Carsol process

The Carsol Process is used to remove carbon dioxide from gas streams by scrubbing with aqueous potassium carbonate. 

The original hot carbonate process developed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines was found to be corrosive to carbon steel (55). Various additives have been used in order to improve the mass transfer rate as well as to inhibit corrosion. Vetrocoke, Carsol, Catacarb, Benfteld, and Lurgi processes are all activated carbonate processes. Improvements in additives and optimization of operation have made activated carbonate processes competitive with activated MDEA and nonaqueous solvent based systems. Typical energy requirements are given in Table 9. 

Invented by H. E. Benson in 1952 and then developed with J. H. Field at the U.S. Bureau of Mines. First licensed by the Benfield Corporation of Pittsburgh, subsequently acquired by the Union Carbide Corporation, and now licensed by UOP. The current UOP version includes new solution activators and incorporates zeolites or membrane processes for complete separation of acid gases and minimal loss of product gases. More than 650 plants were operating in 1996. Variations include the Benfield HiPure process and the Benfield LoHeat process. See also Carsol, CATACARB, Giammarco-Vetrocoke, HiPure. 

Carbosolvan One of the several processes for absorbing carbon dioxide from gases, using hot potassium carbonate solution. See also Benfield, Carsol, CATACARB, Giammarco-Vetrocoke, Hi-Pure. 

CATACARB [Catalyzed removal of carbon dioxide] A process for removing carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from gas streams by absorption in hot potassium carbonate solution containing a proprietary catalyst. Developed and licensed by Eickmeyer and Associates, KS, based on work at the U.S. Bureau of Mines in the 1950s. More than a hundred plants were operating in 1997. See also Benfield, Carsol, Hi-pure, Giammarco-Vetrocoke. 

HiPure A variation on the Benfield process, using two stages of scrubbing by hot potassium carbonate solution in order to reduce the carbon dioxide contents of gases to very low levels. See also Carsol, CATACARB, Giammarco-Vetrocoke. 

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