High Capacity Sorbent and Process for CO2 Capture

Coal-fired power plants are a very large, concentrated, and stationary source of carbon dioxide emissions, and represent the best target to address the problem of increasing CO2 emissions through use of carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage technologies. The overall objective of the proposed Phase II research is to continue development of and enhance the hybrid sorbent technology (Enhanced Capture of CO2 with Hybrid Sorption: E-CACHYS) to significantly reduce the cost of carbon dioxide capture, by substantially increasing the carbon dioxide capacity of the sorbent, while also providing fast reaction rates, low energy requirements, and a simple process configuration. Phase I developed and demonstrated the technology at the laboratory-scale, with specific emphasis placed on achieving a quantum increase in the carbon dioxide capacity of the sorbent (~15 wt% of sorbent). Increases in sorbent capacity were achieved by producing advanced sorbent support materials that have a high capacity to hold the active component and unique methods to disperse the active component. Phase II research will scale-up the improved sorbent manufacturing methodology that will increase loading and reactivity of the active component in the sorbent. In addition, a new operational philosophy to use the sorbent is proposed that will reduce the impact of long-term sorbent transformations, and increase the useful life of the sorbent. This will reduce sorbent replacement costs. This new philosophy will include a simpler process/equipment configuration that will be installed and demonstrated at an existing slipstream-pilot test facility using actual coal-combustion derived flue gas. The existing test facility will be modified to include the equipment changes. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The principal application for the enhanced E- CACHYSTM technology is carbon dioxide capture from the flue gas of coal-fired power plants. Other related applications include the removal of carbon dioxide from natural gas and cement plant exhaust gas. The main benefit of this research will be novel sorbents for the removal of carbon dioxide from combustion flue gas and a process technology that has the potential to reduce the cost of carbon dioxide capture and separation dramatically. Important environmental benefits to the nation are lowering of greenhouse gas emissions.