AbstractThe worldwide issue of greenhouse gas reduction has recently drawn great attention to carbon capture and storage (CCS). Almost CCS studies have been focused in the capture technology of carbon dioxide and the geological investigation for underground storage. The study of mechanical injection system for carbon dioxide has not implemented nearly. We are intended to develop a ground system for underground injection of carbon dioxide. In this study, we made lab-scale underground injection system and implemented injection simulation test experimentally. The 10,000 ton/year pilot plant for geological storage of carbon dioxide will be designed on the base of these test results. Major components of the lab-scale underground injection system include a pressure pump and an in-line heater to bring liquid carbon dioxide into its supercritical state. Test results assure that this system readily achieves the designed injection pressure and temperature, showing satisfactory control performance

Kim, Young

Lee, Jungho

Lee, Kong Hoon

Yoon, Seok Ho

Yum, Byoung-Woo

Elsevier - Publisher Connector 

Experimental Study of the Injection System for CO2 Geologic Storage Demonstration 

 Energy Procedia  37 ( 2013 )  3366 – 3373 
1876-6102 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of GHGT
doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2013.06.224 
GHGT-11 
Experimental Study of the Injection System for CO2 Geologic 
Storage Demonstration 
Seok Ho Yoona, Kong Hoon Leea, Jungho Leea, Young Kima, Byoung-Woo 
Yumb* 
aKorea Institute of Machinery and Materials, Daejeon 305-343, Republic of Korea 
bKorea Institute of Geoscience & Mineral Resources, Daejeon 305-350, Republic of Korea 
Abstract 
The worldwide issue of greenhouse gas reduction has recently drawn great attention to carbon capture and storage 
(CCS). Almost CCS studies have been focused in the capture technology of carbon dioxide and the geological 
investigation for underground storage. The study of mechanical injection system for carbon dioxide has not 
implemented nearly. We are intended to develop a ground system for underground injection of carbon dioxide. In this 
study, we made lab-scale underground injection system and implemented injection simulation test experimentally. 
The 10,000 ton/year pilot plant for geological storage of carbon dioxide will be designed on the base of these test 
results. Major components of the lab-scale underground injection system include a pressure pump and an in-line 
heater to bring liquid carbon dioxide into its supercritical state. Test results assure that this system readily achieves 
the designed injection pressure and temperature, showing satisfactory control performance.  
 
 
© 2013 S.H. Yoon, K.H. Lee, J. Lee, Y. Kim, B.W. Yum. Published by Elsevier  Ltd.  
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of GHGT 
 
 
Keywords:  carbon dioxide; geological sequestration; underground injection; supercritical 
Nomenclature 
 
T Temperature (oC)  
P  Pressure (bar) 
 
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +82-42-868-3375; fax: +82-42-868-3414. 
E-mail address: ybw@kigam.re.kr 
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of GHGT
 Seok Ho Yoon et al. /  Energy Procedia  37 ( 2013 )  3366 – 3373 3367
1. Introduction 
The typical CCS process is shown in Fig. 1. Carbon dioxide generated from CO2 source such as power 
plant is captured in the sequestration plant, and then transferred to the injection field. The transported 
carbon dioxide is injected into the underground by the ground injection system. The main function of 
ground injection system is the conversion into the state of carbon dioxide to the injection pressure and 
temperature and transfer to wellhead. The ground injection system consists of pressurizing facility, piping, 
heating devices, and control system, etc. We are developing the CO2 underground injection pilot plant 
which has 10,000 ton/day of injection capacity in the research project of KIMM and KIGAM. It is 
planned that the carbon dioxide is supplied as a liquid state using a tank lorry from the liquefaction plant 
for this pilot plant. The injection system is designed that carbon dioxide is injected into the downhole 
through the wellhead as a supercritical state. The supercritical state has an advantage for injection into the 
underground due to its properties. The injection condition of carbon dioxide is set as the 35oC of 
temperature and the 90 bar of pressure under which the carbon dioxide is in the supercritical. To raise the 
pressure of liquid carbon dioxide, the four-stage centrifugal pump will be adopted as a main injection 
pump. The inline heater using an electric cartridge heater is used to raise the temperature of carbon 
dioxide. Thus the injection system of carbon dioxide consists of the main injection pump, booster pump, 
inline heater, and control valves.  
The study about mechanical equipment and facility for carbon dioxide injection system has been hardly 
found among the technology for the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide. In this study, the lab-scale 
experimental setup was built for the investigation of the thermo fluidic characteristics of the injection 
system. Through the simulating of the injection pilot plant, the operation algorithm to optimize the energy 
consumption of the injection system can be suggested.  
 
