Parametric studies of carbon dioxide absorption into highly concentrated monoethanolamine solutions

Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) absorption into highly concentrated solutions of monoethanolamine (MEA) was studied. The effect of operating parameters on the overall mass transfer coefficient ( K G a v ) was determined in a pilot‐plant scale absorption unit. The ( K G a v ) increased at low solution concentrations, decreased at intermediate concentrations, and increased as the concentration became high (54 wt%). The ( K G a v ) increased with an increasing liquid flow rate, decreased with an increase in either the CO 2 loading or the CO 2 partial pressure, and was not affected by the inert gas flow rate. Finally, structured 4A Gempak packing produced ( K G a v ) values twice as high as randomly packed IMTP#15 or 16‐mm Pall Ring systems.