Abstract: Membrane gas-solvent contactors are a hybrid technology combining solvent absorption with membrane gas separation, which demonstrates potential for CO₂ capture through the ability of the membrane to rigidly control the mass transfer area. Membrane contactors have been successfully demonstrated for CO₂ absorption, and there is strong research interest in using membrane contactors for the complimentary CO₂ desorption process to regenerate the solvent. However, understanding and modelling the various stages of mass transfer in the desorption process is less well-known, given the existing mass transfer correlations had been developed from absorption experiments. Hence, mass transfer correlations for membrane contactors are reviewed here, and their appropriateness for desorption analysed. This is achieved through simulating CO₂ desorption through a membrane contactor from loaded 30wt% monoethanolamine solvent to enable comparison of the correlations. It was found that the most cited correlations by Yang and Cussler were valid for shell side parallel flow, while that of Kreith and Black was viable for shell side cross flow. A limitation of all of these correlations is that they assume single phase flow on both sides of the membrane; however, the high temperature of CO₂ desorption can lead to partial solvent vaporisation and hence two phases present on one side of the membrane contactor during desorption. A mass transfer correlation is established here for two phase parallel flow on the shell side of a membrane contactor, based on experimental results for three composite and one asymmetric hollow fibre membrane contactors stripping CO₂ from loaded MEA at 105-108℃. This correlation is comparable to that reported in the literature for mass transfer in other two phase systems, but differs from the standard format for membrane contactors in terms of the exponent on the dimensionless Schmidt and Reynolds numbers.

Key words: Membrane Contactor, Carbon dioxide, Desorption, Two phases, Mass transfer correlations

摘要： Membrane gas-solvent contactors are a hybrid technology combining solvent absorption with membrane gas separation, which demonstrates potential for CO₂ capture through the ability of the membrane to rigidly control the mass transfer area. Membrane contactors have been successfully demonstrated for CO₂ absorption, and there is strong research interest in using membrane contactors for the complimentary CO₂ desorption process to regenerate the solvent. However, understanding and modelling the various stages of mass transfer in the desorption process is less well-known, given the existing mass transfer correlations had been developed from absorption experiments. Hence, mass transfer correlations for membrane contactors are reviewed here, and their appropriateness for desorption analysed. This is achieved through simulating CO₂ desorption through a membrane contactor from loaded 30wt% monoethanolamine solvent to enable comparison of the correlations. It was found that the most cited correlations by Yang and Cussler were valid for shell side parallel flow, while that of Kreith and Black was viable for shell side cross flow. A limitation of all of these correlations is that they assume single phase flow on both sides of the membrane; however, the high temperature of CO₂ desorption can lead to partial solvent vaporisation and hence two phases present on one side of the membrane contactor during desorption. A mass transfer correlation is established here for two phase parallel flow on the shell side of a membrane contactor, based on experimental results for three composite and one asymmetric hollow fibre membrane contactors stripping CO₂ from loaded MEA at 105-108℃. This correlation is comparable to that reported in the literature for mass transfer in other two phase systems, but differs from the standard format for membrane contactors in terms of the exponent on the dimensionless Schmidt and Reynolds numbers.

关键词: Membrane Contactor, Carbon dioxide, Desorption, Two phases, Mass transfer correlations