Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Kenneth A Smith

Clark K Colton

Jerry H Meldon

Improved reactive absorbent solutions for absorbing gaseous components are provided by incorporating weakly dissociating compounds in liquid absorbents. When the gaseous component to be dissolved is acid-forming, the absorbent solution should be alkaline, the weakly dissociated compound should be a weak acid or salt thereof, and the pH of the solution should approximate the pK.sub.A of the acid. When the gaseous component is base-forming, the liquid absorbent should be acidic, the weakly dissociating compound should be a weak base, and the pOH of the solution should approximately match the pK.sub.B of the weak base. The weakly dissociated compounds are 1 to 20 times more effective in increasing absorption rates, than additions of equivalent amounts of the primary acidic or basic reactants. Where the absorbed gas is desorbable, the addition of the weakly dissociating compounds has similar effects in increasing the rate of desorption.

Growing community of inventors

Manchester, MA, United States of America

Kenneth A Smith