Rate-based modelling and validation of a pilot absorber using MDEA enhanced with carbonic anhydrase (CA)

The great paradox of the 21st century is that we must meet the increasing global demand for energy and products while simultaneously mitigating the climate change. If both these criteria are to be met, carbon capture and storage is an imperative technology for sustainable energy infrastructure development. Post-combustion capture is a mature capture technology, however, to make it economically attractive, design of innovative solvents and process optimization is of crucial importance. An example for promising solvent is MDEA enhanced with carbonic anhydrase (CA), due to its fast kinetics and low solvent-regeneration energy demand.The focus of this work is to develop a rate-based model for CO₂ absorption using MDEA enhanced with CA and to validate it against pilot-scale absorption experiments. In this work, we compare model predictions to measured temperature and CO₂ concentration profiles for different L/G ratios, lean CO₂ loadings, gas CO₂ content and packing height. We show that the developed model is suitable for CO₂ capture simulation and optimization using MDEA and MDEA enhanced with CA. Furthermore, we investigate the accuracy of the General Method (GM) enhancement factor model for CO₂ absorption/desorption using wetted-wall column data: 0 to 0.5 CO₂ loading and temperatures between 298 and 328 K. The present study represents a first step towards developing and optimizing a CA promoted MDEA CO₂ capture process.