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Title: Process for Mitigating Solvent Loss and Degradation During CO2 Capture

Abstract

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project was aimed at a significant reduction in the cost of flue gas purification prior to solvent-based CO2 capture. The project demonstrated the technical and economic feasibility of using specifically formulated sorbents for the purification of flue gas prior to CO2 capture in InnoSepra’s novel sorption-based process through lab and scale up testing, process modeling and simulation, and a detailed techno-economic analysis. Particulate sorbents have at least an order of magnitude higher surface area to volume ratio compared to solvent-based processes utilizing structured packing. This makes particulate sorbents very effective for the removal of low levels of acids and acid gases prior to solvent-based CO2 capture processes. Laboratory and scale up tests indicated that the sorbents used in this study can remove residual acids and acid gases (<20-ppm total) to sub-ppm levels at very high efficiency with low pressure drop and low operating cost. Process economic evaluation based on the experimental data, process modeling, and scale up studies indicates that the sorbents identified during this project can cost-effectively remove all flue gas impurities prior to the CO2 capture process, eliminating solvent purge due to formation of heat stable salts, and eliminating solvent aerosolmore » emissions from the capture process. The process is applicable to both solvent (aqueous and non-aqueous) and sorbent (physical and reactive) based capture processes. The original project milestones, both in terms of process performance and the reduction in CO2 capture cost, were significantly exceeded during the execution of the Phase I Project. The capacity of the sorbents identified during the Phase I project for the removal of impurities is at least 80% higher than the capacity used in the techno-economic evaluation for the Phase I proposal. This results in a lower capital cost for the sorption equipment, and a lower operating cost (pressure drop and sorbent replacement cost). Based on the updated analysis the reduction in the CO2 capture cost increases from about $7/ton to about 8.9/ton. The results from this project are also applicable to CO2 capture using non-aqueous solvents, ionic solvents, and physical/reactive sorbents and should help with DOE’s long-term goals for CO2 capture. If the captured CO2 is used for Enhanced Oil Recovery it can potentially address, depending on the oil price, a CO2-EOR market worth over 100 billion without the need for climate legislation. EOR can also sequester up to 30 gigatons (equivalent to emissions from 140 GWs of coal based power generation for 35 years) of carbon dioxide in oil fields, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of coal-based power generation and oil production.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. InnoSepra, LLC, Middlesex, NJ (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
InnoSepra, LLC, Middlesex, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1480680
Report Number(s):
DOE-Inno-SC0015852
DOE Contract Number:  
SC0015852
Type / Phase:
SBIR (Phase I)
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS; CO2 Capture; Flue gas purification; enhanced oil recovery; coal-based power plants

Citation Formats

Jain, Ravi. Process for Mitigating Solvent Loss and Degradation During CO2 Capture. United States: N. p., 2018. Web.
Jain, Ravi. Process for Mitigating Solvent Loss and Degradation During CO2 Capture. United States.
Jain, Ravi. 2018. "Process for Mitigating Solvent Loss and Degradation During CO2 Capture". United States.
@article{osti_1480680,
title = {Process for Mitigating Solvent Loss and Degradation During CO2 Capture},
author = {Jain, Ravi},
abstractNote = {This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project was aimed at a significant reduction in the cost of flue gas purification prior to solvent-based CO2 capture. The project demonstrated the technical and economic feasibility of using specifically formulated sorbents for the purification of flue gas prior to CO2 capture in InnoSepra’s novel sorption-based process through lab and scale up testing, process modeling and simulation, and a detailed techno-economic analysis. Particulate sorbents have at least an order of magnitude higher surface area to volume ratio compared to solvent-based processes utilizing structured packing. This makes particulate sorbents very effective for the removal of low levels of acids and acid gases prior to solvent-based CO2 capture processes. Laboratory and scale up tests indicated that the sorbents used in this study can remove residual acids and acid gases (<20-ppm total) to sub-ppm levels at very high efficiency with low pressure drop and low operating cost. Process economic evaluation based on the experimental data, process modeling, and scale up studies indicates that the sorbents identified during this project can cost-effectively remove all flue gas impurities prior to the CO2 capture process, eliminating solvent purge due to formation of heat stable salts, and eliminating solvent aerosol emissions from the capture process. The process is applicable to both solvent (aqueous and non-aqueous) and sorbent (physical and reactive) based capture processes. The original project milestones, both in terms of process performance and the reduction in CO2 capture cost, were significantly exceeded during the execution of the Phase I Project. The capacity of the sorbents identified during the Phase I project for the removal of impurities is at least 80% higher than the capacity used in the techno-economic evaluation for the Phase I proposal. This results in a lower capital cost for the sorption equipment, and a lower operating cost (pressure drop and sorbent replacement cost). Based on the updated analysis the reduction in the CO2 capture cost increases from about $7/ton to about 8.9/ton. The results from this project are also applicable to CO2 capture using non-aqueous solvents, ionic solvents, and physical/reactive sorbents and should help with DOE’s long-term goals for CO2 capture. If the captured CO2 is used for Enhanced Oil Recovery it can potentially address, depending on the oil price, a CO2-EOR market worth over 100 billion without the need for climate legislation. EOR can also sequester up to 30 gigatons (equivalent to emissions from 140 GWs of coal based power generation for 35 years) of carbon dioxide in oil fields, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of coal-based power generation and oil production.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1480680}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Nov 04 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Sun Nov 04 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}

Technical Report:
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