MASS-TRANSFER STUDIES OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE STRUCTURED PACKING FOR CO2 SEPARATION PROCESSES

The feasibility of using high efficiency structured packing in CO2 sep aration processes with a newly proposed solvent, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-pr opanol (AMP), was investigated. The packing performance was evaluated by CO2 absorption into sodium hydroxide and aqueous AMP solutions over ranges of main operating variables, i.e. up to 10 kPa partial pressur e of CO2, 0.29 - 0.61 m(3)/m(2) s gas rate, 4.87 - 14.18 m(3)/m(2) h l iquid rate, and 1.1 - 2.0 kmol/m(3) liquid concentration. Compared wit h random packings, the structured packing provides 10 to 33 times high er overall mass transfer coefficient. This indicates possibility of us ing the structured packing for CO2-AMP absorption system. (C) 1997 Els evier Science Ltd.