Recovery of CO2 from flue gas of rubber latex dryer for preparing spirulina culture medium

Abstract

The aim of this study was to recover CO₂ greenhouse gas from flue gas of rubber latex dryer by absorption in the bubble tower with water and a solution containing NaCl content, equivalent to Zarrouk medium. Adsorbed CO₂ could be converted to HCO₃ − at appropriate pH conditions, used as a medium for cultivation of Spirulina platensis (S. platensis) algae to collect biomass and, furthermore, released oxygen which contributes to reducing climate change. The results of study showed that the height of the air bubble layer increases from 0.2 to 0.4 m, the pH of the solution decreased significantly during the first 30 minutes, then more slowly. The decrease pH of solution at the height of the air bubble layer of 0.3 to 0.4 m, is smaller than at 0.2 to 0.3 m. Increasing the air flow rate from 0.5 L/min to 1.5 L/min would reduce the absorption efficiency within the first 30 minutes (the pH of solution reduced) and the change in air flow has little effect on the pH change, then. If the concentration of NaCl in solvent was from 2.5 g/L to 5.0 g/L (suitable to the Zarrouk medium), it would increase the CO₂ absorption from the flue gas. These outcomes were used to calculate and design CO₂ absorption towers from the flue gas for the cultivation of S. platensis algae.