Study of Rotating Packed Beds for CO2 Capture

Given the environmental urgency, the development of innovative technologies for capturing and storing CO2 is crucial. Traditional methods no longer meet current demands in terms of efficiency and capacity. The proposed thesis explores Rotating Packed Beds (RPB), an advanced technology that uses centrifugal force to intensify the contact between a gas and a liquid, thus surpassing conventional gravity columns. This approach increases the contact surface area and enhances mass and heat transfers, making the capture units more compact and modular.
The objective of thesis is to operate an RPB pilot to measure CO2 absorption and desorption performance under various operational conditions and to evaluate solvent degradation. The results will allow for a comparison of the efficiency of RPBs with that of gravity columns and to improve performance modelling. The doctoral student will work with various solvents, exploring their behaviour under different conditions to better understand the functioning of RPBs and identify potential gains compared to existing technologies. 
The three-year research journey: 
1st Year: Training on RPBs and solvents, experimental design, and preliminary tests. 
2nd Year: Intensive experimentation and data analysis to understand the dynamics of mass and heat transfer.
3rd Year: Modelling performance on a larger scale, writing the thesis, and presenting the results at scientific conferences.
One member of the supervision team is an expert in RPB technology from Newcastle University, Professor Jonathan Lee. This thesis offers the opportunity to develop in-depth expertise in a cutting-edge technology for CO2 capture, thus contributing to more effective and viable solutions to combat global warming. Join us to advance research on CO2 capture technologies and make a significant contribution to the fight against climate change. 

Keywords: CO2 capture, Rotating Packed Bed, experimentation, mass transfer, gas/liquid contact, reactive absorption, solvent degradation

• Academic supervisor    Dr. HDR. Pascal ALIX, IFPEN
• Doctoral School    ED162 MEGA, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
• IFPEN supervisor    Dr. Yousef AL-MAQALEH, ORCID: 0000-0002-6917-3853 
• PhD location    IFPEN, Lyon, France   
• Duration and start date    3 years, starting in the fourth quarter of 2026 (Novembre 2nd)
• Employer    IFPEN
• Funding    PEPR SPLEEN (France 2030)
• Academic requirements    University master’s degree in chemical or process engineering  
• Language requirements    English level B2 (CEFR), willingness to learn French
• Other requirements    Chemical engineering, affinity for experimentation, fluid mechanics

To apply, please send your cover letter and CV to the IFPEN supervisor indicated here below.