Assessment of the atmospheric fate and environmental impact of amine emissions from post combustion CO2 capture
File(s)
Author(s)
Manzoor, Saba
Type
Thesis
Abstract
Emissions from post combustion CO2 capture plants using amine solvents are of concern due to their adverse impacts on the human health and environment. Potent carcinogens such as nitrosamines and nitramines resulting from the degradation of the amine emissions in the atmosphere have not been fully investigated. It is, therefore, imperative to determine the atmospheric fate of these amine emissions, such as their chemical transformation, deposition and transport pathways away from the emitting facility to perform essential human health and environmental risk assessments.
In this study an in-depth analysis of the complex atmospheric chemistry mechanisms of monoethanolamine, methylamine and dimethylamine are considered. Rate constants describing the atmospheric chemistry reactions of the amines are obtained within experimental accuracy using theoretical quantum chemistry methods and kinetic modelling. Their dispersion away from the emitting PCCC facility in the atmosphere is quantified using an atmospheric dispersion model, ADMS 5. The cancer incident probability for humans living in vicinity of the plant is also predicted. The implementation of the developed methodology is illustrated by conducting worst-case scenarios on three emitting facilities at different geographical locations.
In conclusion, the established method is independent from experimental parameters which can assess the fate of any generic amine emission and its environmental impact regardless of the size and geographical location of the CO2 capture facility. Since PCCC technology is yet to be widely implemented at a commercial scale in operation; the developed method can ensure if a proposed facility complies with the air quality regulatory limits, essential for its chemical discharge permit. The technique can be used to propose ideal plant parameters with respect to its design and recommend ideal geographical locations for industrial installations such that the CO2 capture advantage of using amines can outweigh the risk associated with solvent discharge issues.
In this study an in-depth analysis of the complex atmospheric chemistry mechanisms of monoethanolamine, methylamine and dimethylamine are considered. Rate constants describing the atmospheric chemistry reactions of the amines are obtained within experimental accuracy using theoretical quantum chemistry methods and kinetic modelling. Their dispersion away from the emitting PCCC facility in the atmosphere is quantified using an atmospheric dispersion model, ADMS 5. The cancer incident probability for humans living in vicinity of the plant is also predicted. The implementation of the developed methodology is illustrated by conducting worst-case scenarios on three emitting facilities at different geographical locations.
In conclusion, the established method is independent from experimental parameters which can assess the fate of any generic amine emission and its environmental impact regardless of the size and geographical location of the CO2 capture facility. Since PCCC technology is yet to be widely implemented at a commercial scale in operation; the developed method can ensure if a proposed facility complies with the air quality regulatory limits, essential for its chemical discharge permit. The technique can be used to propose ideal plant parameters with respect to its design and recommend ideal geographical locations for industrial installations such that the CO2 capture advantage of using amines can outweigh the risk associated with solvent discharge issues.
Version
Open Access
Date Issued
2015-09
Date Awarded
2016-03
Copyright Statement
Attribution NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-ND)
Advisor
Korre, Anna
Durucan, Sevket
Simperler, Alexandra
Publisher Department
Earth Science & Engineering
Publisher Institution
Imperial College London
Qualification Level
Doctoral
Qualification Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)