Solids modelling and capture simulation of piperazine in potassium solvents

Abstract

Piperazine is an amine which is used both as an activator or promoter, but also as active component in CO2 capture solvents. High concentrations are being formulated to draw benefit of the PZ properties. This results in a risk of precipitation of PZ and other solid phases during capture. It could be a benefit to the capture process, but it could also result in unforeseen situations of potential hazardous operation, clogging, equipment failure etc. Security of the PZ process needs to be in focus. Flow assurance requires additional attention, especially due to the precipitation phenomenon. This entails all parts of the streams, but also during formulation and transport of the solvent. In this work the extended UNIQUAC thermodynamic model is presented with the addition of piperazine (PZ or PIPH2) in combination with the potassium ion of mixtures with CO2 in equilibration with KOH-KHCO3-K2CO3. Phase boundaries are laid out which shows the concentration regions of solid formation. A special focus will be given to the boundary where precipitations occur. The model is a generic. It builds on consistent parameters of the extended UNIQUAC model previously published. It allows for accurate vapor liquid equilibrium (VLE) calculation, heat capacity determination, and similar thermodynamic properties. It especially allows for determination of solid liquid equilibria (SLE) and heat of absorption/heat of desorption which are core variables in the determination of energy requirements for CO2 capture. In this work the typical phase behavior will be shown for the PZ solvent with potassium (K2CO 3/KHCO3) for CO2 capture. Conclusions are given on a solvent compositions resulting in low heat requirements using the predictive nature of the extended UNIQUAC model. Concentration of a PZ/K 2CO3 solvent is suggested with a heat of absorption/desorption of 40 kJ/mol. © 2013 The Author.