Pilot scale Demonstration of a New Generation Transformational Solvent technology for CO₂ Capture from Power Plants and Industrial processes (“CAPSIN”)

Background and project purpose?
The purpose of the project has been to qualify a so-called third generation absorbent for CO₂ removal from large point sources that emit CO₂ gas, primarily from exhaust from gas and coal power plants, as part of the Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) value chain.
This solvent is a non-aqueous solution without amine components, and the concept was developed by C-Capture in the UK, with support from the UK EEF5 program.

The project intends to qualify the solvent system through pilot demonstrations, bench scale measurements of the specific solvent properties as well as degradation studies and modelling and simulation activities, as a competitive low-energy solvent. A stepwise research pathway has been followed, from a mini pilot with further intentions of operations at a larger size corresponding to the facility at TCM (Test Centre Mongstad). Qualification towards TCM was planned in the second part of the overall project.

The overall project has been divided into two phases; each phase being considered as separate Climit Demo projects. Parallel to the project, another development project has been underway with support from the EEF5 program in the UK, with focus on optimal solvent composition and stability.

What was the project objective?
The main objective of both phases is to demonstrate this technology on a CCS pilot plant with the goal of reducing the specific thermal energy requirement for a given amount of CO₂ of 50% compared to a standard solvent monoethanolamine (30wt% MEA). In addition, a requirement set by the project has been that the solvent must be environmentally benign.

What has the project done in terms of activities?
This project has had focus on piloting on SINTEF’s test rig to build operational experience and gather solvent specific data for energy measurements and performance validation. Additionally, bench scale measurements of solvent properties (kinetics, equilibrium experiments, density, viscosity) and emission specific analysis including a degradation campaign, using SINTEFs available SDR (Solvent Degradation Rig). Material testing has also been completed for plastic-based packing types with aim of possibly replacing the use of steel as packings in the absorber.

What has the project achieved? Did the project achieve its objective?
This project (Phase 1), aimed to generate fundamental property data for the solvent systems tested within the C-Capture technology, to acquire operational experience when running on a mini pilot plant and to show whether the solvent has significantly better properties compared to the reference system MEA through the use of pilot data and process simulation.

Significant amounts of basic property data have been generated and research methodology has been improved at SINTEFs research labs for work with this organic solvent system. SINTEF has also, together with Biobe AS, tested different types of plastic packing materials to see if this could possibly replace steel in the absorber. A model for simulating a process plant has also been developed.

However, when the system was tested at the pilot plant, major operational challenges were experienced which resulted in a failed campaign and lack of production of the required data for determining the energetic performance of the system. Therefore, the primary objective of the project in phase 1, to experimentally show the low energy potential, has not been achieved as of this day. This objective is set as a requirement for continuation to Phase 2.

Future plans?
Further pilot testing with a variation of the solvent is underway (as of August 2019) at C-Capture’s mini-pilot in the UK, which is financed outside the CLIMIT Demo project. Pilot testing and development is also underway in a new collaborative project between C-Capture and Drax.1

If pilot data, showing the potential, is obtained in time such that a Phase two can be completed before the CPP program ends in mid-2020, a new Climit Demo application will be submitted in 2019.

References

C-Capture bags £5M boost to scale up novel carbon capture pilot at Drax