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At least 19 records

FINAL TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE APPLICATION OF A HEAT INTEGRATED POST-COMBUSTION CO2 CAPTURE SYSTEM WITH HITACHI ADVANCED SOLVENT INTO EXISTING COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT

This report contains the results of a techno-economic assessment (TEA) conducted of a heat integrated post-combustion CO2 capture process with Hitachi advanced solvent for retrofit into an existing coal-fired power plant (but treated as greenfield plant on cost analysis). The process has been developed by the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy (UK CAER). EPRI was chiefly responsible for this analysis, with significant input from WorleyParsons, Hitachi Power Systems America (Hitachi) and UK CAER. The project also involves the design, fabrication, installation, testing, and analyses of a slipstream facility located at L&GE-KU’s E.W. Brown Generating Station to demonstrate the UK CAER carbon capture system that could utilize heat integration with the main power plant. The design, start-up, and baseline of the pilot system was performed with a generic 30 wt% MEA solvent to obtain data for direct comparison with the DOE/NETL Reference Case followed by testing Hitachi’s proprietary solvent H3-1. In this techno-economic analysis, two cases utilizing the UK CAER process are compared, using different approach temperatures and solvent, against the DOE/NETL Reference Case (Case 10). The results are shown comparing the energy demand for post-combustion CO2 capture and the net higher heating value (HHV) efficiency of the power plant integrated with the post-combustion capture (PCC) plant. A levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) assessment was performed showing the costs of the options presented in the study. The key factors contributing to the reduction of LCOE were identified as CO2 partial pressure increase at the flue gas inlet, thermal integration of the process, and performance of the Hitachi H3-1 solvent. Recent UK CAER process pilot-scale testing data and process simualtion data showed that the packing heights of absorber and stripper columns were significantly oversized in the prelimanary TEA (Task 2 of this project) and thus updated in this final TEA for the H3-1 case only. In addition, the solvent make-up cost for H3-1 was updated based on lattest test results. Finally, a heat integration with the main power plant was applied in this final TEA to increase overall energy effciency for both the MEA and H3-1 cases. Additonal reductions in capital and operational costs are expected but not taken into account here. Shorter columns result in reduced pressure drops, smaller blower head and pump hydraulic head requirements. An increase in overall energy efficiency resuls in a decreased size of the power plant, the CCS and a reduced parasitic steam requirement to the CCS. The net efficiency of the UK CAER integrated PC power plant with CO2 capture changes from 26.2% for the Reference Case 10 plant in 2010 revised DOE/NETL baseline report to 27.6% for the MEA options considered, and 29.1% for the options utilizing the Hitachi advanced solvent. The UK CAER Process + Hitachi case also produces an extra 30.9 MW of generation compared to the UK CAER Process + MEA case and total 60.9 MW more than DOE Case 10. LCOE ($/MWh) values are $172.08/MWh for the MEA option and $157.65/MWh for the Hitachi H3-1 solvent cases considered in comparison to $189.59/MWh in January 2012 dollar for the Reference Case 10. The UK CAER CCS process with MEA case lowers energy consumption for CO2 capture to 1340 Btu/lb-CO2 captured as compared to 1540 Btu/lb-CO2 in the Reference Case 10. The UK CAER CCS process with H3-1 case further lowers energy consumption for CO2 capture to 973 Btu/lb-CO2 captured, for an advantage of 36.8% less energy consumption than Case 10. The study also shows 38.1% less heat rejection associated with the carbon capture system from 3398 MBtu/hr (Case 10) to 2104 MBtu/hr for the UK CAER + MEA system. Heat rejection is reduced to 2464 MBtu/hr in the UK CAER + H3-1 case, for a 27.5 % decrease compared to Case 10. Modeling outputs show that in the UK CAER process, the cooling water that is 2-5°C cooler than conventional cooling tower water can be achieved for ambient conditions common to the midwest and other regions. The results from the techno-economic assessment show that the proposed technology can be investigated further as a viable alternative to conventional CO2 capture technology. The evaluation also shows the effect of the critical parameters on the LCOE, with the main variables being the approach temperature and CO2 partial pressure increase at the flue gas inlet. A summary of the key advantages of the UK CAER Process + H3-1 case for LCOE and other economic factors compared to the DOE Case 10 is as follows: • A lower variable operating cost by $1.56/MWh ($1.08MWh less than the UK CAER Process + MEA Case), a 11.7% reduction compared to the DOE Case 10 • A lower COE by $25.32MWh ($13.94/MWh lower than the UK CAER Process + MEA Case), a 16.9% reduction compared to the DOE Case 10 • A lower LCOE by $31.94/MWh ($17.51/MWh lower than the UK CAER Process + MEA Case), a 16.9% reduction compared to the DOE Case 10 • A lower cost of CO2 captured by $18.65/tonne CO2 ($9.44/tonne CO2 lower than the UK CAER Process + MEA Case), a 30.4% reduction compared to the DOE Case 10 • A lower cost of CO2 avoided by $34.95/tonne CO2 ($18.53 tonne CO2 lower than the UK CAER Process + MEA Case), a 38.7% reduction compared to the DOE Case 10

