Alternative stripper configurations for CO2 capture by aqueous amines

Aqueous absorption/stripping is a promising technology for the capture of CO2 from existing or new coal-fired power plants. Four new stripper configurations (matrix, internal exchange, flashing feed, and multipressure with split feed) have been evaluated with seven model solvents that approximate the thermodynamic and rate properties of 7m (30 wt %) monoethanolamine (MEA), potassium carbonate promoted by piperazine (PZ), promoted MEA, methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) promoted by PZ, and hindered amines. The results show that solvents with high heats of absorption (MEA, MEA/PZ) favor operation at normal pressure. The relative performance of the alternative configurations is matrix > internal exchange > multipressure with split feed > flashing feed. MEA/PZ and MDEA/PZ are attractive alternatives to 7m MEA. The best solvent and process configuration, matrix with MDEA/PZ, offers 22 and 15% energy savings over the baseline and improved baseline, respectively, with stripping and compression to 10 MPa. The energy requirement for stripping and compression to 10 MPa is about 20% of the power output from a 500 MW power plant with 90% CO2 removal. (c) 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 53: 3144-3154, 2007.