Carbon Dioxide Mass Transfer into Solvents in a Zeolite Hybrid Device

Carbon dioxide (CO2) mass transfer processes are analyzed in hybrid equipment which involves a zeolitic membrane and a physical or chemical solvent. This separation device was chosen because the membrane can be used to produce a stream of higher CO2 concentration to be treated by gas-liquid absorption. The analysis of the mass transfer behavior of this gas through the solid phase is an important step before more complicated gas streams are applied. The combined use of both techniques can improve the global separation process because they allow performing a previous separation with a positive effect on the cost of the later separation operations. The influence of the liquid phase nature used in one chamber of the membrane contactor upon CO2 global mass transfer is analyzed. Also the effect caused by the absorption regime, liquid and gas flow rates, and the pressure corresponding to the gas chamber on CO2 mass transfer is studied to evaluate the importance of each variable.