PROCESS FOR REMOVING CARBON DIOXIDE FROM A GAS STREAM

The invention provides a process for removing carbon dioxide from a gas stream comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the gas stream with an absorption solvent to obtain a gas stream with a reduced carbon dioxide content and a carbon dioxide-containing absorption solvent; (b) withdrawing at least part of the gas stream with the reduced carbon dioxide content; (c) withdrawing at least part of the carbon dioxide-containing absorption solvent obtained in step (a) and heat it to obtain a mixture comprising a gas phase, an aqueous liquid phase and a non-aqueous liquid phase, wherein carbon dioxide is predominantly present in the gas phase; (d) introducing at least part of the mixture obtained in step (c) into a gas lift reactor to further release carbon dioxide absorbed in the aqueous liquid phase and the non aqueous liquid phase, whereby the gas phase establishes circulation and mixing of the aqueous liquid phase and the non-aqueous liquid phase between a lower section of the gas lift reactor and an upper section of the gas lift reactor; (e) withdrawing a gas stream comprising carbon dioxide from the gas lift reactor; (f) withdrawing a mixture of the aqueous liquid phase and the non-aqueous liquid phase from the gas lift reactor, which mixture has released carbon dioxide, and (g) cooling at least part of the mixture of the aqueous liquid phase and the non-aqueous liquid phase to obtain regenerated absorption solvent.