Mass transfer performance of rotating packed beds with blade packings in carbon dioxide absorption into sodium hydroxide solution

• Rotational speed positively affected KGa values in RPB with blade packings.
• KGa values increased with an increasing inner radius of the bed and a decreasing outer radius of the bed.
• KGa values increased with an increasing liquid flow rate and an increasing gas flow rate.
• RPB with blade packings has great potential in CO2 removal from exhaust gas.

This study investigated the mass transfer performance of the rotating packed bed (RPB) with blade packings in carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption by sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. The overall volumetric gas-phase mass transfer coefficients (KGa) were compared using 1 vol% CO2 and 1 mol/L NaOH solution for three RPBs with blade packings with the effects of rotational speed, gas flow rate, and liquid flow rate. As expected, the rotational speed positively affected the KGa values for all RPBs. Furthermore, the obtained results indicated that the KGa values increased as the inner radius of the bed was increased and the outer radius of the bed was decreased. Moreover, the KGa values increased with an increasing liquid flow rate and an increasing gas flow rate for all RPBs. According to the comparison with the RPB with structured packings, the RPB with blade packings had applicability in removing CO2 from the exhaust gas.