Systematic study of aqueous monoethanolamine (MEA)-based CO2 capture process: Techno-economic assessment of the MEA process and its improvements

The present study investigated the technical and economic performance of the monoethanolamine (MEA)-based post-combustion capture process and its improvements integrated with a 650-MW coal-fired power station. A rigorous, rate-based model developed in Aspen Plus® was employed to evaluate technical performance, while a comprehensive economic model was used to determine the required capital investment and evaluate economic performance. The techno-economic model was validated with published cost results. Our estimation of the capital investment for the baseline MEA capture plant was US$1357/kW, with a CO2 avoided cost of US$86.4/tonne. We then proposed process improvements such as parameter optimisation, lean/rich heat exchanger optimisation and flow sheet modifications to improve energy and cost performance. The combined process improvements reduced the capital investment by US$72/kW (a 5.3% saving) while cutting overall energy consumption by 24.5MW/h (a 13.5% reduction). As a result, the CO2 avoided cost fell to $75.1/tonne CO2, a saving of US$11.3/tonne CO2 compared with the baseline. Lastly, we performed a sensitivity study and cost breakdown analysis to understand how the CO2 avoided cost would be apportioned to the economic and technical parameters. The results indicate the directions of technical development to further improve the economic viability of the CO2 capture process.

[1]  Igor Bulatov,et al.  Application of optimal design methodologies in retrofitting natural gas combined cycle power plants with CO2 capture , 2016 .

[2]  Dianne E. Wiley,et al.  Reducing the Cost of CO2 Capture from Flue Gases Using Aqueous Chemical Absorption , 2013 .

[3]  Ashleigh Cousins,et al.  Model verification and evaluation of the rich‐split process modification at an Australian‐based post combustion CO 2 capture pilot plant , 2012 .

[4]  G. Versteeg,et al.  CO2 capture from power plants. Part I: A parametric study of the technical performance based on monoethanolamine , 2007 .

[5]  Edward S. Rubin,et al.  A proposed methodology for CO2 capture and storage cost estimates , 2013 .

[6]  Aie.  CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion 2014 , 2014 .

[7]  Magne Hillestad,et al.  Capital costs and energy considerations of different alternative stripper configurations for post combustion CO2 capture , 2011 .

[8]  Jerry Meldon,et al.  Advanced Post-Combustion CO 2 Capture , 2009 .

[9]  Wenji Zhou,et al.  Uncertainty modeling of CCS investment strategy in China’s power sector , 2010 .

[10]  Gary T. Rochelle,et al.  Amine Scrubbing for CO2 Capture , 2009, Science.

[11]  Karl Stéphenne,et al.  Start-up of World's First Commercial Post-combustion Coal Fired CCS Project: Contribution of Shell Cansolv to SaskPower Boundary Dam ICCS Project , 2014 .

[12]  Edward S Rubin,et al.  A technical, economic, and environmental assessment of amine-based CO2 capture technology for power plant greenhouse gas control. , 2002, Environmental science & technology.

[13]  Jacob Nygaard Knudsen,et al.  Evaluation of process upgrades and novel solvents for the post combustion CO2 capture process in pilot-scale , 2011 .

[14]  Moses O. Tadé,et al.  Rate-based modelling of combined SO2 removal and NH3 recycling integrated with an aqueous NH3-based CO2 capture process , 2015 .

[15]  Ennio Macchi,et al.  Economic assessment of novel amine based CO2 capture technologies integrated in power plants based on European Benchmarking Task Force methodology , 2015 .

[16]  Yaser Khojasteh Salkuyeh,et al.  Reduction of CO2 capture plant energy requirement by selecting a suitable solvent and analyzing the operating parameters , 2013 .

[17]  Shujuan Wang,et al.  Process modeling of an advanced NH₃ abatement and recycling technology in the ammonia-based CO₂ capture process. , 2014, Environmental science & technology.

[18]  Hana Gerbelová,et al.  The effect of retrofitting Portuguese fossil fuel power plants with CCS , 2013 .

[19]  Jinyue Yan,et al.  Effects of flue gas recycle on oxy-coal power generation systems , 2012 .

[20]  Alfons Kather,et al.  Post-combustion CO2-capture from coal-fired power plants: Preliminary evaluation of an integrated chemical absorption process with piperazine-promoted potassium carbonate , 2008 .

[21]  Jeehoon Han,et al.  A multi-objective optimization model for sustainable electricity generation and CO2 mitigation (EGCM) infrastructure design considering economic profit and financial risk , 2012 .

[22]  P. Feron,et al.  A survey of process flow sheet modifications for energy efficient CO2 capture from flue gases using chemical absorption , 2011 .

[23]  J. Repke,et al.  Techno-Economic Analysis of Postcombustion Processes for the Capture of Carbon Dioxide from Power Plant Flue Gas , 2010 .

[24]  Moses O. Tadé,et al.  Technical and Energy Performance of an Advanced, Aqueous Ammonia-Based CO2 Capture Technology for a 500 MW Coal-Fired Power Station. , 2015, Environmental science & technology.

[25]  Alfons Kather,et al.  Post-combustion CO2 capture in coal-fired power plants: Comparison of integrated chemical absorption processes with piperazine promoted potassium carbonate and MEA , 2009 .

[26]  Eric Croiset,et al.  Techno-economic study of CO2 capture from an existing coal-fired power plant: MEA scrubbing vs. O2/CO2 recycle combustion , 2003 .

[27]  Alfons Kather,et al.  Evaluating the impact of an ammonia-based post-combustion CO2 capture process on a steam power plant with different cooling water temperatures , 2012 .

[28]  Hartmut Spliethoff,et al.  Assessment of oxy-fuel, pre- and post-combustion-based carbon capture for future IGCC plants , 2012 .

[29]  Klaus D. Timmerhaus,et al.  Plant design and economics for chemical engineers , 1958 .

[30]  Yann Le Moullec,et al.  Process Modifications for Solvent-Based Post Combustion CO2 Capture , 2014 .

[31]  Costas Tsouris,et al.  Separation of CO2 from Flue Gas: A Review , 2005 .

[32]  R. Stuart Haszeldine,et al.  Carbon Capture and Storage: How Green Can Black Be? , 2009, Science.

[33]  Jinyue Yan,et al.  Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) , 2015 .

[34]  Mohamed Kanniche,et al.  Optimization of MEA based post combustion CO2 capture process: Flowsheeting and energetic integration , 2011 .