Ansaldo Ricerche S.p.A.
Carbon Dioxide capture
Berlin, March 2008
Content
•Ansaldo Ricerche activity synthesis
on fuel pre-treatment for energy
production
•CO2 capture schemes and survey on
storage possibilities
Ansaldo Energia Corporate Chart
Ansaldo Ricerche is controlled by Ansaldo Energia, created as a
Corporate R&D Center of Ansaldo Energia group.
Our mission
Within the Power Generation Area, Ansaldo Ricerche is aimed at
product development to satisfy needs from industrial customers,
research centres, public research programs administration
 based upon its know how and experience in high-tech technologies
acquired in combustion, electromechanics, power electronics and
system integration
 to create value through the start-up of new businesses based upon
its new products
Products development:
Gasification and reforming
Coal and biomass gasifiers for energy
production (700-2500 kWe) gas cleaning and
treatment, small-size reformers for different
hydrocarbon fuels.
Gasification and Reforming
CO2 capture:
 Pre-combustion
Post combustion
Gasification and Reforming
Pre-combustion CO2 capture from gasification syngas
Power cycle
Pellettized
primary fuel
W
120°
C
Heating
Desulphuration
Gasification
Tar storage
Gas cleaning
450°C
250°C
Cooling
Gas engine
Condenser
Heating
Cooling
CO2 separation
Example of Integration
Shift conversion
Gasification and Reforming
Fixed bed gasifier
Relevant topics:
• Development of fixed gasification technologies for a
wide variety of coals, primary biomass and waste
Main gasification technology data:
• Actual internal diameter
1.3 m
• Thermal power
1000 ÷ 4000 kW
• Efficiency
> 85%
• Maximum internal diameter
3m
ARI fixed bed gasifier pilot plant.
Operative thermal power : 3 MW
Gasification and Reforming
Bubbling bed gasifier
Relevant topics:
• Development of gasification technologies for fuel
with high plastic content
• Gasifiyng agents
air and/or steam
oxygen
enriched,
CO2,
any
proportion
Main gasification technology data:
• Actual internal diameter
0.4 m
• Thermal power
500 kW
• Efficiency
> 70%
ARI fixed bubbling gasifier pilot plant.
Operative thermal power : about 0.5 MW
Gasification and Reforming
Pre-combustion CO2 separation from reformate syngas
Relevant topics:
Hydrophilic, MEA sorbent, Hydrophobic,
membrane concept
Low temperature, high efficiency separation
Compactness enhanced
No liquid dragging into the gas phase
 Noiseless when compared to scrubbing
 Potential CO2 separation at high pressure
F
Gas outlet
P
MEA
pressurized
tank
D
P
F
Hydrophobic membrane
P
Gas inlet
Distributor
Schematic view of the system
Gasification and Reforming
Autothermal oxygen reforming
Relevant topics:
• Pure oxygen reforming using a
catalyst resistant to high gradient
temperature
• Fast response to load variation
• High quality of reformed gas
• High thermal overall efficiency (up to
80%)
Autothermal steam reforming demo plant.
Operative electrical equivalent power :
about 30 kW
Gasification and Reforming
Gas treatment
Examples of single operations:
High and low temperature water gas shift
Relevant topics:
• High sulphur resistant catalysts
LT shift reactor
Post-combustion CO2 capture processes
•Amine based solvents
•Carbonate based adsorbents
•New materials adsorbents
Amine based solvents
Continuous absorption of
CO2 from combustion
gases based on solvent
capture
Desorption of CO2 from
the solvent utilising
process steam
Carbonate adsorbents
Pilot absorption plant
This kind of plant operates
with two reactors in an
alternated manner; when the
first reactor is saturated the
gas flow is diverted to the
second one and the first is
regenerated. Energy
consumption for
regeneration is lower than
the amount needed by the
liquid sorbents.
New materials solid adsorbents
•Existing capture technologies are relatively unsuitable for
wide use. In fact liquid absorbent are energy intensive and
expansive. Current solid adsorbents (carbonate based) suffer
from low adsorption capacities and lack of stability after
extended use.
•New materials to be utilised as solid adsorbents are under
rapid development. For example Hyperbranched Aminosilica
seems to be able to capture up to seven time more carbon
dioxide than the conventional solid materials. Also the
thermal stability is great allowing to recycled numerous times.
Survey on CO2 storage possibilities
Storage
•Geological storage
•Mineral storage
Re-use
•Enhanced oil recovery
•Enhanced coal bed methane
•algae
Thank you