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CLIMIT-Forskning, utvikling og demo av CO2-håndtering

CO2Flow - Advancing LedaFlow for robust and accurate multiphase flow simulations to enable transport and injection of CO2

Alternative title: CO2Flow - Videreutvikling av LedaFlow til et robust og nøyaktig simuleringsverktøy som muliggjør optimal transport og injeksjon av CO2

Awarded: NOK 6.0 mill.

Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) enables permanent underground storage of CO2 captured from high-emission industry as well as energy processes powered by fossil fuel. It is an important technology for reducing the carbon footprint globally and thus, critical for achieving the climate goals set by the Paris Agreement. The innovation project CO2Flow will contribute to de-risk and accelerate the deployment of CCS by enabling accurate and robust simulations for optimal design and operation of CO2 transport and injection systems. LedaFlow has until recently primarily targeted petroleum production systems. However, most major energy companies aim for NetZero goals and focus on offsetting CO2 emissions through CCS. Optimal system design and safe operation call for reliable simulation tools. Unfortunately, multiphase flow simulators currently have serious limitations regarding simulation of CO2 transport and injection. Hence, the petroleum industry is presently ill-equipped for this transition. Some of the identified problems are too slow simulations, no kinetics (assume instant steady-state conditions), poor robustness, and little or no validation of the physical models against relevant experiments or field data. To address this, CO2Flow aims to make the multiphase flow simulator LedaFlow a preferred tool for CCS applications, with needed functionality for simulating steady-state and transient flow behavior of pure CO2 and CO2 with impurities. CO2Flow will conduct scientific modelling based on data previously generated in projects like CO2FACT. It will also use new phase change data from planned experiments in the 90 meters long vertical experimental facility DeFACTO. Software model improvements will be made available to partners in beta releases. After thorough testing new LedaFlow functionality will be commercially released by Kongsberg Digital. Successful implementation of CO2Flow can position LedaFlow as a leading commercial simulation tool for CCS applications.

LedaFlow has until recently primarily targeted petroleum production systems. Most major energy companies are however shifting focus towards offsetting greenhouse gas emissions through Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS), and are in acute need for simulation tools for this. Unfortunately, multiphase flow simulators currently have many serious limitations with regards to simulating CO2 transport and injection, hence the petroleum industry is presently ill-equipped for this transition. Some of the identified problems are slow simulations, no kinetics (assume instant steady-state conditions), poor robustness, and little or no validation of the physical models against relevant experiments. To address this situation, the CO2Flow project aims to make the multiphase flow simulator LedaFlow a robust and accurate tool for simulating CO2 flows, with all the necessary functionality for simulating scenarios relevant for CCS applications. In order to achieve this goal, the following R&D challenges will be targeted: • Improvement of hydraulic closure laws for accurate prediction of both steady-state and transient CO2 flow behavior • Advanced kinetic models considering scenarios dominated by phase change transition • Improved steady-state simulator to deal with complex injection networks with CO2 including composition tracking • Accomplished numerical stability of the transient flow for CO2-rich systems • Accurate prediction of CO2 dry-ice particle formation It is believed that the successful resolution of these key challenges will position LedaFlow as a leading commercial simulation tool for CCS applications. CO2Flow will include scientific modelling based on data previously generated in projects like CO2FACT and new data from experiments to be conducted in the vertical experimental facility DeFACTO. Results will be made available to partners in beta releases and after thorough testing and validation new functionality will be commercially released.

Funding scheme:

CLIMIT-Forskning, utvikling og demo av CO2-håndtering