Exploration of amino sugars as CO2-capturing solvents

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Eugeny Kenig
• Subject Area: Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 424634495

The present research project focuses on the analysis of a novel class of solvents for CO2 capture, namely aqueous solutions of amino sugars. An amino sugar is a sugar molecule in which a hydroxyl group is replaced with an amine group. Amino sugars are potentially attractive CO2-capturing reagents, due to their improved risk and safety properties, easier biodegradation of its spent solutions and minimal adverse effects on the plant equipment. However, available information on the reactive absorption of CO2 into aqueous solutions of amino sugar is scarce.A comprehensive evaluation of potential solvents requires a thorough analysis of their performance within typical absorption equipment. Therefore, reliable models of reactive absorption and desorption units are necessary. With such models, the performance of competing solvents can be directly checked and compared using numerical studies for virtual absorption columns (the so-called virtual experiments).In the anticipated research project, the amino sugar N-Acetylglucosamin and its blends with conventionally used alkanolamines will be experimentally characterised by the Indian project partner Prof. Vaidya (Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai). He will measure all necessary data on physicochemical properties, reaction kinetics and equilibrium. These data will be used by the applicant at Paderborn University for the rate-based modelling of the CO2-capture process. Using the developed model, simulations will be carried out for industrial-scale absorption units in order to identify the best performing solvent blend.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: India
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Prakash Vaidya