Carbon Dioxide Absorption Into Piperazine Promoted Potassium Carbonate Using Structured Packing

Data from the pilot plant was used to develop a K+/PZ absorber model in Aspen PlusRTM RateSep(TM). The Hilliard (2005) Aspen PlusRTM VLE model and the kinetics developed by Cullinane (2005) were incorporated in the model. Data-Fit was simultaneously used to reconcile pilot plant data and perform a regression of the interfacial area and heat loss parameters for the RateSep(TM) absorber model. The lean loading for the pilot plant data was shifted down by 10% to account for a discrepancy with the Cullinane vapor-liquid equilibrium data. The Data-Fit results showed that the average interfacial area for Flexipac 1Y was 80% of the value measure by the air-water column. The average interfacial area for Flexipac AQ Style 20 for 5 m K+/2.5 m PZ was 56% of the air-water measurement. The CO2 heat of absorption may not have been adequately predicted by the RateSep(TM) absorber model because the regressed values of heat loss were consistent with forced convection.