Performance of spray column for CO2 capture application

The mass-transfer performance of a spray column was tested experimentally for the removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from a gas stream by using an aqueous solution of monoethanolamine (MEA). The experiments were performed in absorption columns over ranges of process conditions. The performance of the spray was evaluated and presented in terms of the overall mass-transfer coefficient (K(G)a(e)). It was found that the performance of the spray column varies significantly with the tested process parameters, including gas flow rate, liquid flow rate, CO2 partial pressure, MEA concentration, CO2 loading, and size of spray nozzle. The results were further analyzed for the fundamental information on effective area (a,) and gas-phase mass-transfer coefficient (k(G)). The performance of the spray column was also compared to that of a packed column. The comparison demonstrates a great potential of using the spray column in the CO2 capture application.