Jakarta, INTI - Efforts to reduce carbon emissions from the industrial sector and fossil fuel generation are a crucial focus in addressing climate change. To address this challenge, a research team from the Energy Conversion Technology Research Center (PRTKE) of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has developed a liquid-based carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture reactor with a flexible modular design that is applicable to domestic industrial needs.
The development of this technology is considered crucial because research into Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) systems suited to the characteristics of Indonesian industrial exhaust gases remains limited. This situation has led to a reliance on imported technology, making mastering domestic technology a strategic step to support national independence.
On Monday, April 6, 2024, the research team leader, Asep Rachmat, explained that this innovation utilizes a modular design, where reactor units can be built separately and then assembled according to capacity requirements or land limitations. This approach provides more flexibility than conventional systems and allows for direct integration into existing industrial facilities without major changes.
How The Reactor Works
The modular design opens up opportunities for the development of hybrid systems that combine various CO₂ capture mechanisms in a single integrated process, while encouraging the use of more environmentally friendly absorbent fluids. This is expected to improve the efficiency and sustainability of carbon capture technology.
In principle, this reactor works through the interaction of gas and liquid, where exhaust gas flows that contain CO₂ from the bottom of the reactor meet the absorbent liquid from above. At this point, an absorption process occurs, resulting in the gas being released into the atmosphere with a much lower carbon content.
2029 Target for Industrial Trials
This research is part of the Sustainable Energy program with a multi-year funding scheme. The initial phase in 2025 will focus on developing a laboratory-scale prototype, with a target for industrial-scale trials in 2029 through a collaboration with PT Eksperta Adi Manusa and Universitas Indonesia.
This innovation is expected to strengthen the competitiveness of the national industry, support Indonesia’s Net Zero Emission 2060 target, and contribute to Indonesia's commitment to the Paris Agreement.
Conclusion
The research team at the Energy Conversion Technology Research Center (PRTKE) of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) developed a fluid-based CO₂ capture reactor with a flexible, modular design to reduce industrial and fossil fuel emissions. This technology is designed to be easily integrated with existing facilities and provides a solution to the limitations of domestic CCUS technology, which is still dependent on imports. Development began with a laboratory prototype in 2025 and is targeted for industrial-scale trials in 2029, with the hope of strengthening national technology independence and increasing industrial competitiveness.
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