Bhown, Abhoyjit S.↗

A Laboratory Corrosion Inhibition Study of Carbon Steel Using 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) Under Post-Combustion CO2 Capture Conditions

Corrosion mitigation is an important aspect of amine-based post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO2) capture operations due to the desire to use less expensive but corrosion-vulnerable materials such as low carbon steels in the construction of a capture system. In this study, the corrosion behavior of A106 (grade B) carbon steel with an in-house proprietary amine-based solvent was investigated in a laboratory environment at 80°C using an organic corrosion inhibitor, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT). The corrosion inhibition mechanism was interpreted by electrochemical methods and surface analyses. The results revealed that the corrosion rates of carbon steel were significantly retarded using MBT. The critical inhibitor concentration was determined to be lie between 10 ppm and 50 ppm under the tested conditions.

Materials Science↗

Techno-economic assessment of emissions mitigation technologies for post-combustion CO2 capture using AMP/PZ

Minimizing the environmental impacts of amine-based post-combustion carbon capture technologies is essential for meeting environmental permitting regulations and ensuring public acceptance. Experimental test campaigns at the CO₂ capture pilot plant in Niederaussem using CESAR1 demonstrated that integrating available emission abatement technologies can significantly reduce the concentration of amines and degradation products in CO₂-depleted flue gas to below the detection limit of an infrared spectrometer. The study confirmed that proprietary dry bed technology (OEASE Aerozone™) or a second water wash can lower AMP and PZ emissions to below 1 mg/Nm³. However, to achieve very low NH₃ emissions below 2 mg/Nm³, an acid or other chemically active wash downstream of the water wash is required. A configuration with a dry bed or a double water wash results in a carbon capture cost (CCC) of 44 €/tCO₂, and a CO₂ avoided cost (CAC) of 86 €/tCO₂. A configuration with an acid wash increases the CCC to 47 €/tCO₂ and the CAC to 90 €/tCO₂ due to the amine losses in the acid waste and its treatment.

CO2 capture↗

Demo-scale testing of a hybrid membrane-sorbent system for post-combustion CO2 capture

TDA Research is developing a novel hybrid membrane-sorbent system for the post-combustion capture of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from supercritical pulverized coal (PC) power generation facilities or large point industrial emitters. Here, the novel design incorporates a 1st-stage continuous membrane separator developed by Membrane Technology and Research, Inc. (MTR) with a dual-bed radial-flow sorbent contactor (designed and developed at TDA). Testing of a pilot unit at 1 MWe scale has been conducted at the site for emerging technologies at the Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) in Mongstad, Norway using residue fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) flue gas from Equinor’s Mongstad refinery.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

