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Separation of CO₂ and H₂S mixture
* 1, 2 , 1 , 3 , * 3 , 1
1  Faculty of Food Engineering in Shahrisabz, Karshi State Technical University, Shahrisabz 181306, Uzbekistan
2  Tashkent Institute of Chemical Technology, Tashkent 100011, Uzbekistan
3  Department of Automation and Digital Control, Tashkent Institute of Chemical Technology, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Academic Editor: Blaž Likozar

Abstract:

The separation and purification of carbon dioxide (CO2) from sour gas streams is critical for emission reduction and industrial reuse. This study presents a chemical absorption-based process simulation of CO2 and H2S separation using Aspen Plus, focusing on solvent-based treatment with several solvents. The process was modeled for two gas streams originating from the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex: a raw feed stream containing 3.42% CO₂ and 0.09% H₂S, and a treated dry gas containing 2.1% CO₂. The goal was to achieve high-purity CO2 recovery (≥99.5%) with flow rates of 30 t/h and 20 t/h, respectively. Rate-based modeling was employed to simulate mass transfer and chemical kinetics in the absorber and regenerator columns. The simulation results indicated that at optimal solvent flow and absorber temperature (40–45 °C), over 98.6% CO₂ and 99.9% H₂S removal could be achieved. The specific energy requirement for solvent regeneration was estimated at 2.3 GJ per ton of CO₂, aligning with industrial efficiency benchmarks. The purified CO₂ is intended for use in the production of sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) at the Dehkanabad Potash Plant, which converts 20 t/h of CO₂ into 296,000 tons/year of calcined soda with 77% process efficiency. This approach enhances gas resource utilization while reducing atmospheric emissions. The model serves as a techno-economically viable foundation for scaling up CO₂ capture and utilization (CCU) in the Uzbek chemical industry.

Keywords: CO₂ separation, absorption, Aspen Plus simulation, H₂S removal, gas sweetening, soda production, carbon capture and utilization.
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