Optimization of the Energy Consumption of a Carbon Capture and Sequestration Related Carbon Dioxide Compression Processes

Steven Jackson,Eivind Brodal

doi:10.3390/en12091603

Abstract

It is likely that the future availability of energy from fossil fuels, such as natural gas, will be influenced by how efficiently the associated CO2 emissions can be mitigated using carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). In turn, understanding how CCS affects the efficient recovery of energy from fossil fuel reserves in different parts of the world requires data on how the performance of each part of a particular CCS scheme is affected by both technology specific parameters and location specific parameters, such as ambient temperature. This paper presents a study into how the energy consumption of an important element of all CCS schemes, the CO2 compression process, varies with compressor design, CO2 pipeline pressure, and cooling temperature. Post-combustion, pre-combustion, and oxyfuel capture scenarios are each considered. A range of optimization algorithms are used to ensure a consistent approach to optimization. The results show that energy consumption is minimized by compressor designs with multiple impellers per stage and carefully optimized stage pressure ratios. The results also form a performance map illustrating the energy consumption for CO2 compression processes that can be used in further study work and, in particular, CCS system models developed to study performance variation with ambient temperature.

Highlights

IntroductionThe capture element of most Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) schemes is generally accepted to have the greatest impact on energy efficiency and cost
Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is recognized as an important strategy for reducing CO2 emissions, but its wide spread adoption is held-back by uncertainty over the energy consumption and cost impact implied by the additional infrastructure required because of this, the optimization of CCS
Lucquiaud et al [1] report that for an “nth of a kind CCS plant with current state-of-the-art solvent technology” the energy needed by the capture plant will be 250–300 kWh of electrical energy per tonne CO2 captured, whereas estimates of the energy consumption for CO2 compression lie typically in the range 80–120 kWhe /tCO2 [2]

Summary

Introduction

The capture element of most CCS schemes is generally accepted to have the greatest impact on energy efficiency and cost. Lucquiaud et al [1] report that for an “nth of a kind CCS plant with current state-of-the-art solvent technology” the energy needed by the capture plant will be 250–300 kWh of electrical energy per tonne CO2 captured (kWhe /tCO2 ), whereas estimates of the energy consumption for CO2 compression lie typically in the range 80–120 kWhe /tCO2 [2]. CO2 compression is a mature technology, with conventional multi-stage centrifugal CO2 compressor designs widely used in the fertilizer and petroleum industries [3]. CO2 compressors include Dresser-Rand, General Electric (GE), and MAN Turbo and Diesel (MAN). Common industrial applications include enhanced oil recovery (EOR), fertilizer production, and CCS

Methods

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Discussion

Conclusion