Environmental, Health and Safety Assessment Application of a Heat Integrated, Post-combustion CO2 Capture System Using Monoethanolamine and Hitachi H3-1 Solvent at the E.W. Brown Coal-fired Power Plant

An Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Assessment was completed for operation of a pilot scale carbon dioxide (CO2) capture system (CCS) at the Louisville Gas & Electric (LG&E) and Kentucky Utilities (KU) Energy, LLC (LG&E-KU) E. W. Brown Generating Station in Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky. The pilot system was evaluated using two CO2 capture solvents, monoethanolamine (MEA) and Hitachi’s H3-1 solvent. The purpose of the EH&S Assessment was to determine if there were any unacceptable environmental, health or safety concerns that may prevent operation or environmental permitting of a larger scale pilot scale plant. The assessment included review of process flow diagrams, input and output flow rates for primary materials, literature describing similar processes and chemicals used or created during the process, actual air emission and wastewater test data and air emission calculations. The evaluation included identification of risks related to hazardous chemicals, air emissions, wastewater discharges, solid wastes generated and employee hazards. Most potential EH&S issues that were identified are commonly found and successfully managed at large industrial facilities. No risks were identified that could not be successfully managed or would likely prevent implementation or environmental permitting of the pilot or larger scale plant. Potential exposures and resulting health risks from exposure to low concentrations of nitrosamines generated from degradation of the Hitachi H3-1 and possibly MEA solvents may be a health concern for site workers, but additional investigation is needed to accurately assess this risk. Applying the information gained from operating the pilot plant, performing air emission testing and used solvent testing to a large-scale facility at a commercial coal-fired electric generating plant suggests additional air emission control measures may be necessary to reduce potential site worker health risks and possibly community risks. Depending upon the location and regional air quality, considerable effort may be required to obtain the necessary air permit for construction and operation of a similarly configured large-scale PCCCS facility.

gas separation↗

Molecular-Level Overhaul of y-Aminopropyl Aminosilicone/Triethylene Glycol Post-Combustion CO2-Capture Solvents

Capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from post-combustion gas streams is an energy-intensive process that is required prior to either converting or sequestering CO2. There are a few commercial offerings of 1st and 2nd generation aqueous amine technologies, however the cost of capturing CO2 with these technologies remains high. To decrease costs of capture, researchers are designing efficient solvent systems with the goal of being drop-in replacements for 1st and 2nd generation infrastructure. One approach has seen the development of water-lean solvents that aim to increase efficiency by reducing the water content in solution. Water-lean solvents such as GE’s GAP/TEG are promising technologies, with potential to halve the parasitic load to a coal-fired power plant, only if the intrinsically high solution viscosities and hydrolysis of the siloxane moieties could be mitigated. We present here, an integrated multidisciplinary approach to overhaul the GAP/TEG solvent system at the molecular level to mitigate hydrolysis while also reducing viscosity. We present molecular-level insights into chemical speciation of CO2-containing ions, showing that co-solvents and diluents have a negligible effect on reducing viscosity and are not needed. This finding allowed for the design of singlecomponent siloxane-free diamine derivatives with site-specific incorporation of selective chemical moieties for direct placement and orientation of hydrogen bonding to reduce viscosity. Ultimately, we present new single-component diamine formulations less susceptible to hydrolysis that exhibit up to a 98% reduction in viscosity compared to the initial GAP/TEG formulation.