 
Fig. 1. The injection facility in the CCS process (graphic based on CO2CRC image) 
3368   Seok Ho Yoon et al. /  Energy Procedia  37 ( 2013 )  3366 – 3373 
2. Development  of Injection System 
2.1. Analysis of Injection Process 
Before injection test apparatus is built, a process analysis was implemented to confirm the component 
specification. The injection process analysis is conducted by Aspen HYSYS which is widely-used process 
modelling software. Figure 2 shows the analysis result. In the process of lab-scale test, carbon dioxide is 
supplied as a two-phase saturated state from pressure vessel. To make similar state to state in the tank 
lorry, cooling and depressurizing is needed. After the supplying state is formed, carbon dioxide flows to 
the pressurizing pump and pressurizes up to the injection pressure over 90 bar. And then carbon dioxide is 
heated to make the supercritical state. Target injection condition is over 90 bar of pressure and over 32oC 
of temperature. Test range of mass flow rate of carbon dioxide is designed from 10 to 40 kg/h. According 
to this fallow rate range, the component specifications of pressurizing pump, heater and heat exchangers 
are designed. 
 
 
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.OKP
DCT
.KS
M9

DCT

DCTDCT
M9
M9
DCT
DCT
MIJ
DCT
MIJ
M9
%CNEWNCVGF
)KXGP
 
Fig. 2. Injection process analysis result 
 
2.2. Experimental Setup 
For simulating the actual injection system, the lab-scale experimental apparatus was built before 
developing the pilot system. The metering pump was used as a main injection pump in the lab-scale 
facility because the capacity of the centrifugal pump is too excessive for applying to the lab-scale. The 
-scale system since the mass flow rate is small. In order to prevent 
the vapor formation at the pump inlet, the carbon dioxide was cooled down using the chiller. Instead of 
the tank lorry to supply the liquid carbon dioxide, the vacuum insulated cylinder was made and the chiller 
is used to lower the temperature of the liquid carbon dioxide. The temperatures and pressures are 
measured by T-type thermocouples and pressure transmitters, respectively. And the injection flow rate is 
measured by Coriolis type mass flow meter. All the measured data was saved to the PC. Final injection 
 Seok Ho Yoon et al. /  Energy Procedia  37 ( 2013 )  3366 – 3373 3369
supercritical state is monitored through the sight glass on the cylinder located before vent. Figure 3 and 4 
shows the 3D schematic diagram and photo of experimental setup respectively. The specification of main 
component installed in the test rig is shown in table 1.  
 

Cylinder 
with sight 
glassG
Inline 
heaterG
Injection 
pumpG
Mass flow 
meterG
Liquid 
cylinderG
Bath 
circulatorG
Relief 
valveG
Needle 
valveG Plate 
HXG
CO2 
bombeG
VentG
 
Fig. 3. 3D schematic diagram of test setup 
 
 
Fig. 4. Photo of experimental apparatus 
Table 1. Specification of main components in the test setup 
Item Specification 
Heat exchanger Welding type plate heat exchanger for CO2, 
3370   Seok Ho Yoon et al. /  Energy Procedia  37 ( 2013 )  3366 – 3373 
Chiller 2 Hp compressor, temperature range: -30~80oC 
Liquid Vessel 20 L, sight glass, vacuum insulation 
Pressurizing Pump max. pressure: 100 bar, max. flow rate:  1.0 LPM 
Heater In-line cartridge type, max. 2 kW 
 
3. Test Results 
The experimental tests to simulate carbon dioxide injection were conducted in the various conditions. 
The injection simulation test was implemented with regard to variable storage condition. The storage tank 
is a liquid cylinder in this test setup. The liquid cylinder has a sight glass for monitoring the state and 
level of carbon dioxide. Tank lorry is a same position with liquid cylinder in case of pilot plant. 
According to the neighbour environment and tank lorry type, the storage condition of carbon dioxide is 
varied. In this study, the injection system performance is investigated with respect to the various 
saturation pressure of storage tank. Storage tank pressure is set to 30, 35, 40 bar as shown in Fig. 5, 
respectively. Storage tank pressure is adjusted by supplying carbon dioxide vapor from the pressure 
vessel to the upper side of storage tank. During the whole test period, the storage tank pressure was 
maintained as shown in Fig. 5. The storage tank pressure is affected to the suction state of pressurizing 
pump. And the performance of injection system is changed. To acquire the supercritical target condition 
(93 bar of pressure and 35oC of temperature), carbon dioxide is pressurized and heated. The mass flow 
rate of injected carbon dioxide was measured and all the variations of monitoring parameters are 
investigated.  
 
