Comparing CO2 removal characteristics of aqueous solutions of monoethanolamine, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, methyldiethanolamine and piperazine through absorption process

Abstract

The gradual increase in concentration of anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere and its potential threat to the environment has become a matter of worldwide concern towards exploration of energy-efficient, cost effective and promising technique of CO2 capture from industrial flue gases. The present experimental investigation is a kind of comparative assessment of CO2 capturing capabilities of four different aqueous amine solvents viz. monoethanolamine (MEA), 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) and piperazine (PZ) from flue gas through post combustion technique. The absorption study has been performed in a packed column over the temperature range of 298–313K and the CO2 partial pressure range of 10–15kPa. CO2 absorption performances have been studied under the influence of process variables such as solvent concentration (10, 20 and 30wt%), gas flow rate, absorbent (solvent) flow rate. The regeneration performances of amine solution are studied over the temperature range of 368–383K. The specific rate of absorption of all four different aqueous amine solution, CO2 loading capacity of each and every individual amine after absorption and regeneration performance and the percentage of CO2 absorbed have been examined. The absorption performance follows an increasing trend of MDEA<AMP<MEA<PZ on the basis of specific absorption rate and the regeneration performance follows an increasing manner of MEA<PZ<MDEA<AMP based on regeneration efficiency.