Research and Education of CO2 Separation from Coal Combustion Flue Gases with Regenerable Magnesium Solutions, Final Technical Report.

摘要

A novel method using environment-friendly chemical magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) solution to capture carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants flue gas has been studied under this project in the post-combustion control area. The project utilizes the chemistry underlying the CO2-Mg(OH)2 system and proven and well-studied mass transfer devices for high levels of CO2 removal. The major goals of this research were to select and design an appropriate absorber which can absorb greater than 90% CO2 gas with low energy costs, and to find and optimize the operating conditions for the regeneration step. During the project period, we studied the physical and chemical characteristics of the scrubbing agent, the reaction taking place in the system, development and evaluation of CO2 gas absorber, desorption mechanism, and operation and optimization of continuous operation. Both batch and continuous operations were performed to examine the effects of various parameters including liquid-to-gas ratio, residence time, lean solvent concentration, pressure drop, bed height, CO2 partial pressure, bubble size, pH, and temperature on the absorption. The dissolution of Mg(OH)2 particles, formation of magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), and vapor-liquid-solid equilibrium (VLSE) of the system were also studied. The dissolution of Mg(OH)2 particles and the steady release of magnesium ions into the solution was a crucial step to maintain a level of alkalinity in the CO2 absorption process. The dissolution process was modeled using a shrinking core model, and the dissolution reaction between proton ions and Mg(OH)2 particles was found to be a rate-controlling step. The intrinsic surface reaction kinetics was found to be a strong function of temperature, and its kinetic expression was obtained. The kinetics of MgCO3 formation was also studied in terms of different pH values and temperatures, and was enhanced under high pH and temperatures.