Experimental study on the solvent regeneration of a CO2‐loaded MEA solution using single and hybrid solid acid catalysts. Issue 3 (28th October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liang, Zhiwu; Idem, Raphael; Tontiwachwuthikul, Paitoon; Yu, Fanghui; Liu, Helei; Rongwong, Wichitpan
• Is Part Of: AIChE journal. Volume 62:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 753
• Page End: 765
• Publication Date: 2015-10-28
• Subjects: MEA -- solvent regeneration -- heat duty -- Brønsted and Lewis acid sites -- mesopore surface area; Chemical engineering -- Periodicals; Génie chimique -- Périodiques; 660.28
• DOI: 10.1002/aic.15073
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-1541

Abstract

Abstract : The performance of a hybrid solid acid catalyst consisting of a physical mixture of γ‐Al2 O3 and H‐ZSM‐5 in terms of the rate and heat duty for solvent regeneration (i.e., CO2 stripping) of a CO2 ‐rich MEA solution was compared with the individual performance of γ‐Al2 O3, H‐ZSM‐5, and H‐Y solid acid catalysts using MEA (2–7 mol/L), with initial CO2 loading of 0.5 mol CO2 /mol MEA at 378 K. It was observed that any catalyst significantly decreased the energy required for CO2 regeneration. The performance of the catalysts investigated ranked as follows: γ‐Al2 O3 /H‐ZSM‐5 = 2/1 > γ‐Al2 O3 > H‐ZSM‐5 > H‐Y if the process is in the lean CO2 loading region whereas it was H‐ZSM‐5 > γ‐Al2 O3 /H‐ZSM‐5 = 2/1 > γ‐Al2 O3 > H‐Y if the process is in the rich CO2 loading region. These results highlight the joint dependence on Brønsted/Lewis acidity and mesopore surface area of heat duty for solvent regeneration. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 753–765, 2016