Hamed Rashidi

In this article, the industrial process of CO2 capture using monoethanolamine as an aqueous solvent was probed carefully fromthemass transfer viewpoint. The simulation of this processwas done using Rate-Basemodel, based on two-film theory. The resultswere validated against real plant data. Compared to the operational unit, the error of calculating absorption percentage and CO2 loading was estimated around 2%. The liquid temperature profiles calculated by themodel agreewell with the real temperature along the absorption tower, emphasizing the accuracy of thismodel.Operational sensitivity analysis of absorption towerwas also done with the aimof determining sensitive parameters for the optimized design of absorption tower and optimized operational conditions. Hence, the sensitivity analysis was done for the flow rate of gas, the flow rate of solvent, flue gas temperature, inlet solvent temperature, CO2 concentration in the flue gas, loading of inlet solvent, and MEA concentration in the solvent. CO2 absorption percentage, the profile of loading, liquid temperature profile and finally profile of CO2 mole fraction in gas phase along the absorption tower were studied. To elaborate mass transfer phenomena, enhancement factor, interfacial area,molar flux and liquid hold upwere probed. The results showthat regarding the CO2 absorption, the most important parameter was the gas flow rate. Comparing liquid temperature profiles showed that themost important parameter affecting the temperature of the rich solventwasMEA concentration.