The CO2 absorption and desorption performance of the triethylenetetramine + N,N-diethylethanolamine + H2O system

The CO2 absorption and desorption performance of the triethylenetetramine + N,N-diethylethanolamine + H2O system

Post-combustion CO₂ capture (PCC) process faces significant challenge of high regeneration energy consumption. Biphasic absorbent is a promising alternative candidate which could significantly reduce the regeneration energy consumption because only the CO₂-concentrated phase should be regenerated. In this work, aqueous solutions of triethylenetetramine (TETA) and N,N-diethylethanolamine (DEEA) are found to be efficient biphasic absorbents of CO₂. The effects of the solvent composition, total amine concentration, and temperature on the absorption behavior, as well as the effect of temperature on the desorption behavior of TETA-DEEA-H₂O system were investigated. An aqueous solution of 1 mol·L^-1 TETA and 4 mol·L^-1 DEEA spontaneously separates into two liquid phases after a certain amount of CO₂ is absorbed and it shows high CO₂ absorption/desorption performance. About 99.4% of the absorbed CO₂ is found in the lower phase, which corresponds to a CO₂ absorption capacity of 3.44 mol·kg^-1. The appropriate absorption and desorption temperatures are found to be 30℃ and 90℃, respectively. The thermal analysis indicates that the heat of absorption of the 1 mol·L^-1 TETA and 4 mol·L^-1 DEEA solution is -84.38 kJ·(mol CO₂)^-1 which is 6.92 kJ·(mol CO₂)^-1 less than that of aqueous MEA. The reaction heat, sensible heat, and the vaporization heat of the TETA-DEEA-H₂O system are lower than that of the aqueous MEA, while its CO₂ capacity is higher. Thus the TETA-DEEA-H₂O system is potentially a better absorbent for the post-combustion CO₂ capture process.