CFD comparison of water based SiO2 nanofluid with benchmark MEA amine solution for CO2 capture through porous membrane contactor

Abnormal emission of environmentally-hazardous greenhouse pollutants (mainly CO₂) to the atmosphere have motivated global researchers to develop green, affordable and effective techniques to maximize their separation from different feed. To reach this aim, application of more effective and greener absorbing solutions is of great importance to decrease the harmful disadvantages of benchmark amine solutions like corrosion, eco-detriment and complexity of operation. In the current decades, nanofluids have shown great ability of application in membrane-based separation industries owing to their outstanding privileges like high specific surface area, great stability and feasibility of employment in both hydrophilic and hydrophobic membranes. The main novelty of this scientific investigation is the efficiency comparison of SiO₂-based nanofluid with monoethanolamine (MEA) benchmark solution for CO₂ capture in gas-liquid membrane contactor (MC) using CFD approach. Analysis of the results showed the approximately similar performance of SiO₂-based nanofluid compared to MEA for separating CO₂ (98.8% using SiO₂-based nanofluid VS 99.5% using MEA). Despite lower efficiency, SiO₂-based nanofluid can be well identified as an environmentally-friendly and efficient alternative absorbent for use in CO₂-separation industries instead of chemically-detrimental MEA solutions. Additionally, effects of some membrane/module parameters like number of fibers, module length and gas velocity on the separation of CO₂ are explained, comprehensively.