Cantu Cantu, David↗

High CO2 Capture Rate Cost and Performance for F- and H-Class Natural Gas Combined Cycles (NGCC)

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is updating its study titled “Cost and Performance Baselines for Fossil Energy Plants, Volume 1: Bituminous Coal and Natural Gas to Electricity.” Revision 4 was published in 2019. Pulverized coal (PC) and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) cases with carbon capture in that study capture carbon dioxide (CO2) at 90% efficiency. Field-testing of post-combustion CO2 capture technology as well as vendor and industry feedback on projects currently in the planning stages (including FEED projects sponsored by DOE) indicate that capture rates as high as 95% are feasible for both coal- and natural gas-fueled electricity generating units. Technology suppliers (as reflected in vendor-supplied information provided to DOE for this study that included cost and performance estimates for both NGCC (97%) and PC (99%) study cases) as well as subject matter experts acknowledge and support that solvent-based post-combustion CO2 capture technologies are capable of achieving CO2 removal rates beyond 95% on low-purity streams representative of fossil-fueled combustion; however, the relatively limited experience with design and operation of capture systems that can routinely, reliably, and economically achieve very high removal rates (e.g., 97% for NGCC flue gas) requires further study. This presentation will address performance and cost estimates for 90%, 95%, and 97% capture for F- and H-class NGCC plants. This presentation was given at the 2022 Pittsburgh Coal Conference.

Fout, Timothy↗

Pilot testing of CO2 capture from a coal-fired power plant—Part 2: Results from 1-MWe pilot tests

Abstract Using a 1-MWe slipstream pilot plant, solid-sorbent-based post-combustion CO2 capture was tested at a coal-fired power plant. Results from pilot testing were used to develop a preliminary full-scale commercial design. The sorbent selected for pilot-scale evaluation during this project consisted of an ion-exchange resin that incorporated amines covalently bonded to the substrate. A unique temperature-swing-absorption (TSA) process was developed that incorporated a three-stage fluidized-bed adsorber integrated with a single-stage fluidized-bed regenerator. Overall, following start-up and commissioning challenges that are often associated with first-of-a-kind pilots, the pilot plant operated as designed and expected, with a few key exceptions. The two primary exceptions were associated with: (i) handling characteristics of the sorbent, which were sufficiently different at operating temperature than at ambient temperature when design specifications were established with lab-scale testing; and (ii) CO2 adsorption in the transport line between the regenerator and adsorber that preloaded the sorbent with CO2 prior to entering the adsorber. Results from the pilot programme demonstrate that solid-sorbent-based post-combustion capture can be utilized to achieve 90% CO2 capture from coal-fired power plants.

Sjostrom, Sharon↗

Techno-Economic Optimization of Fixed Bed and Moving Bed Contactors for CO2 Capture from NGCC Plants Using a Functionalized Metal-Organic Framework

Amine-appended metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have strong potential for post-combustion CO2 capture from NGCC plants. In this work, a specific tetramine-appended MOF, Mg2(dobpdc)(3-4-3) (dobpdc4− = 4,4′-dioxidobiphenyl-3,3′dicarboxylate; 3-4-3 = N,N′bis(3-aminopropyl)-1,4-diaminobutane), is evaluated due to its superior performance compared to other candidate diamine-appended and tetraamine-appended MOFs. Techno-economic optimization is performed to minimize the cost of capture by using the Framework for Optimization, Quantification of Uncertainty, and Surrogates (FOQUS), which is capable of optimizing systems by using derivative-free optimization solvers where process models are built using numerous modeling platforms. The technical and economic performances of both fixed bed and moving bed processes are compared with state-of-the-art amine-based solvent systems.

Hughes, Ryan↗

Pilot Unit Testing at NCCC of Sorbent based CO2 Capture

TDA Research, Inc. is developing a new CO2 sorbent (alkalized alumina) technology for post-combustion CO2 capture. In this DOE sponsored project (DE-FE0012870), TDA constructed a pilot-scale skid, which was installed and tested at National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC). It was designed to process coal derived flue gas equivalent to 0.5 MWe of power generation. The pilot test data shows that TDA’s process can achieve 90% capture rate and 95% CO2 purity (the performance target) for both coal and natural gas (NG) flue gases. The techno-economic analysis (TEA) for a 550-MWe supercritical coal fired power plant with CO2 capture shows that the capture cost for TDA’s process is $34.9/tonne CO2 captured, which meets DOE’s goal of $40/tonne and is 17.1% less than the DOE baseline Case 12 (an amine solvent technology).

