Carbon dioxide removal from flue gases by absorption/ desorption in aqueous diethanolamine solutions

The carbon dioxide (CO2) desorption rate from CO2- loaded aqueous diethanolamine (DEA) solutions was measured using a stirred cell with a flat gas-liquid interface. The measurements were performed in the temperature range of 293.15-313.15 K and an amine concentration range of 10-20% mass DEA. Measurements were based on a semibatch isothermal absorption of the gas until the equilibrium state was reached, followed by desorption, which was initiated by the pressure release in the system. A simplified mass transfer model based on the film theory coupled with CO2, mass balance was developed to interpret the experimental data. On the basis of the proposed model, the initial mass transfer rates were calculated from the experimental results. The calculated initial desorption rates enabled estimation of the enhancement factor for CO2 mass transfer from aqueous DEA solutions. Analysis of the experimental data showed that desorption took place in the diffusive mass transfer regime.