Process Intensification of CO₂ Absorption with MEA in a Rotating Packed Bed: Experimental Evaluation and Analysis

The emission of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from industrial sources, particularly power plants, remains one of the leading contributors to global climate change. While conventional post-combustion CO₂ capture technologies are effective, they are often limited by high energy consumption and large equipment size. Rotating Packed Bed (RPB) technology offers a promising solution through process intensification and improved mass transfer. This study presents an experimental investigation of a laboratory-scale RPB absorber designed for CO₂ capture using aqueous monoethanolamine (MEA) solutions. The effects of rotor speed, MEA concentration, and liquid-to-gas (L/G) ratio on CO₂ capture efficiency and the overall volumetric gas-phase mass transfer coefficient \(\:\left({K}_{{G}^{a}}\right)\) were systematically examined. The results showed that increasing rotor speed significantly improved both CO₂ capture efficiency and KGa due to enhanced centrifugal acceleration and better gas–liquid contact. Higher MEA concentrations led to improved capture performance, attributed to increased reaction kinetics, while elevated L/G ratios further enhanced absorption efficiency and reduced the Height of Transfer Unit (HTU). The findings confirm the suitability of RPB technology for efficient and compact CO₂ absorption systems, with strong potential for industrial applications.