Demonstrating flexible operation of the Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) CO2 capture plant
File(s)Bui et al. Flexible operation of TCM.pdf (3.64 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Bui, Mai
Flø, Nina E
de Cazenove, Thomas
Mac Dowell, Niall
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
This study demonstrates the feasibility of flexible operation of CO2capture plants with dynamic modelling and experimental testing at the Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) CO2capture facility in Norway. This paper presents three flexible operation scenarios: (i) effect of steam flow rate, (ii) time-varying solvent regeneration, and (iii) variable ramp rate. The dynamic model of the TCM CO2capture plant developed in gCCS provides further insights into the process dynamics. As the steam flow rate decreases, lean CO2loading increases, thereby reducing CO2capture rate and decreasing absorber temperature. The time-varying solvent regeneration scenario is demonstrated successfully. During “off-peak” mode (periods of low electricity price), solvent is regenerated, reducing lean CO2loading to 0.16molqY:/molMEAand increasing CO2capture rate to 89–97%. The “peak” mode(period of high electricity price) stores CO2within the solvent by reducing the reboiler heat supply and in-creasing solvent flow rate. During peak mode, lean CO2loading increases to 0.48molqY:/molMEA, reducing CO2 capture rate to 14.5%, which in turn decreases the absorber temperature profile. The variable ramp rate scenario demonstrates that different ramp rates can be applied successively to a CO2capture plant. By maintaining constant liquid-to-gas (L/G) ratio during the changes, the CO2capture performance will remain the same, i.e., constant lean CO2loading (0.14–0.16molqY:/molMEA) and CO2capture rate (87–89%). We show that flexible operation in a demonstration scale absorption CO2capture process is technically feasible. The deviation between the gCCS model and dynamic experimental data demonstrates further research is needed to improve existing dynamic modelling software. Continual development in our understanding of process dynamics during flexible operation of CO2capture plants will be essential. This paper provides additional value by presenting a com-prehensive dynamic experimental dataset, which will enable others to build upon this work.
Date Issued
2020-02
Date Acceptance
2019-10-21
Citation
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2020, 93, pp.1-26
ISSN
1750-5836
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
1
End Page
26
Journal / Book Title
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
Volume
93
Copyright Statement
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (E
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (E
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1750583619303652?via%3Dihub
Grant Number
EP/M015351/1
EP/N024567/1
UKCCSRC 2017 Partner
Subjects
04 Earth Sciences
05 Environmental Sciences
09 Engineering
Energy
Publication Status
Published online
Article Number
102879
Date Publish Online
2019-12-04