Paper

A semi-analytical method for determining the optimal stripper pressure in CO2 capture and liquefaction using monoethanolamine (MEA)
Author
Taekyoon Park, Seok Goo Lee, Sung Ho Kim, Ung Lee, Chonghun Han, Jong Min Lee*
Journal
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
Page
271-281
Year
2016

The operation pressure of a distillation column is one of the key variables in optimizing the required energy in a carbon capture and storage (CCS) chain. It affects the steam drag point in power plants, the regeneration energy in capture process and the compression energy in the liquefaction process. A new semi-analytical method for determining optimal stripper pressure for the CCS process using MEA as an absorbent is proposed based on the integrated simulation model. Total required energy is represented as a function of the pressure based on the equivalent work. Two different method – simultaneous and sequential – are applied to solve the optimization problem. The results show that the total energy has a monotonous decreasing function with respect to the stripper pressure and the higher stripper pressure is favorable when a terminal pressure is above 10 bar. When the terminal pressure has a small value near 5 bar, the total energy shows a convex form and the optimal stripper pressure is located between 1 and 2.2 bar.