수산화칼륨(KOH) 수용액을 이용한 $CO_2$ 포집에 관한 연구를 수행한 결과 $K_2CO_3$ 생성 및 $KHCO_3$가 생성되는 화학흡수 반응이 순차적으로 일어났고 그 후 $CO_2$ 물리흡수가 일어남으로써 전 반응이 종료되었다. KOH가 한계 반응물인 회분식 흡수에서 $K_2CO_3$의 생성 속도는 $OH^-$ 농도에 관해 1차 반응이며 $KHCO_3$ 생성 속도는 $CO_3^{2-}$ 농도에 0차 반응으로 흡수 속도는 $0.18gCO_2/mi$n으로 계산되었고 이 값은 $K_2CO_3$ 수용액에서의 흡수 속도와 일치한다. 5% KOH 흡수제의 $CO_2$ 포집율의 경우 1구간에서 57%, 2구간에서 12% 이었으며 전체 19%로 측정되었다. KOH 흡수제의 $CO_2$ 포집양은 이론값보다 2~3% 정도 작았는데 그 이유는 $KHCO_3$ 이외 $K_2CO_3{cdot}KHCO_3{cdot}1.5H_2O$가 생성되는 부 반응이 동반되기 때문으로 판단된다.
The present paper investigates the performance of the KOH aqueous solution as an absorbent to capture carbon dioxide ($CO_2$). The chemical absorption was carried out according to consecutive reactions that are generated in the order of $K_2CO_3$ and $KHCO_3$. The overall absorption was completed with following the physical absorption. When the absorption was conducted with the KOH as the limiting reactants in batch a reactor, $K_2CO_3$ production rate was the 1st order reaction for $OH^-$. However, $KHCO_3$ generation reaction was independent of the $CO_3^{2-}$ concentration and the rate was calculated to be $0.18gCO_2/min$ for all KOH absorbents, which is the same value of the reaction rate using $K_2CO_3$ aqueous solution as the absorbents. The overall $CO_2$ capture ratio of the 5% KOH absorbent was estimated to be 19% and the individual value in section 1 and 2 was 57 and 12%, respectively. The amount of $CO_2$ absorbed in the solution was very slightly less than the theoretical value, which was ascribed to the side reaction that produces $K_2CO_3{cdot}KHCO_3{cdot}1.5H_2O$ during the reaction and the consequent diminish in $CO_2$ absorption in the KOH solution.
