CCPilot100+ Operating Experience and Test Results

Abstract

Doosan Power Systems are developing competitive Post Combustion CO2 Capture (PCC) technologies for application on coal- and natural gas-fired power plants for commercialisation by 2020.The paper presents an overview of the UK's largest post combustion CO2 capture plant on a coal fired power station, the CCPilot100+, giving an insight into the design and construction processes, operating experience gained during commissioning and a presentation of preliminary results from the first period of testing.Doosan Power Systems completed commissioning the CCPilot100+ plant at SSE's Ferrybridge Power Station in West Yorkshire in March 2012. The 100 t CO2/day (15MWt, 5MWe equivalent) CCPilot100+ PCC pilot plant is the first of its size to be integrated into a live power plant in the UK and uses Doosan Power Systems’ technology. It is designed to demonstrate scale-up of the PCC process and provides a stepping stone from process characterisation on Doosan Power Systems’ 1 t CO2/day (160kWt) Emissions Reduction Test Facility (ERTF) to commercial-scale (150MWe plus) plant. The experience gained during the development and operation of the ERTF PCC pilot plant has been used in both the CCPilot100+ plant design and test programme development.The project is co-funded by the project partners: SSE, Vattenfall AB, the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), The Northern Way and Doosan Power Systems, who were also responsible for the design and EPC project. In addition to the partners, four universities are undertaking associated research as part of the project and there is a training programme for future CCS engineers on a ‘live’ plant, creating a valuable resource for future developments.A two year test programme started in the first quarter of 2012. The test programme and long-term operation of the CCPilot100+ aim to optimise the PCC process and provide the data to develop and validate performance models. The test programme will demonstrate the capability of the process over the range of operating conditions that exist in power plant resulting from modern day electrical demand. The test programme will also assess and optimise, where possible, the performance of solvents for regeneration steam consumption, solvent degradation and materials compatibility.Auxiliary power requirements, which add to power plant parasitic losses, will be assessed and, by working with the supply chain, more efficient methods of operation can be considered and developed.Benchmark performance on 30% w/w monoethanolamine (MEA) solvent is being established first and will be followed by extensive parametric and long-term performance testing using the RS2TM designer solvent. Optimisation and long-term testing of a next generation advanced solvent will also be conducted following the RS2 TM testing phase. The testing and verification programmes at both the CCPilot100+ and the ERTF will be used to substantiate the scalability of Doosan Power Systems’ PCC technology under real operating conditions.