Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of H2S absorption by a non-aqueous absorbent of monoethanolamine /ethylene glycol

Seeking top-performing absorbents with excellent structural stability and renewability to realize efficient removal of H 2 S from natural gas is of great importance. Here, the H 2 S absorption thermodynamic and kinetic properties by a non-aqueous liquid binary blend of monoethanolamine (MEA) and ethylene glycol (EG) was systematically studied. The addition of solvent EG not only improves the thermal stability but also reduces the viscosity of the system especially after H 2 S absorption. The absorption mechanism was revealed by the combination of experimental characterization and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations, which show that the absorption process is a proton transfer reaction. In addition, a quasi-primary kinetic model was used to describe the absorption kinetic behavior, with rate constants increasing with temperature and pressure. Reaction equilibrium thermodynamic model (RETM) fitting thermodynamic results showed that the enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS) of the interaction of the absorbent with H 2 S was −40.72 kJ/mol and −114.71 J/mol/K, respectively. Most importantly, the optimum absorption temperature was calculated to be 287.80 K and the optimum desorption temperature was 386.62 K. Moreover, the desulphurization rate was verified to increase with decreasing temperature and increasing H 2 S partial pressure. Five cycles of absorption-desorption experiments were conducted at 313.15 K for absorption and 373.15 K for desorption in order to verify the good reuse properties of the absorbent. Considering the excellent thermal stability, low viscosity after H 2 S absorption, acceptable absorption capacity as well as good reversibility, it is believed that the MEA/EG blend has a significant potential in the field of desulfurization.