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

Mitigation Methods for Piperazine Oxidation in Post-Combustion Carbon Capture

Piperazine is a promising second-generation solvent for amine scrubbing in post-combustion CO2 capture. However, the oxidative degradation of PZ can cause environmental problems and economic loss. This work presents the effects of two mitigation methods: carbon treating and N2 sparging, on the PZ oxidation in long-term operations. The species and their respective quantities adsorbed by the activated carbon were tested in a bench-scale device. The carbon was then tested in the High Temperature Oxidation Reactor (HTOR), where the solvent oxidizes at a reasonably fast rate. Pilot plant campaigns were also performed at the UT Austin SRP and the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) and the effects were verified. When dissolved Fe is removed by carbon treating or other methods, available soluble Fe in the system dissolves and replaces the dissolved Fe. Therefore, all available Fe and ligands need to be removed for the mitigation to be effective. The sources of soluble Fe include fly ash and the corrosion of stainless steel, and the ligands are degradation products. 8 All PZ degraded solvents have two absorbance peaks at 320 nm and 538 nm. The 320 nm peak is caused by dissolved metals, especially Fe, complexed by degradation products. The 320 nm peak is related to the amine degradation level and can be used as a simple and efficient method to estimate the amine degradation rate. The pilot plant data suggest that NO2 can oxidize PZ significantly, possibly through radical reactions. 0.01 mmol/kg-hr absorption of NO2 increased the PZ oxidation rate from 1.2 mmol/kg-hr to 2.5 mmol/kg-hr.

Yuying, Wu↗

Systems Analysis of Biomass and Coal Co-firing Power Plants with Deep Carbon Capture Toward Net-zero Emissions

