THERMODYNAMICS OF CO2 SOLUBILITY IN MIXTURES MONOETHANOLAMINE WITH ORGANIC-SOLVENTS AND WATER AND COMMERCIAL EXPERIENCE OF ENERGY-SAVING GAS PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY

The gas-liquid equilibrium in systems containing CO2, monoethanolamine (MEA), water and many organic solvents, for example alcohols, glycols , esters of glycols and so on, has been investigated. Some regularitie s of solubility as the function of dielectric constant of solvent and other properties have been found. Thermodynamic analysis has shown som e peculiarities of stripping process which allows a reduction of energ y consumption. Pilot plant tests of some absorbents, for example mixtu res of MEA with N-methylpyrrolidone, tetrahydrofurfuril alcohol, benzy l alcohol, ethylene glycol and other mixtures, have confirmed the calc ulation results. The experience of industrial usage of energy saving t echnology of CO2 removing from synthesis gas at several commercial pla nts by substitution of part of water by organic solvent has been accum ulated. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.