Moving Bed Carbonate Looping – Phase III

Background and project purpose?

The project is a feasibility study as a preparation for a more extensive and cost demanding test project in the development of the Moving Bed Carbonate Looping technology.

What was the project objective?

A feasibility study with focus on technology and market potential was necessary at this stage as the MBCL consists of several technology elements with very different maturity for use in MBCL. This includes elements of material technology, mechanical design, and thermal integration against NGCC.

Moreover, the specific sorbent is not yet tested in realistic mechanical and chemical environment, nor is the concept for heat exchange between catalytic total combustor and the sorbent. The objective in this phase of the MBCL development was to gather more insight in the critical technology elements and market potential before a Hot MBCL Test Rig project.

What has the project done in terms of activities?

– In WP1 a «one pot» method was developed and 20 kg sorbent has been produced and tested.
– In WP2 sorbent from WP1 is characterized and tested for mechanical stability.
– In WP3 a feasibility study of the MBCL technology was performed.
– In WP4 a new total combustion catalyst was produced.
– In WP5 the total combustion concept for MBCL was tested and validated.
– In WP6 a model of the hot MBCL process was developed.
– In WP7 focus was on the commercial strategy for MBCL.

What has the project achieved ? Did the project achieve its objective?

– WP1 & WP2: Pellets with cement as binder have not demonstrated sufficient mechanical strength, but 2. Generation sorbent with boehmite binder shows very promising mechanical strength and cyclic CO₂ capture capacity in gas mixtures simulating NGCC flue gas.
– WP3: TRL for all essential elements required for realisation of the MBCL technology have been analysed and a plan for moving MBCL to TRL5 in the coming test project has been established.
– WP4 & WP5: A new 10Co-CeO2/Al2O3 total combustion catalyst has been produced (100gm) and tested for stability in relevant combustion process. A lab-unitof the total combustor has been developed and tested. Advancement of the concept is needed in order to achieve even heat flux and temperature, and methods for achievement of this will soon be patent pending.
– WP6: Den kinetical model developed in earlier project phase has been integrated with multi-fluid reactor model and used for simulation of basic hot MBCL test rig.
– WP7: A commercialisation strategy for MBCL is proposed based on technological and markers risks.

Future plans?

The team is currently working on an application for CLIMIT support for next phase which is to design, build and test a Hot MBCL Test Rig. The plan is to install and run long term tests in SINTEF Tiller test centre with real flue gas from gas combustion.