Process for the recovery of carbon dioxide

A process for the recovery of carbon dioxide, comprising:

• a) an absorption step of bringing a carbon dioxide-containing gaseous feed stream into gas-liquid contact with an absorbing fluid, whereby at least a portion of the carbon dioxide present in the gaseous stream is absorbed into the absorbing fluid to produce (i) a refined gaseous stream having a reduced carbon dioxide content and (ii) an carbon dioxide-rich absorbing fluid;
• and
• b) a regeneration step of treating the carbon dioxide-rich absorbing fluid at a pressure of greater than 3 bar (absolute pressure) so as to liberate carbon dioxide and regenerate a carbon dioxide-lean absorbing fluid which is recycled for use in the absorption step,
• wherein the absorbing fluid is an aqueous amine solution containing a tertiary aliphatic alkanol amine and an effective amount of a carbon dioxide absorption promoter,
• the tertiary aliphatic alkanol amine showing less than 5% decomposition when an aqueous solution of the tertiary aliphatic alkanol amine at a concentration of 4 mol/l of the tertiary aliphatic alkanol amine is kept during 300 hours under a vapor-liquid equilibrium condition at a temperature of 162° C. and a total pressure of 6.3 bar (absolute pressure) under co-existence of the aqueous solution and carbon dioxide.