Life Cycle Modelling of Carbon Dioxide Capture and Geological Storage in Energy Production

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and geological storage (CCS) is recognised as one of the main options in the portfolio of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation technologies being developed worldwide. The CO2 capture and storage technologies require significant amounts of energy during their implementation and also change the environmental profile of power generation. The holistic perspective offered by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) enables decision makers to quantify the trade-offs inherent in any change to the power production systems and helps to ensure that a reduction in GHG emissions does not result in significant increases in other environmental impacts. Early LCA studies of power generation with CCS report a wide range of results, as they focus on specific CO2 capture cases only. Furthermore, previous work and commercial LCA software have a rigid approach to system boundaries and do not recognise the importance of the level of detail that should be included in the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data. This research developed a complete LCA framework for the “cradle-to-grave” assessment of alternative CCS technologies in carbon-containing fuel power generation. A comprehensive and quantitative Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database, which models inputs/outputs of processes at high level of detail, accounts for technical and geographic differences, generates LCI data in a consistent and transparent manner was developed and arranged and flexible structure. The developed LCI models were successfully applied to power plants with alternative post-combustion chemical absorption capture and oxy-fuel combustion capture. The results demonstrate that most environmental impacts come from power generation with CCS and the upstream process of coal production at a life-cycle perspective. LCA results are sensitive to the type of coal used and the CO2 capture options chosen. Moreover, the models developed successfully trace the fate of elements (including trace metals) of concern throughout the power generation, CO2 capture, transport and injection chain. Monte Carlo simulation method combined with the LCI models was applied to quantify the uncertainty of emissions of concern. A novel analytical framework for the LCA of CO2 storage was also developed and applied to a saline aquifer storage field case. The potential CO2 leakage rates were quantified and the operational and geological parameters that determine the ratio of CO2 leakage total volume of CO2 injected were identified

The Effect of Market and Leasing Conditions on the Techno-economic Performance of Complex CO2 transport and storage value chains

AbstractThe complex interplay of capital and operating costs that results from different CO2 transport and storage network configurations, and the market conditions in which they develop is investigated using the life cycle CO2 storage cost model and the multi-period CCS network optimisation model developed by Imperial College. These tools integrate seamlessly the geological characteristics, engineering aspects and the economics of complex CCS chains. The paper demonstrates that these models capture effectively and accurately the effects of market and leasing conditions on the techno-economic performance of complex CCS value chains. The results reveal that saline aquifers and depleted oil and gas fields may differ significantly in terms of cost performance. It is also shown that it is important to evaluate the technical and economic performance of the CCS value chain as a whole, rather than in individual components in order to ensure the financial viability of CCS projects

Life Cycle Modelling of Carbon Dioxide Capture and Geological Storage in Energy Production

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and geological storage (CCS) is recognised as one of themain options in the portfolio of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation technologies beingdeveloped worldwide. The CO2 capture and storage technologies require significantamounts of energy during their implementation and also change the environmentalprofile of power generation. The holistic perspective offered by Life Cycle Assessment(LCA) enables decision makers to quantify the trade-offs inherent in any change to thepower production systems and helps to ensure that a reduction in GHG emissions doesnot result in significant increases in other environmental impacts. Early LCA studies ofpower generation with CCS report a wide range of results, as they focus on specific CO2capture cases only. Furthermore, previous work and commercial LCA software have arigid approach to system boundaries and do not recognise the importance of the level ofdetail that should be included in the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data. This research developed a complete LCA framework for the ?cradle-to-grave?assessment of alternative CCS technologies in carbon-containing fuel power generation. A comprehensive and quantitative Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database, which modelsinputs/outputs of processes at high level of detail, accounts for technical and geographicdifferences, generates LCI data in a consistent and transparent manner was developedand arranged and flexible structure. The developed LCI models were successfully applied to power plants with alternativepost-combustion chemical absorption capture and oxy-fuel combustion capture. Theresults demonstrate that most environmental impacts come from power generation withCCS and the upstream process of coal production at a life-cycle perspective. LCAresults are sensitive to the type of coal used and the CO2 capture options chosen. Moreover, the models developed successfully trace the fate of elements (including tracemetals) of concern throughout the power generation, CO2 capture, transport andinjection chain. Monte Carlo simulation method combined with the LCI models wasapplied to quantify the uncertainty of emissions of concern. A novel analytical framework for the LCA of CO2 storage was also developed andapplied to a saline aquifer storage field case. The potential CO2 leakage rates werequantified and the operational and geological parameters that determine the ratio of CO2leakage total volume of CO2 injected were identified.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceHilary Bauerman TrustGBUnited Kingdo

Full Chain Analysis and Comparison of Gas-Fired Power Plants with Co2 Capture and Storage with Clean Coal Alternatives

AbstractThis paper presents the new models developed for the natural gas fuelled power generation chain, involving various natural gas production methods, gas processing routes, gas transport options, and alternative gas based power generation with/without CO2 capture. The comprehensive and quantitative Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database developed models inputs/outputs of processes at high level of detail, allowing to account for technical and geographic differences in the power generation value chain scenarios analysed. With the advantage of LCI models developed at unit process level, this work successfully identified the key operational parameters for alternative gas-fuelled power plants and the key component processes that emit the majority of GHGs across the gas supply chains

Real options analysis of CO2 transport and storage in the UK continental shelf under geological and market uncertainties and the viability of subsidies for market development

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) stakeholders focusing on transport and storage aspects need to consider a wide range of risks and uncertainties, categorised as market, regulatory, geological and technical risks and uncertainties. This paper presents a real options based investment decision making framework which has been designed to consider these, optimise flexibility at network infrastructure level, and appraise the viability of subsidies for market development, so that investors or regulators can confidently and quantitatively evaluate incentives that can support CCS deployment at large scale. The paper describes the models developed for this purpose and demonstrates the application of the modelling framework for a realistically designed UK North Sea CO 2 storage network

Characterization of a Polyamine Microsphere and Its Adsorption for Protein

A novel polyamine microsphere, prepared from the water-in-oil emulsion of polyethylenimine, was characterized. The investigation of scanning electron microscopy showed that the polyamine microsphere is a regular ball with a smooth surface. The diameter distribution of the microsphere is 0.37–4.29 μm. The isoelectric point of the microsphere is 10.6. The microsphere can adsorb proteins through the co-effect of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Among the proteins tested, the highest value of adsorption of microsphere, 127.8 mg·g−1 microsphere, was obtained with lipase. In comparison with other proteins, the hydrophobic force is more important in promoting the adsorption of lipase. The microsphere can preferentially adsorb lipase from an even mixture of proteins. The optimum temperature and pH for the selective adsorption of lipase by the microsphere was 35 °C and pH 7.0