale demonstration of membrane contactor processes. Critical challenges in membrane contactor-based CO2 absorption processes, such as membrane fouling and pore wetting, are also discussed.
