Advanced Amine Solvent Strategies for Efficient CO2 Capture in Post-Combustion Systems
Rochelle Fourie, Hamed Hashemi, Paramespri Naidoo, Deresh Ramjugernath
Abstract
Abstract Process simulations serve as an efficient and cost-effective method for evaluating the performance of various amine solvents and their blends in CO₂ capture technologies. This study utilized a performance indicator model to assess the effectiveness of n-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) blends, supplemented with the activator piperazine (PZ). Key parameters such as solvent flow rates, equipment heat duties, and associated costs including energy consumption and carbon taxes were incorporated into the analysis. Among the tested formulations, a binary blend consisting of 25 wt% AMP and 5 wt% PZ demonstrated superior performance, achieving a 35% improvement over the baseline 30 wt% AMP solvent. Further enhancement was realized through the implementation of absorber intercooling (ICA) within the simulation design, which elevated the performance rating by an additional 9%. These results highlight the significant potential of optimizing solvent compositions and incorporating innovative process configurations to improve the efficiency of post-combustion CO₂ capture systems. The findings provide valuable insights for developing more effective and sustainable approaches to reducing carbon emissions in large-scale industrial applications.