A parametric study of CO2 capture from gas-fired power plants using monoethanolamine (MEA)

Abstract

The value of dispatchable, low carbon thermal power plants as a complement to intermittent renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly recognised. In this study, we evaluate the performance of post-combustion CO2 capture using monoethanolamine (MEA) retrofitted to a 600 MW CCGT, with and without exhaust gas recycle (EGR). Our results suggest that the EGR ratio plays a primary role in the regeneration energy penalty of the process. We contrast a gas-CCS process with its coal counterpart and show that whilst CCGTs have a greater energy penalty per tonne of CO2 captured than coal (i.e., GJtCO2Gas>GJtCO2Coal), owing to the high thermal efficiencies of CCGTs relative to coal-fired power plants, the energy penalty per MWh of low carbon energy generated is lower for gas than it is for coal (i.e., GJMWhGas<GJMWhCoal), making CCGT-CCS an attractive choice for low carbon electricity generation.