Integrated mathematical modeling for prediction of rich CO2 absorption in structured packed column at elevated pressure conditions

• This paper modeled rich CO2 absorption in packed column at elevated pressure.
• An integrated mathematical model was developed.
• It is a combination of hydraulic, mass transfer and mass conservation equations.
• The predicted trend was validated with experimental data.
• The model had satisfactorily represented the mass transfer of rich CO2 capture.

Modeling and simulation on lean carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption has been widely studied for low pressure conditions. However, modeling on rich CO2 absorption in packed column requires consideration on significant decrease of total gas flow rate along the column. In this work, the absorption of CO2 in countercurrent structured packed column at 50% concentration level in inlet gas was modeled to predict the mass transfer of CO2 from gas phase into liquid phase. The integrated mathematical model, which is a combination of hydraulic and mass transfer correlation from SRP II model as well as mass conservation equation, was developed to elucidate the CO2 capture profile along the absorption column for pressure conditions of 0.1, 1, 3 and 5 MPa. Based on the validation with experimental data, the mathematical model developed in this study had satisfactorily represented the mass transfer behavior of high CO2 concentration gas removal along the absorption column at elevated pressure conditions.