Volume of fluid modeling of the reactive mass transfer of CO2 into aqueous amine solutions in structured packed elements at micro-scale.

摘要

This article presents a CFD model to describe the interfacial reactive mass transfer that takes place between a gas phase and a falling liquid film within a structured packing reactor. The simulations encompass the hydrodynamics, physical mass transfer and reaction kinetics. Regarding hydrodynamics, the liquid misdistribution phenomenon is represented and compared to experimental data found in the literature. Physical mass transfer is also implemented and an analysis of the influence of several parameters (e.g. amine concentration, gas pressure, gas velocity, flow configuration and contact angle) is carried out. Finally, the reactive mass transfer characteristics of the MEA-CO2 system are tested, showing the ability of the model to describe the values of the enhancement factor and the depletion of the solute in the bulk phase. The model is to be extended to meso-scale in the future to account for the performance of commercial structured packings.