Thermodynamic modelling using e-UNIQUAC model for CO2 absorption by novel amine solutions: 1-Dimethylamino- 2-propanol (1DMA2P), 3-dimethylamino-1-propanol (3DMA1P) and 4-diethylamino-2-butanol (DEAB)

Abstract

The proper selection of thermodynamic models is an important step in the design and simulation of CO2 removal processes using amine solutions. In this study, we aim to study the thermodynamic behaviour of the CO2 removal process by employing the extended-universal quasichemical (e-UNIQUAC) model for three novel amine systems, namely CO2+1DMA2P + H2O, CO2+3DMA1P + H2O, and CO2+DEAB + H2O. The thermodynamic behaviour was studied in terms of the CO2 loading of amines, the ion speciation profiles, the isothermal pressure-composition (Pxy) profiles, and the pH of the amine solutions. Adjustable parameters of the model include binary interaction parameters, and the volume and surface area parameters of the amine and protonated amine were determined using different objective functions based on the experimental data available in the literature. The ion and molecular speciation profiles are obtained and compared with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data for CO2+1DMA2P + H2O and CO2+DEAB + H2O systems. The model predicted the experimental data with average absolute relative deviations (AARDs) of 8.06%, 13.39% and 16.50% for CO2 loading values of DEAB, 1DMA2P, and 3DMA1P, respectively. In addition, the results of Pxy profiles at different temperatures show that the azeotrope does not form in the 3DMA1P + H2O system. The adjustable parameters and predicted data of the applied e-UNIQUAC model may contribute to the rate-based simulation of CO2 absorption processes using novel amine systems.