Lessons learned at TCM
MEA Baseline
Dr. Espen Steinseth Hamborg
Technology Manager
TCM DA
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Current CCS projects in Norway
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Sleipner
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Snøhvit
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Natural gas production
World’s first large-scale offshore
CO2 separation, injection, and
storage site
1 million ton CO2 annually since
1996
Amine based
LNG production
CO2 separation, injection and
storage.
0.7 million tons annually
Amine based
Both applied to natural gas
treatment processes!
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What differs TCM from current CCS?
Current CCS
(Natural gas treatment)
TCM
(Flue gas treatment)
CO2 partial pressure
High
(typically 1 – 5 barA)
Very low
(0.03 – 0.150 barA)
Oxygen content
Very low
(0 – 0.2%)
Very high
(5 – 15%)
Emissions
Little relevance
(closed process)
Very high relevance
(process open to atmosphere)
Relevance
process degradation
Relevance
process degradation and increased
emissions
Trace components
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TCM drives amine based CCS technology from natural gas towards flue
gas treatment
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Reduces technical, financial, and environmental risks
Results from TCM will be instrumental due to (partly) open dissemination
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Background of the MEA solvent system
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Amine systems for natural gas treatment stretches back to 1930s
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MonoEthanolAmine (MEA) is a conventional amine
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Easily available, low costs
All patents have now expired
• Freely used by anyone, “open source amine”
• Although still used by commercial vendors with certain patented adaptions
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Well understood solvent system; kinetics, CO2 VLE, etc..
Forms a baseline for any CCS applications
MEA solvent: usually an aqueous mixture of 20 – 45 wt% MEA
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Amine plant at TCM
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Designed and constructed by Aker Solutions
as a flexible generic amine plant
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Absorber:
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Two stripping columns:
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Rectangular concrete structure with PP liner
3 structured absorption packing beds
2 top beds can be operated dry (3 solvent distributors)
2 overhead water wash beds
Isokinetic sampling facilities at absorber outlet
Online FTIR system for gas phase compositions
Two different diameters to cover a large solvent
circulation rate range
Lean solvent vapor compressor
CO2 recycle line for increased CO2 inlet
content
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Amine plant at TCM – overview
Depleted
CHP flue gas
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Water
Washes
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Flow metering
Composition
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ID
Blower
Product CO2
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Absorber
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CHP flue
gas supply
F C
Stripper
Direct
contact
cooler
Stripper
reboiler
Steam
Condensate
Condensate
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Amine plant at TCM - emission monitoring
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CCS flue gas emitted to air
Possible harmful degradation products
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Nitrosamines
Nitramines
Techniques for analysis
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Offline
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Online
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Iso-kinetic impinger trains
FTIR
PTR-TOF
PTR-QMS
PTR-SYFT
TCM is governed by permits from
environmental authorities (Norwegian
Miljødirektoratet)
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As would be the case for any full-scale
CCS plants/projects
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MEA campaign at TCM – purpose & goals
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Some facts
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Purpose & goals
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CO2 capture from combined cycle gas fired turbines (CCGT) operations provides a very
small CO2 footprint for energy production
Very limited data from CO2 capture operations from CCGT treatment openly available
Generate results from CCGT operations with CO2 capture and a TCM amine plant
baseline with aqueous 30 wt% MEA
Investigate the potential of higher MEA concentrations
Verify design capacity and flexibility of the plant and specific functionalities
Understand scale-up, performance and emissions aspects
Verify and improve process simulation model
Testing of different online analyzer from emission monitoring
Scientific dissemination of results
Purpose & goals are aimed for gaining experience and knowledge for future largescale flue gas CCS projects
Conducted in collaboration with Aker Solutions as a part of its test period at TCM
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MEA campaign at TCM – overview
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Conducted December – February 2014
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Based on 2-3 months operation
About 150 different plant run scenarios investigated, runs lasted for 6-12 hours
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Test parameters selected to learn on performance, scale-up, emissions, MEA
process modelling, and transient operations
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Change one main parameter per run and adjust reboiler steam consumption to
reach about 85% CO2 capture rate (most of the time)
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One week of stable operation of aqueous 30 wt% MEA base case being verified
by an independent verification contractor
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Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Based on accredited gas composition and flow measurements of FORCE technology
Excellent campaign follow-up collaboration between TCM, TCM owners,
and Aker Solutions
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MEA campaign at TCM – overview
Varied parameter
Range
Units
Number of scenarios
150
Flue gas flow rate
4,150-10,500
Sm3/m2-hr
Flue gas temperature
20-50
˚C
CO2 conc.
