Sabatier Based Cycle for CO2 Methanation: Exergy and Thermo-Economic Analysis

Abstract

Growing concerns about global climate change have increased attention on various approaches to reduce emissions of CO2 and other GHGs. Several scale carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) approaches are currently in development and demonstration stages. Currently, CCS still faces several technical, legal, and economic challenges. In the past decades, researchers have discussed potential use of Sabatier reaction in reducing CO2 emissions. This process converts CO2 and H2 into CH4 reacting over a metal catalyst. Turning waste CO2 into an efficient and easy-to-use fuel can be attractive for the transport sector and industries. Object of this paper is the modelling, process design and simulation of a CO2 methanation plant based on the Sabatier reaction. The benefits of the plant in terms of reduced dependence on conventional fuels and lower risks to security of supply are described and evaluated in the medium and long term. A thermoeconomic analysis is presented to evaluate the exergetic performance of the proposed system and the final cost of products and to compare it with other current carbon capture and energy storage technologies considering the effect of the main plant parameters.