Screening Amino Acid Salts as Rate Promoters in Potassium Carbonate Solvent for Carbon Dioxide Absorption

Abstract

Potassium carbonate shows promise as a solvent for carbon capture due to its low cost and low environmental impact. However, improving the absorption kinetics of potassium carbonate solvent is crucial for reducing the capital cost of absorption equipment required to build the carbon dioxide capture plant. In this study, a series of amino acid salts were screened as reactants with carbon dioxide using the stopped flow technique. The amino acids investigated in this study were 2-piperazinecarboxylic acid, asparagine, aspartic acid, glycine, leucine, lysine, proline, sarcosine, serine, and valine. Furthermore, proline, sarcosine, glycine, leucine, and lysine were tested as rate promoters in potassium carbonate solvent for carbon dioxide absorption using a wetted wall column. Results showed that the amino group in the anions of the amino acid salt is the major species reacting with carbon dioxide. Therefore, the promoting effect of amino acid salts is sensitive to changes in pH values due to changes in specie...