Characteristics of absorption and regeneration of carbon dioxide in aqueous 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol/ammonia solutions

In this study, the removal efficiency, absorption amount, and loading value of CO₂ into aqueous blended 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP)/ammonia (NH₃) solutions were measured by using the absorption and regeneration continual process. The effect of adding NH₃ to enhance absorption characteristics of AMP was investigated. The performance was evaluated under various operating conditions. As a result, the method of blending AMP and NH₃ was not adequate because of a problem with scale formation. Consequently, NH₃ of 1, 3, 5, and 7 wt% was added to 30 wt% AMP. Of these additions, 5 wt% NH₃ was the optimum concentration because the CO₂ removal efficiency and absorption amount were almost 100% and 2.17 kg CO₂/kg absorbent, respectively. Also, the scale problem was almost absent. As the regenerator temperature varied from 80–110 °C, the loading of rich amine was almost constant, but the loading of lean amine was decreased as the regenerator temperature increased. Thus, the optimum regenerator temperature was 110 °C in this experiment.