This work includes wetted wall column experiments that measure the CO₂ equilibrium partial pressure and liquid film mass transfer coefficient (kg') in 7, 9, 11, and 13 m MEA and 2, 5, 8, and 12 m PZ solutions. A 7 m MEA/2 m PZ blend was also examined. Absorption and desorption experiments were performed at 40, 60, 80, and 100°C over a range of CO₂ loading. Diaphragm diffusion cell experiments were performed with CO₂ loaded MEA and PZ solutions to characterize diffusion behavior. All experimental results have been compared to available literature data and match well. MEA and PZ spreadsheet models were created to explain observed rate behavior using the wetted wall column rate data and available literature data. The resulting liquid film mass transfer coefficient expressions use termolecular (base catalysis) kinetics and activity-based rate expressions. The kg' expressions accurately represent rate behavior over the very wide range of experimental conditions. The models fully explain rate effects with changes in amine concentration, temperature, and CO₂ loading. These models allow for rate behavior to be predicted at any set of conditions as long as the parameters in the kg' expressions can be accurately estimated. An Aspen Plus® RateSep™ model for MEA was created to model CO₂ flux in the wetted wall column. The model accurately calculated CO₂ flux over the wide range of experimental conditions but included a systematic error with MEA concentration. The systematic error resulted from an inability to represent the activity coefficient of MEA properly. Due to this limitation, the RateSep™ model will be most accurate when finetuned to one specific amine concentration. This Aspen Plus® RateSep™ model allows for scale up to industrial conditions to examine absorber or stripper performance. / text

Fossil fuel and advanced industrialization techniques contribute to global warming through emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO2. In order to mitigate climate change, there is a desperate need to reduce CO2 emissions from different sources. CO2 capture and sequestration (CCS) play an important role in these reductions. Naturally occurring enzymes, e.g., carbonic anhydrase (CA), can catalyze these reactions in living systems. Much effort has been focused on complexes of zinc with ligands such as teta, cyclen and tripodal ligands including BIMA and Trispyrazolylborates. These complexes have many interesting CO2 capture properties, but maintain toxic perchlorate ions. We desired to replace them with less hazardous counteranions like BF4- or PF6-. Our research focused mainly on the synthesis and characterization of Zn, Co and Cu cyclen and teta complexes that could mimic CA. We also examined some of these species for catalytic CO2 hydration behavior on wetted-wall column (WWC) at Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER). We successfully synthesized and characterized eight new complexes. These catalysts as CO2 capture systems are more stable have low molecular weights (compared to CA) and more cost effective than enzymes. In terms of catalytic activity significant results were obtained only for few of the catalysts