Selection of blended amine for CO2 capture in a packed bed scrubber using the Taguchi method

• This paper used Taguchi method with packed bed scrubber to screen blended amine.
• Using S/N ratio, the optimum conditions and importance of parameter could be obtained.
• Loading and KGa for blended amine obtained in here was comparable with single amine.
• Validations were found to be maximum, indicating that Taguchi method is reliable.

This study used a packed bed scrubber to capture CO2 in the screening of blended amines and search for the optimum conditions and importance of parameters using the Taguchi method. The key factors include blended amine (A), blended amine concentration (B), liquid flow rate (C), and gas flow rate (D), with four levels for each, were explored using the L16(44) orthogonal array design. A total of 16 experiments were required in here. The responses, including absorption efficiency (E), absorption rate (RA), scrubbing factor (φ), and overall mass transfer coefficient (KGa) were determined by material balance with a two-film model at a steady-state condition. Using signal/noise (S/N) ratio analysis for larger-the-better, the significance sequence for E, RA and φ was D > C > A > B, while the significance sequence for KGa became D > A > C > B. The results for blended amine screening also found that individual MEA was significant for E, RA, and φ, while blended amine MEA + AMP with 30% was best for KGa. In addition, four groups of optimum operating parameters were successfully validated. Finally, comparisons for individual amine and blended amine were discussed. These results can serve as reference for large scale scrubber design.

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