Abstract
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plays a strategic role in the global energy transition, as it represents a less carbon-intensive alternative to coal. Separation of CO2 from raw natural gas is a critical step for meeting LNG specifications and enabling Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) in offshore fields. However, high CO2 concentrations and formation of a CO2 ethane azeotrope increase the process complexity, often requiring extractive distillation with heavier hydrocarbons. Severe limitations are faced in offshore environments due to their weight, volume and high energy consumption. Due to that, Process Intensification (PI) seeks to enhance heat and mass transfer efficiency, potentially reducing equipment volume and weight. Rotating Packed Beds (RPB) have demonstrated significant potential for intensifying LNG purification by using centrifugal forces to drive liquid through a porous medium in contact with a gas stream. Experimental measurements of total pressure drop, and local liquid holdup are feasible in pilot-scale units, although typically requiring specialized equipment and instrumentation. Consequently, modeling approaches based on mass, momentum, and energy balances have been widely proposed in the literature to estimate the hydrodynamic behavior of RPB systems. While Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models can provide detailed insights into equipment behavior, they are often computationally expensive for parametric studies and design optimization. In this context, this work proposes a one-dimensional model in cylindrical coordinates to analyze fluid flow in an RPB for natural gas/CO2 separation process. The governing equations are formulated and validated against experimental data for pressure drop, interfacial velocity, and liquid holdup along the RPB radius.