Energy consumption analysis and parameter optimization of CO2 desorption in a structured packaged column

Abstract

Reducing the energy consumption of CO₂ regeneration is crucial for enhancing the economic feasibility of CO₂ capture processes. While most studies have focused on developing novel absorbents, the influence of operating parameters on gas-liquid mass transfer behavior and their subsequent impact on energy consumption has received limited attention. This study experimentally investigates the regeneration heat duty (Q_reg) for CO₂ desorption from a 1-(Dimethylamino)-2-propanol (1DMA2P)/2-Methylaminoethanol (MAE) aqueous blend in a lab-scale stripper equipped with high-efficiency Sulzer DX structured packing. The effects of key operating parameters, including rich CO₂ loading, lean CO₂ loading, solution flow rate, amine concentration, and synergistic parameters (Δα × L and C × L), on Q_reg were systematically analyzed. The experimental results showed that all these factors greatly influenced Q_reg. For example, the Q_reg decreases as the lean CO₂ loading (α_lean), rich CO₂ loading (α_rich), and 1DMA2P/MAE concentration (C) increase, indicating that the Q_reg can be reduced by optimizing these operating parameters. Additionally, compared with MEA, 1DMA2P/MAE reduces energy consumption by 51.5 % and decreases the stripper height by 35 %. This study underscores the critical role of operating parameters in reducing CO₂ regeneration energy consumption. The findings provide valuable insights into optimizing stripper performance and demonstrate the advantages of the 1DMA2P/MAE blend as an energy-efficient alternative to MEA-based solvents in industrial CO₂ capture applications.