Pack tower design for the absorption and reaction of carbon dioxide : into an aqueous solution of potassium bisulfide, potassium bicarbonate, and potassium carbonate

The conversion of potassium sulfate to potassium carbonate is necessary in the operation of a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator. There have been numerous proposed methods, but few have been experimentally verified. Among the more promising of the proposed regeneration schemes is the Aqueous Carbonate Process. This work concerns itself with the design of a packed tower in the Aqueous Carbonate Process for the absorption and reaction of carbon dioxide into an aqueous solution of potassium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, and potassium bisulfide. The sulfur-containing compounds are removed as hydrogen sulfide, producing an aqueous solution of potassium bicarbonate and potassium carbonate.

The towers designed in this work are for a full-scale MHD power plant. The FORTRAN code developed for this model may be used to evaluate a variety of operating conditions. Parametric studies were conducted to determine the effect of column temperature, column pressure, and the exit carbon dioxide fraction on the required packing height, column diameter, and gas flow rate for the given conditions.