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 100 200 300 400 500
Pr
es
su
re
 (b
ar
)
Time (sec)
40 bar
35 bar
30 bar
 
Fig. 5. Pressure of CO2 storage tank (liquid cylinder) 
 Seok Ho Yoon et al. /  Energy Procedia  37 ( 2013 )  3366 – 3373 3371
Figure 6 shows the temperature variation of pump suction and injection port with regard to storage 
tank pressure. This temperature variation shows the trajectory from the initial condition to the steady 
injection condition. It took more time that high pressure case of the storage tank arrived the supercritical 
injection state. However, the temperature over shoot is smaller than that of low pressure case. 
Consequently, as the storage tank pressure is higher, the more time is needed to make the supercritical 
condition but the fluctuation of system is less. Even if the storage tank pressure is changed, the injection 
temperature and pressure is appropriately controlled as shown in Fig. 6. 
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 100 200 300 400 500
Te
m
pe
ra
tu
re
(
)
Time (sec)
T_pump suction(40 bar)
T_pump suction(35 bar)
T_pump suction(30 bar)
T_injection(40 bar)
T_injection(35 bar)
T_injection(30 bar)
 
Fig. 6. Temperature variation of pump suction and injection port with regard to storage tank pressure 
 
Figure 7 shows the mass flow rate variation of injected carbon dioxide with regard to storage tank 
pressure. The injection flow rate is a main performance parameter of underground injection system. When 
the same power is consumed and the more carbon dioxide is injected, it can be expressed that the system 
has high efficiency. The mass flow rate is measured for accurate comparison. As the system is operated, 
the mass flow rate is increased slightly. According to the inlet condition of the injection pump, the mass 
flow rate is varied. The injection flow rate of high storage tank case showed the higher value in the whole 
test period. This is due to the variation of subcooling at the inlet pump condition. The subcooling of 
pressurizing pump inlet condition affects the performance of carbon dioxide injection system. 
 
3372   Seok Ho Yoon et al. /  Energy Procedia  37 ( 2013 )  3366 – 3373 
10
20
30
40
50
250 300 350 400 450 500
Fl
ow
 ra
te
 (k
g/
h)
Time (sec)
40 bar
35 bar
30 bar
 
Fig. 7. Mass flow rate variation of injected carbon dioxide with regard to storage tank pressure 
Figure 8 shows the subcooling variation with regard to storage tank pressure. As the system operated, 
the subcooling increased and then maintained steady value except lowest storage tank pressure. As the 
storage tank pressure is higher, the system shows the higher subcooling. Because the subcooling of pump 
inlet has an effect on the system performance, the carbon dioxide supplying condition has to be controlled 
for the higher system efficiency. 
 
 
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 100 200 300 400 500
su
bc
oo
lin
g 
(d
eg
C)
time (sec)
40 bar
35 bar
30 bar
 
Fig. 8. Subcooling variation with regard to storage tank pressure 
 Seok Ho Yoon et al. /  Energy Procedia  37 ( 2013 )  3366 – 3373 3373
4. Conclusions 
Because the study about mechanical equipment and facility for carbon dioxide injection system has 
been hardly found among the technology for the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide, the lab-scale 
injection system was designed, analysed, and fabricated in this study. 
The injection test was conducted with regard to the various condition of carbon dioxide storage tank. 
The lab-scale system was controlled to make the supercritical injection condition appropriately. And the 
injection system parameters such as injection mass flow rate were investigated. As the storage tank 
pressure is higher, the injection system shows the higher and more stable performance. It is caused by the 
subcooling of pressurizing pump inlet condition affects the performance of injection system. Therefore, 
the carbon dioxide supplying condition to the pressurizing pump has to be controlled efficiently for the 
higher system performance. 
Acknowledgements 
This research was supported by the Research Project Development of supercritical CO2 injection 
system for geologic sequestration  of KIMM (Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials) and KIGAM 
(Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral resources) funded by ISTK (Korea Research Council for 
Industrial Science and Technology) Collaborative Research Program (B551179-09-03-00). 
References 
[1] Balat H, Oz C. Technical and economic aspects of carbon capture and storage - A review. Energy Exploration & 
Exploitation, 25:5 2007, pp. 357-392 
[2] Benson S, Cook P. Underground geological storage. In IPCC Special Report on Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage.  
Cambridge University Press; 2005. 
[3] Kim Y, Lee KH, Yoon SH, Song CH, Lee JH. Simulation of a Wellbore Pipe in a Geological CO2 Storage System. KSME 
2010 Spring Annual Meeting, 2010, pp. 307~308 
[4] Lee J, Lee KH, Yoon SH, Kim Y, Kim SH.Thermal Mixing characteristics of Line Heater through Swirl Flow, KSME 2011 
Spring Annual Meeting, 2011, pp. 398~399 
[5] Song CH, Yoon SH, Lee KH. Simulation and Experimental Study of Conditions of Storage Tank for CO2 Sequestration. 
KSME 2011 Spring Annual Meeting,2011, pp. 2748~2752 


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Experimental Study of the Injection System for CO2 Geologic Storage Demonstration

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