Sains Malaysiana 49(11)(2020): 2625-2635

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4911-02

Impact of N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone in Monoethanolamine Solution to the CO₂ Absorption in Packed Column: Analysis via Mathematical Modeling

(Kesan N-Metil-2-Pirolidon dalam Larutan Monoetanolamina pada Penyerapan CO₂ dalam Kolum Pek: Analisis melalui Pemodelan Matematik)

L.S. TAN¹*, A.M. SHARIFF², W.H. TAY², K.K LAU², T. TSUJI¹ & N.A.H. HAIRUL^3,4

¹Department of Chemical Process Engineering, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 54100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

²CO₂ Research Centre, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

³School of Bioprocess Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, 02600 Arau, Perlis Indera Kayangan, Malaysia

⁴Center of Excellent for Biomass Utilization, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Kompleks Pusat Pengajian Jejawi 3, 02600 Arau, Perlis Indera Kayangan, Malaysia

Received: 22 August 2019/Accepted: 30 May 2020

ABSTRACT

This work investigates the reason behind the change of CO₂ absorption behaviour exhibited by monoethanolamine (MEA) solution via mathematical modeling analysis when physical absorbent, i.e. n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), was added into the solution. The mathematical modeling included the heat model using time resolved numerical method. Based on the results, it was found that lower CO₂ removal performance with the addition of NMP into MEA solution at pressure of 0.1 MPa was mainly due to the lower temperature rise along the column, which resulted in lower reaction rate. However, at 3 and 5 MPa pressure conditions, the high physical absorption capability contributed by the presence of NMP in MEA hybrid solution enhanced the CO₂ absorption performance of MEA hybrid solution significantly. As such, temperature rise of solution was identified as the dominating factor affecting the performance of the hybrid solvent. The reaction rate of MEA was not affected by the addition of physical solvent. This finding shed crucial insight on the behaviour MEA-NMP hybrid solution which can be applied during scale-up of the process.

Keywords: CO₂ absorption; elevated pressure; hybrid solvent; packed column; physical absorbent

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini mengkaji penyebab di sebalik perubahan prestasi penyerapan CO₂ yang ditunjukkan oleh larutan monoetanolamina (MEA) melalui analisis pemodelan matematik apabila penyerap fizikal, iaitu n-metil-2-pirolidon (NMP), dimasukkan ke dalam larutan. Pemodelan matematik tersebut telah memasukkan model haba dengan menggunakan kaedah penyesaian waktu berangka. Berdasarkan keputusan tersebut, didapati bahawa prestasi penyingkiran CO₂ yang lebih rendah dengan penambahan NMP ke dalam larutan MEA pada tekanan 0.1 MPa yang terutamanya disebabkan oleh kenaikan suhu yang lebih rendah di sepanjang turus, yang mengakibatkan kadar tindak balas yang lebih rendah. Walau bagaimanapun, pada keadaan tekanan 3 dan 5 MPa, keupayaan penyerapan fizikal adalah tinggi yang disumbangkan oleh kehadiran NMP dalam larutan hibrid MEA telah meningkatkan prestasi penyerapan CO₂ larutan hibrid MEA dengan ketara. Oleh itu, peningkatan suhu larutan telah dikenal pasti sebagai faktor yang mempengaruhi prestasi pelarut hibrid. Kadar tindak balas MEA tidak dipengaruhi oleh penambahan pelarut fizikal. Penemuan ini membawa kepada pemahaman yang penting terhadap prestasi larutan hibrid MEA-NMP yang boleh digunakan semasa menaik-skala proses tersebut.

Kata kunci: Pelarut hibrid; penyerapan CO₂; penyerap fizikal; tekanan tinggi; turus terpadat

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*Corresponding author; email: tan.liansee@utm.my