Hydrodynamic characteristics and mass transfer performance of rotating packed bed for CO₂ removal by chemical absorption: A review

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) removal is an important process in natural gas processing. For offshore natural gas, due to the space limitations of offshore platforms, the volume requirement of CO₂ removal equipment is very strict. Therefore, high-efficient CO₂ removal equipment is needed to meet the processing requirements of natural gas. As a new type of process intensification technology, the rotating packed bed (RPB) is a desirable candidate for removing CO₂ from offshore natural gas due to its good mass transfer performance and considerable size savings. In this paper, the research progress of RPBs is reviewed from the aspects of hydrodynamic characteristics and mass transfer performance. Different research methods have been discussed, and their advantages and disadvantages have been pointed out. The factors that affect the efficiency of CO₂ removal have been analyzed, and operational recommendations have been given. Suggestions for future research are put forward to promote the application of RPBs on offshore platforms for CO₂ removal from offshore natural gas.