Results From MEA Testing at the CO 2 Technology Centre Mongstad. Verification of Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC) Baseline Results

12 Pages Posted: 8 Apr 2021

See all articles by Scott Hume

Scott Hume

Electric Power Research Institute

Muhammad Ismail Shah

Technology Centre Mongstad

Gerard Lombardo

Technology Centre Mongstad

Thomas de Cazenove

Technology Centre Mongstad

Jane Karin Feste

Technology Centre Mongstad

Andrew Maxson

Electric Power Research Institute

Christophe Benquet

Technology Centre Mongstad

Date Written: April 6, 2021

Abstract

Technology Center Mongstad (TCM) houses a pilot-scale test facility for CO2 capture solvents termed the “amine plant”, where multiple test campaigns have been performed on monoethanolamine (MEA). The third MEA test campaign (MEA-3) was conducted in June 2017 and several subsequent tests on MEA (MEA-4 and MEA-5) were performed, through October 2018. MEA-3, MEA-4, and MEA-5 have been the most significant collaborative test campaigns that the owners of TCM, TCM DA, have conducted since its inauguration in 2012. The large number of public, industrial, research, and academic participants involved in these campaigns have enriched the projects and ensured that the significant results will serve a broad audience. The main objective of these campaigns was to produce knowledge that can be used to reduce the cost as well as the technical, environmental, and financial risks for the commercial-scale deployment of post-combustion CO2 capture (PCC). This includes demonstration of a model-based control system, dynamic operation of the amine plant, investigating amine aerosol emissions, establishment of residual fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) — a flue gas emanating from a nearby Equinor refinery that emulates coal in composition — baseline performance with MEA, and specific tests targeted at reducing CO2 avoided cost. Through the campaigns, both flue gas sources currently available to TCM were used, including the RFCC gas as well as flue gas from a nearby combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT)-based combined-heat-and-power plant (CHP) that operates off of natural gas.

The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI) assessed the performance of the MEA-based process using an independent verification protocol (IVP) previously developed for the CHP flue gas. The IVP provides a structured testing procedure for assessing the thermal and environmental performance of PCC processes under normal operating conditions. Based on this, methodology results were presented by Faramarzi et al. The IVP was updated for use with the RFCC as this gas contains 13–14 vol% CO2 content by volume whereas the CHP flue gas has 3.5 vol% CO2 content. Throughout the RFCC testing, TCM DA manually collected extractive samples from the depleted flue gas and product CO2 outlets sequentially. As part of the IVP, EPRI also assessed critical plant instrumentation at TCM for accuracy and precision error based on a comparative analysis done during testing operations and against calibration checks.

The MEA baseline process was evaluated during thirteen individual test periods over four days in May 2018. During the tests, extractive samples were taken to measure process contaminants such as aldehydes, ketones, amines, and ammonia. Sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides were continuously monitored using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analyzers on the depleted flue gas and product CO2 streams. TCM DA has installed multiple measurements of the CO2 concentration (FTIR, non-dispersive infrared sensor, and gas chromatography) allowing comparative confirmation during the test periods. The capture rate was calculated via four methods. CO2 recovery (overall mass balance) was evaluated and the thermal performance (energy consumption) was assessed based on measured data taken during the tests. The CO2 capture rate achieved during the MEA RFCC testing was close to 90%, with steam reboiler duties of 3.43–3.51 GJ/tonne-CO2, and the CO2 gas mass balance closures were close to 100%. These data and the associated assessments, along with the results of TCM DA sampling during these tests, will be presented in this paper and will provide a new baseline case for 30 wt% MEA solvent in higher concentration flue gas capture cases. Based on this, TCM will now have two baselines covering flue gases with 3.5 vol% CO2 (Faramarzi et al.) and with 13–14 vol% CO2 (this project).

Keywords: CO2 Capture, EPRI, MEA, Post-Combustion Capture, CO2 Technology Centre Mongstad, TCM

Suggested Citation

Hume, Scott and Shah, Muhammad Ismail and Lombardo, Gerard and de Cazenove, Thomas and Feste, Jane Karin and Maxson, Andrew and Benquet, Christophe, Results From MEA Testing at the CO 2 Technology Centre Mongstad. Verification of Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC) Baseline Results (April 6, 2021). Proceedings of the 15th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference 15-18 March 2021, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3821037 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3821037

Scott Hume (Contact Author)

Electric Power Research Institute ( email )

3412 Hillview Avenue
P.O. Box 10412
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1395
United States

Muhammad Ismail Shah

Technology Centre Mongstad ( email )

Mongstad
Norway

Gerard Lombardo

Technology Centre Mongstad ( email )

Mongstad, 5954
Norway

Thomas De Cazenove

Technology Centre Mongstad ( email )

Mongstad, 5954
Norway

Jane Karin Feste

Technology Centre Mongstad

Mongstad, 5954
Norway

Andrew Maxson

Electric Power Research Institute ( email )

3412 Hillview Avenue
P.O. Box 10412
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1395
United States

Christophe Benquet

Technology Centre Mongstad ( email )

Mongstad, 5954
Norway

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