Integration study of a hybrid solvent MEA-Methanol for post combustion carbon dioxide capture in packed bed absorption and regeneration columns

• Integration performance of MEA-Methanol was studied comparing with aqueous MEA.
• Effects of three parameters on Qreg were tested at a constant CO2 removal rate of 90%.
• Under the optimum conditions, Qreg of MEA-Methanol was obviously lower than that of MEA.

The present work reported tests of a new solvent 30 wt% MEA-Methanol compared to aqueous 30 wt% MEA solvent in a pilot-plant test bed, which comprises the complete absorption/desorption. The two solvents were studied in the same way in the test bed and detailed results were reported for both solvents. The measurements were carried out at a constant CO2 removal rate of 90% by an adjustment of the regeneration energy in the desorber for systematically varied L/G ratios, flue gas flow rate and absorber height. Results from these studies indicated that MEA-Methanol solvent had a faster CO2 absorption rate and a lower regeneration energy consumption compared to aqueous MEA solvent. Regeneration heat duty (Qreg) of MEA-Methanol solvent at optimum operating conditions was obviously lower than that of aqueous MEA solvent (3.22 MJ/kg CO2 and 4.04 MJ/kg CO2, respectively), which showed that MEA-Methanol had a potential to replace aqueous MEA solvent in industrial CO2 pilot plant.

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