Studies of CO2 absorption/regeneration performances of novel aqueous monothanlamine (MEA)-based solutions

Experiments were carried out in a tower reactor to assess CO2 absorption performances of aqueous monothanlamine (MEA) solutions and its blends with methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) to the simulated flue gas. The influences of MEA solution concentration, solution flow rate, and solution temperature on CO2 absorption performances were investigated. The results show that these factors significantly affect CO2 absorption performances. Besides, different proportions of aqueous MEA/MDEA solutions were employed to test their absorption performances of CO2 in this tower reactor. It was found that aqueous MEA/MDEA solutions has a reasonable proportion of 7% (w/w) MEA and 3% (w/w) MDEA to achieve the highest absorption amount and regeneration efficiency of CO2, while the total CO2 absorption amount is lower than that of 10% MEA solution at the exit of tower reactor. The desorption time of the blends of 7% (w/w) MEA and 3% (w/w) MDEA would become shorter after adding 1% (w/w) 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), but its CO2 absorption efficiency would become less, and aqueous 9% MEA + 1% MDEA + 1% AMP solution has the highest value of absorption.