As part of the Department of Chemical Engineering's efforts to support research and research projects for master's and doctoral students addressing climate changes, a discussion was held in the Al-Furat Hall at the College of Engineering for the master's student Hala Haitham Abdul Karim. Her master's thesis was titled:

CO2 Capture Capacity in Aqueous Sodium Hydroxide Solution Using Belt Conveyor Reactor,
supervised by Prof. Dr. Naseer Aboud Isa.

The discussion committee consisted of the following esteemed members:

1. Prof. Dr. Wadood Mudher Mohammed, Chair
2. Asst. Prof. Dr. Abbas Abdul Karim Mahmoud, Member
3. Asst. Prof. Dr. Hussein Ali Hamid, Member

"The thesis has fulfilled the requirements for obtaining the Master’s degree with a grade of 'Excellent'."

On the sidelines of the discussion, the Dean of the Al-Khwarizmi College of Engineering, Prof. Dr. Wadood Mudher Mohammed, was welcomed by the Dean of the College of Engineering, Prof. Dr.Jumaa Salman Chiad, in the presence of the Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs and the Head of the Chemical Engineering Department. Prof. Dr. Jumaa Salman Jiad, Dean of the College of Engineering, presented a letter of thanks and appreciation to the Dean of Al-Khwarizmi College of Engineering for his efforts in fostering scientific cooperation and the exchange of experiences between the two colleges.

ABSTRACT

The release of carbon dioxide (CO2) from fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes is a primary driver of global warming and environmental pollution. Addressing this issue requires effective strategies for reducing CO2 emissions. Among the various approaches, such as transitioning to renewable energy, enhancing energy efficiency, and capturing emissions, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is the most practical and effective solution for maintaining a sustainable environment. Carbon dioxide capture methods are typically categorized into pre-combustion capture, post-combustion capture, and oxyfuel combustion, with post-combustion capture being the most widely adopted.

This study focuses on the absorption process, a key technique in post-combustion CO2 capture, where CO2 is removed from gas streams through its dissolution in suitable liquid absorbents like sodium hydroxide (NaOH) by using a Belt Conveyor Reactor (BCR) is a modern reactor combining bubble column reactor and stirred tank reactor functionalities. This research examines the absorption performance under varying conditions. Factors studied include NaOH concentrations (0.01, 0.05, and 0.25 mol/L) and gas flow rates (2, 4, and 6 L/min). The BCR enhances gas-liquid interaction by prolonging gas bubble retention time, leading to improved reactivity and mass transfer rates. Experimental results demonstrate that the BCR significantly outperforms conventional bubble column absorbers, achieving a CO2 removal efficiency of 99.54%, a high overall mass transfer coefficient of 7.7676 mol/m³·hr, and an absorption rate of 6.7872 mol/min. Moreover, the BCR operates with minimal energy requirements. This study highlights the effectiveness of NaOH-based absorption and the BCR's potential to enhance CO2 capture efficiency, offering valuable insights into optimizing carbon dioxide capture technologies for a greener future.