De la Hoz Siegler, HectorZhou, Miao2016-02-042016-02-042016-02-042016Zhou, M. (2016). Study on the Kinetics of Dissolution and Reversible Hydration of Carbon Dioxide in Aqueous Solutions (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/27923http://hdl.handle.net/11023/2843Microalgal CO2 fixation is an emerging technology for abating CO2 emissions. Microalgal cultures productivity is limited by CO2 transfer rates, as CO2 has low solubility in water and its dissolution is kinetically impaired. Scrubbing and hydration of CO2 into bicarbonate solution prior to feeding the cultures has been proposed to increase CO2 availability. The hydration reaction is the rate-limiting step in the CO2 dissolution process. Experiments were performed to test carbonic anhydrase (CA) and metal (oxide) nanoparticles (MNPs) as catalysts by measuring pH and conductivity changes. A model was developed to predict the reaction process over time and compared to experimental measurements. No catalytic activity was observed for MNPs under all experimental conditions evaluated. Although CA has significant catalytic activity, the mechanism controlling the reaction rate was found (experimentally and numerically) to be mass transfer limitation. Changes in reactor geometry and gas distribution were proved effective to mitigate this limitation.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Engineering--ChemicalKineticsCarbon Capturemaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/27923