3D multiphase flow simulation of Marangoni convection on reactive absorption of CO2 by monoethanolamine in microchannel

A multiphase flow 3D numerical simulation method employing the coupled volume of fluid (VOF) and level set model is established to study the reactive absorption of CO2 by the monoethanolamine (MEA) aqueous solution in a falling film microchannel. Based on the flow-reaction-mass transfer model of the MEA-CO2 system in the falling film microchannel, the enhancement effect of the Marangoni convection in this reactive absorption process is analyzed. The enhancement factor of the Marangoni convection obtained in this work is in good agreement with experimental results in the literature. With consideration of the absorption ratio as well as the enhancement effect of the Marangoni convection, the influence of different MEA concentrations on absorption of CO2 is investigated. Furthermore, the appropriate MEA concentration for absorption enhanced by the Marangoni convection is acquired. (C) 2021 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A multiphase flow 3D numerical simulation method employing the coupled volume of fluid (VOF) and level set model is established to study the reactive absorption of CO2 by the monoethanolamine (MEA) aqueous solution in a falling film microchannel. The enhancement effect of the Marangoni convection in this reactive absorption process is analyzed, and the influence of different MEA concentrations on CO2 absorption is investigated. The appropriate MEA concentration for absorption enhanced by the Marangoni convection is determined.