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CLIMIT-Forskning, utvikling og demo av CO2-håndtering

Enabling technology for the Development of moving bed Temperature swing adsorption process for post combustion CO2 capture

Alternative title: Utvikling av syklisk temperatur-sving prosess for fangst av CO2 ved bruk av faste adsorbenter ved lav temperatur

Awarded: NOK 10.7 mill.

Project Number:

267873

Application Type:

Project Period:

2017 - 2022

Partner countries:

In the project, we have further developed a capture process (MBTSA) where a powder with a high surface area is used that selectively binds CO2 stronger than the other components in the gas that you want to clean. In the process, the powder, after capturing CO2 in a column, will flow on to another warmer column where CO2 will be released. The produced CO2 gas can either be sent to long-term storage or utilized. One main focus of the project has been to produce and evaluate particulate adsorbents with high cyclic CO2 capacity that also have the necessary physical strength. Another focus has been to determine uncertain process parameters so that the mathematical model of the continuous process gives more realistic results. The model is used to simulate the process to further optimize and improve it. After the third year, we have procured a series of adsorbents and made a first evaluation of these: most focus has been on commercial active carbon and Zeolite 13X adsorbents in addition to forming a MOF (CPO-27-Ni) adsorbent in 300-700 micron spheres and an adsorbent based on polyethyleneimine (PEI) on a commercial silica support. Adsorption characteristics for the different adsorbents have been used to assess the use of the MBTSA process for CO2 capture from natural gas-based power plants and waste incineration plants. The results so far show that the MBTSA process, even with the removal of water before the capture process, is competitive with the MEA process. The MOF and Zeolite 13X adsorbents are comparable for use in CO2 purification of natural gas-based power plants. Initial studies show that the PEI/silica adsorbent is probably too chemically unstable for the MBTSA process. In the last phase of the project, we have determined heat transfer parameters for the MBTSA pilot at SINTEF in Oslo and modified the rig so that recirculation of gases from selected points in the process is possible and a better mass balance can be achieved.

We are still developing our MBTSA rig within the ongoing H2020 MOF4AIR project (https://www.mof4air.eu/?lang=no). In that project we are now about to upscale one (and maybe two) shaped MOF adsorbents to 10 L scale to be tested in the MBTSA pilot. As part of the project we will also make modification to the rig to improve the process. This work will go on during the second half of 2022 and in 2023. In addition, we are presently working with a big oil and gas company to evaluate one of their adsorbents for use in an MBTSA process in both NGCC and DAC (direct air capture) contexts. At presently we also work in a project with TotalEnergies E&P NORGE partly funded by Gassnova named "Disruptive CO2 capture" where the aim is to evaluate various adsorbent/process concepts on a comparable basis for use to capture CO2 in a NGCC context. There are several KPIs to be compared with the most important being cost, energy requirement, environmental issues and LCA. In this project also the MBTSA process for NGCC will be further evaluated. We believe the future further development of the MBTSA process will be strongly dependent on the outcome of this study. So, answering the question of the three bullet points is not possible today. But, after the thorough examination of the different available adsorbent-based technologies done in the "Disruptive" project mentioned in the former paragraph, I am certain that we in 2-3 years are able to answer.

Technologies for CO2 separation at low temperatures using solid sorbents are much less developed than alkanolamine based solvent processes. However, recent benchmarking studies have shown that low temperature sorption processes based on solid sorption may have similar and even smaller energy penalties for CO2 capture than state-of-art MEA processes. However, such benchmarking studies have large uncertainties due to lack of relevant data for solid sorption systems. In the present project the aim is to produce relevant process data and a reactor model for moving-bed temperature swing adsorption (MBTSA) process for post-combustion CO2 capture. An ECCSEL infrastructure to be finalized early 2018 will be used to gain knowledge on the process itself and the working performances of selected solid sorbents. We will make a limited selection of sorbents from the carbon, Zeolite, amine-grafted silicas and metal-organic framework families based on knowhow gained through previous post-combustion sorbent development projects. The performance data obtained will be used to make an improved benchmarking of the MBTSA capture process utilizing such sorbents integrated in both power plant, industrial and waste management contexts. In addition to the main research partners at SINTEF and NTNU, the project will initiate cooperation with SRI International (USA) having significant expertise on carbon adsorbents and the MBTSA process from an earlier DOE project. We already plan to extend this cooperation into a future GASSNOVA/DOE project during the implementation of the EDemoTeC project. The project is cross-disciplinary, combining advanced material development with reactor development and benchmarking.

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Funding scheme:

CLIMIT-Forskning, utvikling og demo av CO2-håndtering