Pilot-Scale Carbon Capture in a Heat-Pipe-Intercooled Rotating Packed Bed

Area of Science:

• Chemical Engineering
• Carbon Capture Technologies
• Process Intensification

Background:

• Rotating packed beds (RPBs) and high-concentration amines offer potential for reducing carbon capture costs.
• Heat-of-reaction removal via intercooling is crucial for full-scale CO2 absorption processes.
• Conventional RPBs face limitations in managing reaction heat, hindering process efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of a novel intercooled RPB rotor design for intensified carbon capture.
• To experimentally demonstrate the benefits of integrating thermosyphon heat pipes and variable-area packing.
• To develop a correlation for gas-side mass-transfer coefficient (Kgae) based on operational parameters.

Main Methods:

• Pilot-scale experiments were conducted using a novel intercooled RPB rotor.
• The design incorporated thermosyphon heat pipes and variable-area packing for enhanced heat and mass transfer.
• Measurements focused on the overall gas-side mass-transfer coefficient (Kgae) under varying rotation speeds and liquid flow rates.

Main Results:

• The novel intercooled RPB design demonstrated significant performance benefits.
• A correlation was established for Kgae, showing its dependence on rotation speed and liquid flow.
• Kgae was improved by 130% compared to conventional RPB designs.

Conclusions:

• The intercooled RPB design offers a viable solution for intensified carbon capture processes.
• This technology effectively addresses heat-of-reaction challenges, enabling more efficient CO2 absorption.
• The experimental validation confirms the substantial advantages of intercooled RPBs for industrial applications.