CO₂ absorption enhancement with MEA in micropacked bed reactors: Mass transfer experiment and model study

Micropacked bed reactors (μPBRs) shows excellent mass transfer characteristics, but related mass transfer experimental and models are inadequate for CO₂ absorption. Herein, a gas-side overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient (K_Ga) model of μPBRs was developed based on the two-film theory. Effects of bed inner diameter and water contact angle (CA) of particle on effective interfacial area (a) were discussed. Then, the mass transfer model was validated by MEA-CO₂ absorption efficiency (η) with AARD of 7.72%. The K_Ga of μPBRs (2.16–13.16 kmol/(m³·h·kPa)) is much larger than that of the traditional multiphase reactors. The ceramic beads with big water CA for d_c/d_p more than 10 and glass beads with small water CA for d_c/d_p less than 10 can enhance CO₂ absorption efficiency in μPBRs. Additionally, the empirical correlation of a and K_Ga were proposed.