In order to reduce the costs associated with CO2 separation processes, various means for process intensification were investigated and further developed in this project. As a first measure, possibilities to improve mass transfer by means of intensified apparatuses, especially membrane contactors and rotating packed beds, were investigated in order to achieve process intensification on a technological level. These technologies are expected to offer much more compact and flexible processes due to significantly enlarged and stabilized volume-specific interfaces, which may lead to savings in capital costs. In order to enable a more energy-efficient CO2 capture, as a second measure to realize process intensification, the use of novel absorption materials was investigated, which offer the potential of significant savings in operating costs. A promising candidate for novel absorption materials is the enzyme carboanhydrase, which dramatically increases the absorption rate of bicarbonate-forming solvents. This facilitates the use of kinetically limited but thermodynamically favorable absorbents, which offer the potential for energy efficiency improvements. Synergies from the combination of both approaches to process intensification can further improve process performance and were therefore also investigated to identify the most energy efficient CO2 capture processes. The main outcome of this project was the creation of a portfolio of innovative, intensified and efficient processes based on the different experimental and theoretical measures of process intensification. This portfolio is a contribution to the future development of energy efficient and intensified CO2 capture processes.
