Carbon Capture by DRPSA: Experimental and Modeling Analysis of the Process Robustness

Due to the complexity of the unsteady state process and the interplay between the two columns due to the two refluxes, predicting the impact of the main operating parameters on the performance of a dual reflux pressure swing adsorption (DRPSA) is challenging and usually carried out by trial-and-error. In this article, the robustness of a DRPSA process with respect to changes in several process operating parameters has been investigated experimentally and validated through model simulations in the case of a CO2–N2 mixture relevant in the field of Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU). The process targets investigated were purity and recovery of CO2, acting as the heavy component. We found that a given percentage change in any of the investigated process parameters results in a percentage change at least 1 order of magnitude lower in both CO2 purity and recovery, thus supporting the robustness of the process with respect to undesired fluctuations in the values of such process parameters.