Patent ID: 7993433

Claim:
A method for removing and recovering an acid gas, from a gaseous mixture in an absorption plant, the method comprising the steps of: passing a gaseous mixture including the acid gas through an absorber and mixing the gaseous mixture with a basic absorbent to form a rich absorbent; passing the rich absorbent through a heat exchanger, and then through a desorber where the acid gas is released from the rich absorbent to form a lean absorbent, wherein a mixture of an organic acid dissolved in an organic solvent is added to the rich absorbent before passing the rich absorbent through the desorber to enhance the acid gas separation by shifting the acid gas equilibria towards the gas side, and wherein the organic acid is subsequently separated from the lean absorbent as a separate liquid phase by extracting the organic acid into the organic solvent before the lean absorbent is returned to the absorber.