Pilot scale applied research on CO2 removal of natural gas using a rotating packed bed with propylene carbonate.

• Absorption of CO 2 from a CO 2 /N 2 mixture with propylene carbonate as the absorbent. • Absorption is carried out in a rotating packed bed. • The experimental conditions have reached the pilot scale. • the gas-side volumetric mass transfer coefficient has been studied. • This method has broad prospects. Absorption of CO 2 from a CO 2 /N 2 mixture with propylene carbonate (PC) as the absorbent using a rotating packed bed (RPB) in pilot scale was systematically investigated in this paper. RPB is characterized by simple operation and high efficiency with small volume, which may be an alternative method for CO 2 removal offshore. The effects of operating parameters on the removal efficiency of CO 2 and the K y a values such as temperature, pressure, inlet liquid flow rate and the rotational speed of RPB were studied. Experimental results indicated that the efficiency of this absorption process could be regulated by appropriate operating conditions of the RPB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]