Comprehensive evaluation and sensitivity analysis of regeneration energy for acid gas removal plant using single and activated-methyl diethanolamine solvents

doi:10.1016/j.cjche.2019.12.004

Abstract

Abstract: The absorption of acid gas using reactive amines is among the most widely used types of capturing technologies. However, the absorption process requires intensive energy expenditure majorly in the solvent regeneration process. This study simultaneously evaluated the regeneration energy of MDEA and PZ/MDEA solvents in terms of heat of absorption, sensible heat, and vaporization heat. Aspen Hysys version 8.8 simulation tool is applied to model the full acid gas removal plant for the chemical absorption process. The new energy balance technique presents around the absorption and desorption columns to bring a new perspective of energy distribution in the capturing of acid gas plants. Sensitivity analysis of regeneration energy and its three contributors is performed at several operation parameters such as absorber and stripper pressures, lean amine circulation rate, solvent concentration, reflux ratio, and CO₂ and H₂S concentrations. The results show that the heat of absorption of PZ/MDEA system is higher than that for MDEA system for the same operating conditions. The sensible heat is the main contributor in the required regeneration energy of MDEA solvent system. The simulation results have been validated against data taken from real plant and literature. The product specifications of our simulation corroborate with real plant data in an excellent approach; additionally, the profile temperature of the absorber and the stripper columns are in good agreement with literature. The overall results highlight the direction of the effects of each parameter on the heat of absorption, sensible heat, and vaporization heat.

Key words: Heat of absorption, Sensible heat, Vaporization heat, Regeneration energy, Acid gases capturing, Piperazine, Activated-Methyl diethanolamine

摘要： The absorption of acid gas using reactive amines is among the most widely used types of capturing technologies. However, the absorption process requires intensive energy expenditure majorly in the solvent regeneration process. This study simultaneously evaluated the regeneration energy of MDEA and PZ/MDEA solvents in terms of heat of absorption, sensible heat, and vaporization heat. Aspen Hysys version 8.8 simulation tool is applied to model the full acid gas removal plant for the chemical absorption process. The new energy balance technique presents around the absorption and desorption columns to bring a new perspective of energy distribution in the capturing of acid gas plants. Sensitivity analysis of regeneration energy and its three contributors is performed at several operation parameters such as absorber and stripper pressures, lean amine circulation rate, solvent concentration, reflux ratio, and CO₂ and H₂S concentrations. The results show that the heat of absorption of PZ/MDEA system is higher than that for MDEA system for the same operating conditions. The sensible heat is the main contributor in the required regeneration energy of MDEA solvent system. The simulation results have been validated against data taken from real plant and literature. The product specifications of our simulation corroborate with real plant data in an excellent approach; additionally, the profile temperature of the absorber and the stripper columns are in good agreement with literature. The overall results highlight the direction of the effects of each parameter on the heat of absorption, sensible heat, and vaporization heat.

关键词: Heat of absorption, Sensible heat, Vaporization heat, Regeneration energy, Acid gases capturing, Piperazine, Activated-Methyl diethanolamine

Ammar Ali Abd, Samah Zaki Naji, Ahmed Barifcani. Comprehensive evaluation and sensitivity analysis of regeneration energy for acid gas removal plant using single and activated-methyl diethanolamine solvents[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2020, 28(6): 1684-1693.

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