Carbon Dioxide Recovery Using Solidifying Amine-Carbonate Absorbent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for capturing carbon dioxide from power plant exhaust, such as those using aqueous monoethanolamine (MEA), face issues like increased viscosity, high energy consumption, and lack of long-term thermal stability, especially in environments with high regeneration temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A system and method involving an absorption unit where a chemically reactive liquid absorbent, such as an aminosilicone material, reacts with carbon dioxide and vaporized water to form a solidified carbon dioxide-rich slurry, which is then transported and regenerated, utilizing integrated heat exchange for efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If aqueous MEA or MDEA is used to absorb carbon dioxide, then carbon dioxide capture is achieved, but the viscosity of the liquid absorbent increases sharply
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the absorbent from traditional aqueous MEA/MDEA to a blend containing cyclic carbonate (15-40 wt%), chain carbonate (15-40 wt%), and amine (10-70 wt%). This parameter change maintains CO2 absorption capacity while preventing excessive viscosity increase, as the cyclic and chain carbonates modify the molecular structure to reduce intermolecular forces that cause viscosity rise.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite absorbent system combining three different chemical components (cyclic carbonate, chain carbonate, and amine) in specific proportions. This composite approach leverages the complementary properties of each component: cyclic carbonate provides CO2 reactivity, chain carbonate adjusts viscosity, and amine enhances absorption capacity, achieving balanced performance without sharp viscosity increases.
2Quantity of substance
If aqueous MEA process is used for carbon dioxide removal, then carbon dioxide capture is achieved, but energy consumption increases due to co-solvent heating and evaporation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for large amounts of non-absorbing co-solvent (water) from the traditional MEA process. By using a optimized blend where water content is reduced to 0-20 wt% and replaced with functional carbonates and amines, the system removes the energy-intensive heating and evaporation step while maintaining CO2 removal efficiency through the reactive carbonate-amine components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the solvent composition parameters to eliminate the need for extensive heating and evaporation. The cyclic carbonate-amine blend achieves CO2 absorption through chemical reaction rather than physical dissolution requiring large water volumes, thereby reducing the thermal energy input needed for regeneration and significantly lowering overall energy consumption.
3Productivity
If MEA-based absorption systems are operated at regeneration temperatures of at least 120° C., then carbon dioxide desorption is achieved, but thermal stability deteriorates over time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a composite absorbent system where cyclic carbonate (15-40 wt%), chain carbonate (15-40 wt%), and amine (10-70 wt%) work synergistically to provide thermal stability. The cyclic carbonate structure is inherently more thermally stable than linear MEA chains, and the amine component forms stable carbamate bonds that resist degradation at 120°C regeneration temperatures, ensuring long-term reliability while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical structure parameters of the absorbent from linear MEA molecules to cyclic carbonate structures with specific ring configurations. These cyclic structures possess inherent thermal stability that prevents decomposition at regeneration temperatures of 120°C and above, while the amine addition ensures complete CO2 desorption, thus maintaining both productivity and reliability simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively recovers carbon dioxide while reducing energy consumption and improving thermal stability, facilitating efficient carbon dioxide capture and regeneration.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid absorbent is chemically reactive with the carbon dioxide to form a solidified carbon dioxide-rich absorbent material
Implementation Method 2
a slurry that includes the solidified carbon dioxide-rich absorbent material and condensed water is formed
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for recovering carbon dioxide from a stream of gas using an absorption unit configured to receive the stream of gas and a stream of liquid absorbent. The gas includes carbon dioxide and vaporized water, and the liquid absorbent is chemically reactive with the carbon dioxide to form a solidified carbon dioxide-rich absorbent material. The gas and the liquid absorbent are mixed in the absorption unit such that a slurry that includes the solidified carbon dioxide-rich absorbent material and condensed water is formed therein. The system and method may also employ a transport mechanism coupled in communication with the absorption unit, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to channel the slurry downstream from the absorption unit.