Achieving a net-zero emission economy in the United States requires integrating diverse low-carbon and negative-emission technologies into the existing fossil fuel-dominant power fleet. Potential technologies from the low-carbon portfolio include renewable power, fossil power with carbon capture and storage (CCS), bioenergy with CCS (BECCS), and direct air capture (DAC). Renewable power is a clean energy source but has to pair with costly battery storage to provide dispatchable electricity. Fossil power with CCS offers dispatchable electricity yet still relies on DAC to offset residual emissions, even when deploying deep CCS with more than 90% CO2 capture. Coal-biomass co-firing with CCS, a subset of BECCS, is a reliable energy production technology that can be retrofitted from existing electricity generation units (EGUs). Power plant retrofit maximizes the use of the current U.S. coal power fleet without the need for large-scale deployment of new renewable power, battery storage, or DAC. Retrofitting coal-biomass co-firing with deep CCS in EGUs is a promising option, but not a universal solution. Biomass co-firing at a power plant introduces economic challenges and indirectly poses pressure on land and water resources. Meanwhile, retrofitting deep CCS affects plant efficiency and raises electricity generation costs. Overall, the technical feasibility and economic viability of plant retrofits vary across EGUs, as they are contingent upon the regional availability of biomass, unit-specific characteristics, site-specific fuel supply costs, and adjacent CO2 storage potential. Government incentives like 45Q can improve the retrofit viability, though the impact requires further quantification. A comprehensive analysis at the unit level is essential to address the question regarding the fate of the U.S. coal-fired electricity generation fleet toward the net-zero emission goal. This study conducts a systematic techno-economic-environmental assessment of EGUs to identify the viability of biomass co-firing and deep CCS retrofits in the U.S. coal-fired power fleet. Specifically, it characterizes the techno-economic performance of deep carbon capture, estimates life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and conducts a fleet-level assessment on retrofit viability. The key objectives are (1) to estimate the unit-specific performance and retrofitted cost under various biomass co-firing levels and CO2 capture rates; (2) to determine the possibility of reaching net-zero emission at the fleet level; (3) to quantify the cumulative capacities that are suitable for plant retrofits under current and future biomass supply scenarios; and (4) to improve the understanding of policy impacts on such retrofits to help the power sector’s transition to a net-zero economy. Techno-economic Model of Deep Carbon Capture. This study develops the performance and economic models for Monoethanolamine-based post-combustion CO2 capture at 95–99% capture rates. The process is simulated in Aspen Plus, analyzing the performance of carbon capture technology by varying the plant sizes, solvent lean loading, CO2 concentrations, and flue gas inlet temperature. Based on the key inputs and output parameters of CO2 capture, a reduced-order performance model of deep carbon capture is formulated. In addition, an engineering-economic model integrating the performance metrics is developed to estimate the capital as well as operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. Capital cost estimations follow the framework of the Integrated Environmental Control Model (IECM) and incorporate data regressions from three technical reports by IECM, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The O&M cost estimation utilizes the actual inventory consumption rate and labor requirements. Both performance and cost models are embedded into IECM v13.0-beta, a fossil-fuel power plant modeling tool. Life Cycle Assessment of Power Plants. This study estimates the GHG emissions of power plants through life cycle assessment (LCA). The LCA scope includes fuel supply, combustion-based power generation, and CO2 transport and storage. The fuel-based life cycle module is designed following the framework of the NETL Unit Process Library and CO2U LCA Guidance Toolkit. The module is then incorporated into IECM v13.0-beta. The process-based LCA is applied to estimate the GHG emissions of coal and biomass supply, coal- and coal-biomass co-firing power plant operation, as well as CO2 pipeline transport and geographical sequestration. An uncertainty analysis is conducted to quantify the variability and uncertainty associated with the LCA using the Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) method. Fleet-level Assessment. This study evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of selected coal-fired EGUs, examines the role of tax credits in retrofit viability, and assesses the competitiveness of retrofitted units against other low-carbon options. Unit screening identifies EGUs for the study, focusing on new, efficient baseload units with air pollution controls. The power plant databases are then established to organize unit-specific information on performance and operating conditions from the relevant public databases. Biomass for co-firing retrofits is selected based on home and neighboring county availability, ensuring sustained operation with at least a 5% co-firing level. The CO2 storage site is determined by state-level storage potential, with ArcGIS Pro and NETL CO2 Saline Storage Cost Model used to identify the optimal balance between the nearest transport distances and affordable storage costs. The latest IECM v13.0-beta is then employed to configure and evaluate the eligible EGUs with or without the deployment of deep CCS and biomass co-firing. A supply curve is established to illustrate the cumulative installed capacity suitable for retrofits at different cost levels. A sensitivity analysis on tax credits for carbon sequestration is performed. Finally, a unit-level cost comparison is conducted among retrofitted plants, renewable power with battery storage, and abated fossil fuels with DAC. Expected Results. This study evaluates the technical, economic, and environmental metrics of each EGU across an array of CO2 capture rates and biomass co-firing level scenarios. Unit-level comparisons will identify critical factors influencing technical performance. The supply curves with and without tax incentives will provide insights into the impact of tax credits on biomass co-firing and CCS deployment. The cost comparisons with renewables and DAC-retrofit will assess the competitiveness of the retrofitted units. Life cycle emissions from each unit will be assessed to identify the scenarios under which net-zero emissions can be achieved. These analyses are expected to determine the total coal-fired capacity suitable for serving as a low-carbon energy source with or without tax incentives. The study results are novel in identifying optimal unit-specific strategies for producing carbon-neutral power, whether through retrofitting EGUs with deep CCS, biomass co-firing, DAC, or installing renewable power with battery. The findings will provide insight into nationwide efforts to ensure reliable, affordable, and low-carbon electricity. It also will inform investment decisions and policies in the deployment of deep carbon capture and negative emission technologies for a net-zero energy future.

Biomass Co-firing↗