Effect of Fly Ash on the Mass Transfer Performance of CO<sub>2</sub> Removal Using MEA and DEA Solutions in a Packed Tower

oleh: Wenxia Xie, Chunmin Tu, Jun Zhang, Chengwei Xu

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2024-01-01

Deskripsi

The accumulation of uncollected fly ash from flue gas in post-combustion CO<sub>2</sub> capture processes is a significant concern in current coal-fired power plants due to its potential impact on the performance of CO<sub>2</sub> absorbent and absorption towers. In order to determine the effect of fly ash on the mass transfer performance of CO<sub>2</sub> absorption into monoethanolamine (MEA) and diethanolamine (DEA) aqueous solutions, experimental studies were carried out using a small-sized packed tower equipped with θ-ring random packing. These studies were conducted under various operating parameters, including solution temperature, liquid/gas ratio (L/G), packing height, and fly ash concentration. The results show that the effect of fly ash on the outlet CO<sub>2</sub> concentration was primarily observed during the initial stages of the experimental process. Moreover, the presence of fly ash leads to a reduction in the volumetric overall mass transfer coefficient (<i>K<sub>G</sub>a<sub>v</sub></i>) when using MEA and DEA solution, and increasing the fly ash concentration further exacerbates this negative impact. However, the effect of fly ash on the reduction in <i>K<sub>G</sub>a<sub>v</sub></i> is not significantly related to its chemical composition but rather depends on the operational parameters. With increasing solution temperature, liquid/gas ratio (L/G), and packing height, the <i>K<sub>G</sub>a<sub>v</sub></i> values for different solutions exhibit an upward trend. The negative effect of fly ash on <i>K<sub>G</sub>a<sub>v</sub></i> remains relatively stable for MEA as solution temperature and packing height increase. Compared to MEA, fly ash has a greater negative effect on DEA solution under the same experimental conditions. The analysis reveals that the detrimental effect of fly ash on <i>K<sub>G</sub>a<sub>v</sub></i> primarily stems from its ability to alter the distribution state of the absorption liquid within the packed tower.