Challenge of carbon capture

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2007 · EPRI Journal

OSTI ID:20885844

Douglas, J

Finding more-effective, less-expensive ways to capture the CO{sub 2} produced by coal-fired power plants could significantly lower the cost of reducing emissions while preserving coal as a vital energy resource. Several technological approaches have been proposed, but all options currently available would, indeed, impose substantial costs and impact plant efficiencies. Ongoing research promises to provide a suite of improved technologies that will give plant owners viable options to meet their specific needs. The article discusses the options for CO{sub 2} capture by precombustion based on IGCC systems, post combustion, or oxyfuel combustion. EPRI's work to develop a process to capture CO{sub 2} using chilled ammonia (rather than the more usual MEA) as a solvent is described. A 5 MW pilot plant is to be built at the We Energies Pleasant Prairie Power Plant. Other research programs (in Europe and Australia) are also mentioned. Deployment of a new generation of ultrasuperciritcal pulverized coal power plants designed to have greater efficiency and hence lower CO{sub 2} emissions is under development. Efforts to improve precombustion capture are reported in the article. Also noted are two recent studies (one by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R & D Programme and another by CPS Energy) comparing the performance of IGCC and supercritical PC plants incorporating CO{sub 2} capture. 3 figs., 3 photos.

• OSTI ID: 20885844
• Journal Information: EPRI Journal, Journal Name: EPRI Journal; ISSN 0362-3416
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
CAPTURE
CARBON DIOXIDE
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
COAL
COST
ECONOMIC IMPACT
EFFICIENCY
POWER GENERATION
OXYGEN
COMBUSTION
ELECTRIC POWER
PULVERIZED FUELS
COMBINED-CYCLE POWER PLANTS
AMMONIA
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
EPRI
PILOT PLANTS
SUPERCRITICAL STATE
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
USA