ABSORPTION AND DESORPTION OF CO2 BY AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF STERICALLY HINDERED 2-AMINO-2-METHYL-1-PROPANOL IN HYDROPHOBIC MICROPOROUS HOLLOW FIBER CONTAINED CONTACTORS

Abstract

To understand the behavior of separation of CO2 from CO2-N2 mixtures using a hydrophobic microporous hollow fiber (polytetrafluoroethylene) contained gas-liquid contactor with aqueous solutions of 2-amino-2-methyl-l-propanol (AMP) as liquid media in the shell side, first, the absorption of dilute CO2 into aqueous AMP solutions and the desorption of CO2 from CO2-loaded AMP solutions into N2 stream were investigated separately for various combinations of operational variables. Secondly, the simultaneous absorption and desorption in a single unit was performed to check the possibility of a long-term continuous operation. The resistance to diffusion in the hollow fiber phase during absorption amounted to ca. 86% of the total resistance, and slightly decreased with increasing AMP concentration. The AMP solution partially leaks into pores of the hollow fiber, and both the diffusion and chemical reaction of dissolved CO2 in the liquid-filled pores under the slow-reaction regime mainly control the overall absorption rate. If the physical diffusion in the liquid-filled part of the pore completely controlled the absorption process in the present hollow fiber contactor, the length of the liquid-filled part would be evaluated to be 72 ˜ 108 urn as compared to the total pore length of 500 um. The desorption rate was found to be independent of the gas velocity in the lumen side. The desorption process can be regarded as being controlled by diffusion and chemical reaction in both the stagnant film of the liquid phase and the liquid-filled pore of the hollow fiber phase under the slow or intermediate reaction regime. Simultaneous absorption and desorption process in a single contactor was found to be kept in a stable state at least until 20 h.