Heat-Integrated Liquid–Desorption Exchanger (HILDE) for CO2 Desorption

A novel type of separating heat exchanger, called a heat-integrated liquid−desorption exchanger (HILDE), applied to a typical CO2 desorption process, has been investigated both numerically and experimentally. Process simulations, hydrodynamic and mass transfer experiments, and a preliminary cost evaluation have been used to compare HILDE to the conventionally used combination of a separate heat exchanger and desorber equipped with structured packing.The comparison revealed that the operational costs of the HILDE are 15% lower compared to the conventional desorption configuration, while the equipment costs are 45% lower. The reduction in operational costs is mainly caused by a reduced reboiler duty. The absence of a separate desorber column and a large decrease in the condenser size are the main reasons for the reduced equipment costs. Additionally, the system volume, mass hold-up, and total contact area are also expected to be significantly lower for HILDE.