Molecular Design of Carbon Dioxide Physical Absorption Solvents

FRANCISCO A. SÁNCHEZ; SELVA PEREDA; ESTEBAN BRIGNOLE

Alicante

Congreso; X Iberoamerican Conference on Phase Equilibria and Fluid Properties for Process Design; 2015

Universidad de Alicante

CO2 emissions from power plants are responsible for more than 30% of the greenhouse- effect gases released to the atmosphere. In post combustion capture, the CO2 concentration and partial pressure in the exhaust gas is low and physical solvents can not compete with the chemical absorption processes. However, when the CO2 is removed prior to combustion, as it is done in synthesis gas plants, with water gas shift conversion, the pressure and concentration of CO2 in the product is high and there is an opportunity for the use of physical absorption solvents. The solvent search is guided by a set of desirable solvent properties [1] like solvent capacity, water solubility, the binary CO2?solvent phase equilibria behavior, selectivity with respect to hydrogen, light hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and other gases, etc.