A plant includes an absorber (105) that receives a feed gas (10) at a pressure of at least 400 psig and comprising at least 5 mol % carbon dioxide, wherein the absorber (105) is operated at an isothermal or decreasing top-to-bottom thermal gradient, and wherein the absorber (105) employs a physical solvent to at least partially remove an acid gas from the feed gas (10). Such configuration advantageously provide cooling (108) by expansion of the rich solvent (21) generated in the absorber (105), wherein both a semi-rich solvent (13) generated and recycled to the absorber (105) and the feed gas (10) are cooled by expansion of the rich solvent (21).