Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kermanshah University of Technology, Iran
Abstract
Recently, the acid gas reactive absorption process by solvent used in the acid refining processes, comprehensively. In this experimental study, the carbon dioxide absorption process performed by a hybrid solvent, glycerol - potassium hydroxide in a packed tower. The effect of various factors, such as potassium hydroxide concentration (0.2-0.8 molar), glycerol concentration (4-12% wt.), and gas flow (2.3 and 1.7 l/min) at 35 ° C, 10% vol. CO2 concentrate and atmospheric pressure have been investigated. CO2 absorption percentage, overall gas phase mass transfer coefficient and volumetric molar flux have been selected as responses. The results show that increasing the concentration of glycerol and potassium hydroxide in the mentioned operating conditions can decrease the outlet CO2 concentration. Percentage of carbon dioxide absorption by this hybrid solvent at a flow rate of 1.7 l/min, 12% wt glycerol, and 0.8 M potassium hydroxide, was 94.28%. Also, the maximum overall mass transfer coefficient based on the gas phase and volumetric molar flux in the mentioned conditions, 0.96 kmol/ m3.h.kpa at 0.8 M potassium hydroxide, 12% wt of glycerol, and the gas flow 2.3 l/min was obtained 0.96 kmol/m3.h.kPa and 67.65 kmol/m3.h.