MODELING OF C02 CAPTURE BY AMINE SOLUTIONS IN A HOLLOW FIBER MEMBRANE CONTACTOR

The absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) by different amine solutions was investigated
using a hollow fiber membrane contactor (HFMC) in this work. A reliable model can
simulate an experimental work in order to investigate the effect of various operating
parameters on C02 removal. The existing models had been developed with some
assumptions such as applicable for specific absorbents, diffusive and convective mass
transfers were neglected which affected accuracy of the modeling results. In this
study, a comprehensive mathematical model was developed to predict C02 removal
performance. The continuity equation was comprised of convection and diffusion
terms for the shell and tube sides, and only diffusion term was applied for the
membrane in axial and radial directions. The mesh generation was carried out on the
basis of Finite Element Method (FEM) and then all equations were numerically
solved by COMSOL (version 4.1) software.