Modelling and Multi-stage Design of Membrane Processes Applied to Carbon Capture in Coal-fired Power Plants

AbstractAccording to recent predictions, energy generation from coal will continue to play a key role in the next decades. The UK 2008 Climate Change Act requires a reduction of 80% of greenhouse gases emissions by 2050, and carbon capture and storage will have a key role in order to meet this target.This work focuses on post-combustion capture from coal-fired power plants based on membrane separation. Adetailed multi-stage design is presented: the developed flowsheet includes cross-flow and countercurrent-sweep stages. The cross-flow stages are based on a 2D model implemented by our research group able to predict the separation through spiral-wound permeators. Different process configurations are analysed, with the aim of reducing both energy consumption and membrane area.An economic analysis is also included: both capture and avoidance costs are evaluated. The estimated values are compared with data available in the literature for processes based on amine capture technology

Global challenges of capturing carbon dioxide

Within this general context, this talk will consider the use of novel nanoporous materials as the basis for adsorption based separations [3] that will range from concentrated mixtures to direct capture of carbon dioxide from air. An overview of different classes of materials will show how these can be tailored to such a wide range of conditions. The sheer scale of the task leads to having to optimize systems and speed up processes, which in turn brings in diffusion limitations