Packed tower design for carbon dioxide absorption into potassium carbonate solutions

Much experimental work has been conducted through the years concerning carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption into various media. Removing CO2 from synthesis gases is desirable since it can act as an unwanted diluent or as a catalyst poison. The following study involved an in depth analysis of experimental data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) for CO2 removal from a hot potassium carbonate (K2C03) solution. Mass transfer theory coupled with statistical techniques resulted in an empirically substantiated equation for calculating the height of a tower necessary to accomplish a given CO2 absorption into a K2C03 solution. Utilization of these results were incorporated into a computer program applicable to a range of conditions commonly used in industrial operations.