Multi-Objective Optimization of Integrated Solar-Driven CO2 Capture System for an Industrial Building

Abstract

Industrial CO2 emission, accounting for nearly a quarter of the total CO2 emission, is a “hard-to-abate” emission sector, owing to the longstanding challenge in reducing CO2 emission while not sacrificing industry economics. Herein, this research proposes an integrated solar-driven CO2 capture system for application in industrial buildings to decarbonize factories’ CO2-rich exhaust gas generated from workers or manufacturing processes, and further conducts multi-objective optimization based on the NSGA-II algorithm. By setting the integrated system’s performances, including captured CO2 mass, net levelized CO2 cost-profit, generated electricity, and exergy efficiency, as the constrained multi-objectives, the effects of system working parameters on them are disentangled and articulated concerning the energy-mass balance principles. Research demonstrates that the captured CO2 mass mainly depends on solar radiation and sorbent mass, net levelized CO2 cost on sorbent mass, and exergy efficiency on the total solar input. For capturing the CO2 from a light-CO2-intensity factory with CO2 partial pressure of 1000 Pa by using 6.0 tons of Zeolite 13X, a CO2 capacity of 0.79 mol/kg, levelized CO2 cost of 128.4 USD/ton, and exergy efficiency of 5–10% can be achieved. Furthermore, sensitivity and scenario analysis are conducted to demonstrate the system’s stability and feasibility. Overall, this work provides comprehensive and objective-oriented guidance for policymakers and industry owners and paves the way for greening the ever-increasing industry needs.