Abstract
A monoethanolamine (MEA) aerosol growth model was developed to quantify the aerosol growth factor in an amine-based CO2 capture absorber that considers the gas-liquid interactions, and it is empirically validated by measuring the aerosol particle size and concentration. The aerosol growth model, using sucrose as the aerosol nuclei instead of sulfuric acid to prevent the corrosion of the test equipment, accurately predicted that the outlet aerosol size increased to the same level regardless of the sucrose concentration. It also found that particle concentration was the primary factor affecting aerosol growth and amine emissions. We found an inverse relationship between aerosol particle concentration and the aerosol size, while the MEA emissions were proportional to particle concentration.
Highlights
The capture of post-combustion CO2 through chemical capture and absorption by chemical solvents, and absorption by amine solutions, are commercialized technologies
Khakharia et al [6] reported that amine solvents could condense on the surface of the aerosol particle nuclei and be carried to the atmosphere. These results showed three factors that affect amine emissions by aerosols during the CO2 capture process: (i) particle number concentration (PNC), (ii) supersaturation of amine solvent, and (iii) affinity of amine with aerosols
The purpose of this study is to identify the aerosol growth contributing factors using a model developed for the amine aerosol growth in CO2 absorbers using an MEA solvent
Summary
The capture of post-combustion CO2 through chemical capture and absorption by chemical solvents, and absorption by amine solutions, are commercialized technologies. The scale-up of these technologies has experienced challenges associated with the vaporization of chemical solvents and organic solutions. In one example of the capture process, the CO2 in a flue gas is chemically absorbed by the amine solvents. Monoethanolamine (MEA) is an organic solvent commonly used for CO2 capturing in coal-fired power plants to absorb CO2. The absorbent mechanism was based on MEA that reacted with CO2 in the solution to become amine carbamate. MEA partially volatilizes and is absorbed into the nuclei of the complex flue gas effluents to form aerosol particles. The particle sizes of these aerosols are too small to be effectively removed through absorbers, water washes, and demisters, resulting in amine solvent loss through emissions
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