Sensitivity Analysis and Cost Estimation of a CO2 Capture Plant in Aspen HYSYS

Abstract

A standard CO2 capture process is implemented in Aspen HYSYS, simulated, and evaluated based on available data from Fortum’s waste burning facility at Klemetsrud in Norway. Since amine-based CO2 removal has high costs, the main aim is cost-optimizing. A simplified carbon-capture unit with a 20-m absorber packing height, 90% CO2 removal efficiency, and a minimum approach temperature for the lean/rich amine heat exchanger (ΔTmin) of 10 °C was considered the base case simulation model. A sensitivity analysis was performed to optimize these parameters. For the base case study, CO2 captured cost was calculated as 37.5 EUR/t. When the sensitivity analysis changes the size, the Power Law method adjusts the equipment cost. A comparison of the Enhanced Detailed Factor (EDF) and the Power Law approach was performed for all simulations to evaluate the uncertainties in the findings from the Power Law method. The optimums calculated for ΔTmin and CO2 capture rate were 15 °C and 87% for both methods, with CO2 removal costs of 37 EUR/t CO2 and 36.7 EUR/t CO2, respectively. With 19 m of packing height to absorber, the minimum CO2 capture cost was calculated as 37.3 EUR/t and 37.1 EUR/t for the EDF and Power Law methods, respectively. Since there was a difference between the Power Law method and the EDF method, a size factor exponent derivation was performed. The derivation resulted in the following exponents: for the lean heat exchanger 0.74, for the lean/rich heat exchanger 1.03, for the condenser 0.68, for the reboiler 0.92, for the pump 0.88, and for the fan 0.23.