Experimental evaluation of zeolite 13X and activated carbon as adsorbents in a carbon capture system for ICE exhaust gases

García Mariaca, Alexander (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Llera Sastresa, Eva (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Moreno, Francisco (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Carreno Sayago, Uriel Fernando

Resumen: Given the urgent need to mitigate climate change, reducing CO2 emissions produced by internal combustion engines (ICEs) remains a critical challenge in the transport sector. Onboard carbon capture (CC) systems have emerged as a promising alternative, attracting growing research interest in recent years. However, most studies are limited to simulations, with experimental evidence still scarce. Based on the above, this study experimentally evaluates zeolite 13X (Z13) and activated carbon (AC) as adsorbents for CO2 capture in ICEs. For this purpose, an adsorption-based CC system was integrated into the exhaust duct of an ICE operating under partial loads and at two engine speeds. The experimental data were subsequently employed to develop a simulation case study aimed at performing an energy assessment of a carbon capture and storage (CCS) system based on temperature swing adsorption. The results show that the adsorbent Z13 demonstrated a 13 % higher CO2 adsorption capacity and a 33 % longer capture duration than AC, though average carbon capture rates (CCR) remained moderate (25 % for Z13 and 16 % for AC). The case study results showed that the carbon capture and storage (CCS) system with Z13 achieves a maximum CCR of up to 37 %, an energy penalty of approximately 30 % of the engine’s power output and an average energy consumption for CO2 capture of 3900 kJ/kgCO2. Conversely, the CCS system with AC did not provide suitable CCR or energy performance under any scenario. The case study also demonstrates that the CCS system has a better performance when the engine is operated at medium or higher loads.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.101563

Año: 2026

Publicado en: Energy Conversion and Management: X 29 (2026), 101563 [12 pp.]
ISSN: 2590-1745

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PID2021-125137OB-I00

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Máquinas y Motores Térmi. (Dpto. Ingeniería Mecánica)