Optimization of Configurations for Amine based CO2 Absorption Using Aspen HYSYS

The drawback with an absorption based CO2 capture process is the large heat consumption needed for desorption. Different absorption and desorption configurations for 85% amine based CO2 removal from a natural gas based power plant have been simulated using Aspen HYSYS. A standard process, split-stream, vapour recompression and different combinations thereof have been simulated. The simulations have been used as a basis for equipment dimensioning, cost estimation and process optimization. Of the evaluated cases, a simple vapour recompression case has been calculated to be the most cost optimum configuration.