CO2 capture system–Confirmation of oxy-combustion promises through pilot operation

Abstract

Alstom is developing a portfolio of solutions to address CO2 emission reductions. Among them is CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) for which Alstom is developing several CO2 capture systems based on post-combustion and oxycombustion processes. This paper will be oriented to utility and industrial companies that would like to be prepared to CCS challenges and understand the key features of the CO2 capture technologies, in this article focus will be on oxy-combustion. This paper is also oriented to “oxy-experts” community for an update coming from pilots operation. It will describe key features of the different pilot projects with Alstom’s involvement and will describe the work performed in there. The development of CO2 capture technologies are being pursued by European and US suppliers in collaboration with utility companies, academia, the US DOE, the European Union, and universities. The first part of this article will address the work of Alstom and corresponding results in three major oxy pilots: • Vattenfall Schwarze Pumpe Oxy-combustion pilot plant (30 MWth, coal)) and corresponding results (pilot is in operation since September 2008, a full PC oxy-combustion chain has been under evaluation there). • An oxy tangentially fired boiler development project (coal) with co-funding from the US DOE and other organizations, which includes pilot testing at the 15 MWth scale, conducted in Windsor CT (US). This pilot has started operation in September 2009. • The TOTAL Lacq Oxy-combustion pilot plant (30 MWth, natural gas) where Alstom did the retrofit of a conventional boiler for its conversion into oxy-combustion. Considerable knowledge has been gained with these pilots through different considerations, both on boiler components but also on the integrated oxy chain. All these positive outcomes confirm the expectations of the community in oxy-development and open the door to the next development step of ∼250 MWel large scale oxy-fired carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration plants. This paper provides an update about the CO2 capture pilot plant operation and also present the technical challenges expected to be demonstrated during large scale demonstration plants.