The efficiency comparison of carbon nanotube and activated carbon added to the blend of alkanolamines in CO2 absorption process

Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas that contributes the global warming more than 60%. The most well established method for CO2 capture is to remove CO2 by absorption into amine solutions in the presence of activators. In this research, CO2 absorption was measured in the various aqueous solutions of TEA and TEA+MEA in various concentrations in the presence and absence of carbon nanotube and activated carbon at temperatures ranging from 30 to 70 ◦C in an absorption cell. The CO2 partial pressure and the CO2 flow rate have been changed in the range of 10-70 kPa and 40-120 cm3/min, respectively. The results revealed that the CO2 absorption rate and capacity increased by adding small amounts of MEA to TEA. Moreover, CO2 absorption rate and capacity increased with addition of carbon nanotube and activated carbon to amine mixtures but it is higher for carbon nanotube than activated carbon. lowering the temperature increases the CO2 loading in the solution.