3.5-9
vol%
Lean solvent flow rate
4,100-22,000
kg/m2-hr
L/G ratio
0.5-2.5
kg L/kg G
CO2 capture
60-95
%
MEA conc.
25-45
wt%
Lean solvent temperature
20-45
˚C
Absorber packing height
12-24
m
Stripper pressure
1.9-2.5
bara
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MEA baseline results – CO2 inlet conc.
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CO2 flue gas inlet
concentration [%]
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Varied from 4.0% to
3.5% due to refinery
gas co-firing
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MEA baseline results – CO2 capture rate
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CO2 capture rates [%]
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Flow meters
FTIR gas analyzer
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Varied between 80%
to 95%
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Scatters & variations
due to
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Non-optimal gas
analyzer system
setup
Limited CO2 capture
control
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MEA baseline results – CO2 removed
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CO2 removed from flue
gas [kg/h]
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Relatively stable due to
constant steam throttle
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CO2 inlet gas
concentration varied
CO2 capture rate varied
CO2 removed constant
Plant control will be
important for large-scale
CCS capture plants
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Constant capture rate or
CO2 production?
Likely subject for future
legislation
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MEA baseline results – energy demand
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Specific reboiler duty
(SRD) [MJ/kg CO2]
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Actual energy demands
for separation of CO2
from flue gas
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Average of 4.1 MJ/kg
CO2
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MEA baseline results – emissions to air
• Typical emissions measured during aqueous 30 wt% MEA
baseline
• Proves no emissions of any harmful compounds
Compound
Amounts
MEA
0.02 ppmv
(TCM lab)
NH3
10 ppmv
(TCM lab)
Acetaldehyde
0.2 ppmv
(third party lab)
Formaldehyde
0.1 ppmv
(third party lab)
Total nitrosamines
< 0.00008 mg/m3
(third party lab)
Total nitramines
< 0.0002 mg/m3
(third party lab)
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MEA baseline results – Independ. verific.
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Aqueous 30 wt% MEA baseline established and being independently
verified by EPRI
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Preliminary independently verified results shows
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CCGT flue gas flow rate:
CO2 capture rate:
Specific reboiler duty:
CO2 production:
47.000 Sm3/hr
85% to 90%
4.1 MJ/kg CO2
2700 kg/hr
Results is based on a combination of
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Currently ongoing work
Accredited gas composition and flow measurements of FORCE Technology
Data collected by TCM instrumentation
Results will be standing as the baseline for future vendor testing at TCM,
and likely any future CCS projects based on flue gas treatment
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Concluding remarks
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Successfully completed most goals of the MEA test campaign
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Completed a test campaign which, to a large extent, will be openly disseminated
in the scientific arena
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4 abstracts accepted for oral presentation at GHGT-12 in Austin in October 2014
Gained insight into the operations of large amine plants treating CCGT flue gases
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Similar campaigns at other test centers lasted around 6 months
With minor adaptions, the SRD of aqueous 30 wt% MEA may be lowered
However; needs for additional MEA campaigns; characterization of degradation,
corrosion, reclaiming, etc..
Successfully proven that CCS projects based on flue gas treatment is technically
feasible, driven CCS technology from natural gas to flue gas treatment
Proven no emissions of any harmful compounds
Proven that energy may be produced in a gas fired power plant (CCGT) in
combination with CO2 capture, providing very low CO2 footprints!
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Results will be standing as the baseline for any future large-scale CCS projects based on
flue gas treatment!
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Results disclaimer
• Please note, the results presented here:
• are still being processed and may not be
final
• should not be used for any design purpose
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Thank you for your attention!!!
Acknowledgments to the TCM operation team, lab team, technical
committee, technology department, all other TCM staff, and Aker
Solutions staff for making this MEA campaign possible
Acknowledgments to TCM DA owners
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