Evaluating the performance of carbon-based adsorbents fabricated from renewable biomass precursors for post-combustion CO2 capture

•Biomass-based carbons can be suitable adsorbents for CO2 separation.•Olive stone carbon (C/KOH = 1:4) shows high selectivity and low heat of adsorption.•The best carbons were used for dynamic simulations in fixed-bed.•Simulations indicate the suitability of olive stone carbon (C/KOH = 1:4).•An increase in temperature increases the adsorption zone. The significant increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration originated mainly from fossil fuels combustion has encouraged the development and improvement of CO2 separation operations to reduce emissions and control climate change and global warming. Therefore, this work is focused on the separation of CO2 from N2 in flue gas streams under post-combustion conditions by developing low-cost adsorbents. Six carbons were fabricated from biomass resources (olive stones and almond shells) to assess their influence on CO2 adsorption capacity: One carbonized and two KOH-activated carbons with carbon/KOH ratio of 1:2 and 1:4 (w/w) for each precursor. The carbons were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), elemental analysis, nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorption–desorption analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and point of zero charge determination. In addition, the equilibrium adsorption data of pure components for all adsorbents were measured at 0, 25 and 50 °C between 0 and 760 mmHg and CO2/N2 selectivity was determined. Activated carbons were found to have higher CO2 adsorption capacity but with a reduction in apparent selectivity. Dynamic binary adsorption simulations performed in a fixed-bed column demonstrated that the activated carbon produced from olive stones with a carbon/KOH ratio of 1:4 (w/w) can separate a mixture of 14 % CO2 and 86 % N2 at 25 and 50 °C with the highest selectivity, CO2 adsorption capacity, CO2 purity and N2 recovery factor. Reducing flow rate, the breakthrough time increased. Moreover, the breakthrough time was reduced by increasing the temperature from 25 to 50 °C owing to the exothermic nature of adsorption process.