Numerical Investigation on the Effect of Flow Parameters in CO2 Capturing Using Aqueous MEA Absorbent in HFMC Systems

Abstract

Nowadays, CO2 as the product of fossil fuel combustions, is polluting the air and the human environment, and it causes global warming. To reduce the negative effect of CO2 presence, it should be removed from the air by capturing methods. Hollow fiber membrane contactor (HFMC) system is one of the most efficient method for CO2 capturing than the other feasible capturing methods. In the present paper an HFMC absorbing system has been simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics software and the effect of flow rates of gas and liquid on the amount of CO2 removal has been studied. Aqueous solution of Mono-ethanolamine (MEA) is entered as the absorbent liquid in the tubes, and CO2 is removed from the shell side by the diffusion phenomena by participating in the chemical reaction with MEA. The results show that the higher liquid flow rate the higher %CO2 removal from the inserted gas. Against this result, the percentage of CO2 removal decreases with increasing the gas flow rate as expected. Higher gas flow rate leads the gas velocity to higher values and less possibility of absorbing by the diffusion method. The rate of the CO2 removal variation with liquid flow rate is higher than the CO2 removal variation whit the gas flow rate.