Challenges of Recommissioning a CO2 Capture Pilot Plant in Saskatchewan, Canada

Abstract

SaskPower owns and operates a number of generating facilities in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. Major facilities include three large lignite coal-fired power stations located close to the southern boundary of the province and the United States border. The University of Regina has successfully re-commissioned a CO2 Extraction Pilot Plant at SaskPower's 875 MW Boundary Dam Power Station in southern Saskatchewan, Canada. This pilot plant had been idle for 12 years in significant ambient temperature extremes adjacent to an existing lignite coal-fired power plant. The pilot plant includes pumps, blowers, towers, control equipment, and a boiler, which needed to be inspected and brought to “as new” conditions. The pilot plant, part of the University of Regina's International Test Centre for CO2 Capture (ITC), is being used for technology demonstration involving a series of tests of newly developed amine solvents for CO2 capture at coal-fired power plants under extremes of climate. Significant challenges and delays were experienced in successfully re-commissioning this pilot plant, which currently is the only one of an appropriate size to develop the engineering data required for design of commercial facilities. The chapter discusses issues related to the mechanical, electrical, control and data acquisition equipment and how this equipment was modified or replaced to meet the testing schedule and customer requirements.