Research and development activities on high efficiency separation process technologies for carbon dioxide removal from industrial sources at University of Regina, Canada

Abstract

This paper describes research and development activities at the University of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada on “Optimization of CO 2 Extraction Process Technologies”. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop better and more effective CO 2 separation processes which can be used to recover CO 2 from industrial sources such as coal-fired power plants and coal gasification complexes at the lowest possible capital and operating costs. The research program has been supported by Saskatchewan Power Corporation, Saskatchewan Energy and Mines, Prairie Coal Ltd., the Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology (CANMET), Fluor Daniel Inc. (USA), Sulzer Chemtech (Switzerland), Wascana Energy Inc., and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Currently, six parallel and complementary projects have been carried out at the Process Systems Laboratory. These projects are: (i) Searching for new sterically hindered amines for high capacity absorption of carbon dioxide, (ii) Formulation of high carbon dioxide absorption capacity solvents using chemical and physical absorbents, (iii) Searching for high performance random and structured packings for absorption and regeneration towers, (iv) Studies of material corrosion by gas treating solvents (including the use of corrosion inhibitors), (v) Parameter estimation of gas absorption with chemical reaction processes using optimization techniques, (vi) Process optimization and cost studies of co-production of CO 2 and electricity using co-generation concepts. Results and progress of these research projects will be reported. Their economics and technical feasibility will be described and their practical implications will be discussed.