(84f) Suitability of High Performance Random and Structured Packings for CO2-Absorption in Power Plants

Energy and performance-efficient CO2 capture from flue gases will become an increasingly important technology in the power industry for decades to come. To meet the goal of optimized CO2 capture performance, high capacity/high mass transfer efficiency/low pressure drop modern packings are required. Extensive commercial/pilot scale testing of high performance random and structured packings support these requirements. Capacity-efficiency-pressure drop research from Total Reflux Distillation tests in the 1.22 m and 0.43 m Diameter Commercial Test Columns at Fractionation Research Incorporated (F.R.I.) and at the Separations Research Program (SRP) will be described. Test results clearly demonstrate distinct performance advantages of modern high performance structured and random packings over the well-known standard metal packings. Test data from two different column sizes illustrate column diameter effects on packing performance and establish confidence in scale up to commercial designs. Beside the distillation tests, hydraulic air-water and mass transfer measurements from CO2 absorption will be presented. Again comparison data will be given for high performance random and structured packings. All data presented will answer the question whether distillation test data can be used for a ranking list of packings in CO2 absorption processes. The packings involved in the comparison studies are Raschig Super-Pak structured packings, Mellapak and Mellapak-Plus type structures, Raschig Super-Ring random packings, and various sized Pall Rings.