Techno-Economic Study of CO2 Capture of a Thermoelectric Plant Using Microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris) for Production of Feedstock for Bioenergy

Esveidi Montserrat Valdovinos-García,Adriana Guzmán-López,María De Los Ángeles Olán-Acosta,Juan Barajas-Fernández,Moisés Abraham Petriz-Prieto,Micael Gerardo Bravo-Sánchez

doi:10.3390/en13020413

Abstract

A current concern is the increase in greenhouse gas emissions, mainly CO2, with anthropogenic sources being the main contributors. Microalgae have greater capacity than terrestrial plants to capture CO2, with this being an attraction for using them as capture systems. This study aims at the techno-economic evaluation of microalgae biomass production, while only considering technologies with industrial scaling potential. Energy consumption and operating costs are considered as parameters for the evaluation. In addition, the capture of CO2 from a thermoelectric plant is analyzed, as a carbon source for the cultivation of microalgae. 24 scenarios were evaluated while using process simulation tools (SuperPro Designer), being generated by the combination of cultivations in raceway pond, primary harvest with three types of flocculants, secondary harvest with centrifugation and three filtering technologies, and finally the drying evaluated with Spray and Drum Dryer. Low biomass productivity, 12.7 g/m2/day, was considered, achieving a capture of 102.13 tons of CO2/year in 1 ha for the cultivation area. The scenarios that included centrifugation and vacuum filtration are the ones with the highest energy consumption. The operating costs range from US $ 4.75–6.55/kg of dry biomass. The choice of the best scenario depends on the final use of biomass.

Highlights

In the last ten years, the main contribution to the increase of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has been the growing energy demand
Energies that2020, was13, conducted of 19 by the IPCC, the projections indicate that direct CO2 emissions from the2 energy supply sector will almost double or could even triple in 2050, when compared to the concentration of CO2 in 2010 [2]
1 ha was established as a cultivation area, with a productivity of 12.7 g/m2 /day, while considering a low rate for any circumstance that could occur during cultivation

Summary

Introduction

In the last ten years, the main contribution to the increase of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has been the growing energy demand. Energies that2020, was, conducted of 19 by the IPCC, the projections indicate that direct CO2 emissions from the energy supply sector will almost double or could even triple in 2050, when compared to the concentration of CO2 in 2010 [2]. Sector will almost double or could even triple in 2050, when compared to the concentration of CO2 in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Venezuela (Figure 1) are those responsible for most of the 2010 [2]. According to the National Inventory in Latin America, contributing 78% of the total emissions in this region. Regarding Mexico, CO2 of Gas Emissions and Greenhouse Compounds (INEGyCEI), of the National Institute of Ecology and emissions have increased considerably from 1970 to 2015. According to the National Inventory of Climate Change (INECC), in 2015 emissions of 537 Mton (Megatons) of CO2 were recorded, of which

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