Reducing amine aerosol emissions from carbon capture systems using colloidal gas aprons

During CO2 capture processes from coal-derived flue gas with amine solvents small entrain small solvent droplets can be formed and emitted from the system leading to high solvent emission levels. The entrained mist will lead to significant solvent make-up rates and the associated costs and may have significant secondary environmental impacts. In order to combat this issue and reduce the emissions of amine mist droplets from CO2 absorber, a novel method using an anionic surfactant to generate charged colloidal gas aphrons (CGA) was developed. MEA emission reduction through a CGA absorption process was optimized by adjusting variables including capture temperature and stirring speed of the CGA generator. A significant reduction of close to 50% in MEA emissions in the flue gas stream exiting the absorber column was achieved from a pilot scale CO2 capture pilot unit. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.