Utilization of the UAE date palm leaf biochar in carbon dioxide capture and sequestration processes

Abstract

This paper evaluates the potential use of date palm leaf biochar as a climate change solution through CO₂ capture and sequestration. The pyrolysis of date palm leaf was performed at different temperatures 300°, 400°, 500°, and 600 °C. The physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized biochar were examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Direct gas-solid interaction was carried out in an integrated Fluidized Bed Reactor (FBR), connected with a gas analyzer for maximum and effective mixing between the biochar and CO₂. LabView program was used as data acquisition for an instantaneous calculation of CO₂ adsorption. This study showed that the date palm biochar as porous carbon-based materials has high CO₂ adsorption capacity through physisorption and chemisorption progressions. The adsorption results showed a maximum CO₂ capture percentage of 0.09 kg CO₂/kg, 0.15 kg CO₂/kg, 0.20 kg CO₂/kg, and 0.25 kg CO₂/kg palm biochar synthesized at 300 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C, and 600 °C, respectively. This paper paid attention to the inexpensive technology applied in CO₂ sequestration, where fluidization provides well mixing of biochar particles with low operation cost.

Keywords: Adsorption; CO(2) capture; Date palm leaf; Fluidization; Pyrolysis.