Optimization of CO2 Gas Flow rate and Distributor Holes Number for CO2 Capture

The chemical reaction between CO2 and Ca(OH)2 to produce precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) occurs optimally when effective interaction between the two reactants takes place. The interaction between reactants will affect the reaction rate and conversion of reactants (CO2 and Ca(OH)2) into the PCC products. Among the parameters that influence the interaction of CO2 gas with the Ca(OH)2 solution are the CO2 gas flow rate and the numbers of CO2 gas distributor holes. Therefore, this study aims to analyze and understand the phenomena involved, specifically how variations in CO2 flow rate and the numbers of distributor holes affect the performance of CO2 capture based on the resulting precipitated calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The research was conducted using a semi-batch reactor, stirring speed of 400 rpm, hydrostatic pressure of 9.8 kPa, CO2 gas flow rate of 2–5 liters per minute (lpm), and the numbers of distributor holes ranging from 3 to 9. The results of the observation showed that the effect of increasing the gas flow rate and the numbers of distributor holes to enhance the interaction between reactants in the reaction system has its optimal condition. The optimal condition was obtained at a CO2 gas flow rate of 3 lpm and the number of 6 holes, with a resulting PCC (CaCO3) product of 39.02 grams.