Chemical characterization of MEA degradation in PCC pilot plants operating in Australia
- Authors: Cruickshank, Alicia , Verheyen, Vincent , Adeloju, Samuel , Meuleman, Erik , Chaffee, Alan , Cottrell, Aaron , Feron, Paul
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Energy Procedia Vol. 37, no. (2013), p. 877-882
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- Description: An important step towards commercial scale post-combustion CO2 capture from coal-fired power stations is understanding solvent degradation. Laboratory scale trials have identified three main solvent degradation pathways for 30% MEA: oxidative degradation, carbamate polymerization and formation of heat stable salts. This paper probes the semi-volatile organic compounds produced from a single batch of 30% MEA which was used to capture CO2 from a black coal-fired power station (Tarong, Queensland, Australia) for approximately 700 hours, followed by 500 hours at the brown coal-fired power station (Loy Yang, Victoria, Australia). Comparisons are made between the compounds identified in this aged solvent system with MEA degradation reactions described in literature. Most of semi-volatile compounds tentatively identified by GC/MS have previously been reported in laboratory scale degradation trials. Our preliminary results show low levels of degradation products were present in samples after its use in the pilot plant at Tarong (black coal) and consequent 13 months storage, but much higher concentrations were later found in the same solvent during its at use in the pilot plant at Loy Yang Power (brown coal). Further work includes identifying the cause of poor GC/MS repeatability and investigating the relative rates of reactions described in literature. The impact of inorganic anions and dissolved metals on MEA degradation will also be explored.
Evaluation of methods for monitoring MEA degradation during pilot scale post-combustion capture of CO
- Authors: Reynolds, Alicia , Verheyen, Vincent , Adeloju, Samuel , Chaffee, Alan , Meuleman, Erik
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control Vol. 39, no. (2015), p. 407-419
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- Description: Amine degradation is an important and current focus in the development of chemical absorption technology based on the use of aqueous amines for post-combustion capture (PCC) of CO
Monoethanolamine degradation during Pilot-Scale post-combustion capture of CO₂ from a brown coal-fired power station
- Authors: Reynolds, Alicia , Verheyen, Vincent , Adeloju, Samuel , Chaffee, Alan , Meuleman, Erik
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Energy & Fuels Vol. 29, no. 11 (2015), p. 7441-7455
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- Description: The use of aqueous amines, such as monoethanolamine (MEA, 2-aminoethanol), for post-combustion capture (PCC) of CO2 from fossil-fuel-fired power station flue gases leads to undesirable reactions with oxygen, SO2, and NO2. This study has used a gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection (GC-MS) method to measure the changes in concentrations of organic compounds in samples of a 30% (w/w) aqueous MEA absorbent obtained from CSIRO's PCC pilot plant operating at AGL's Loy Yang brown coal-fired power station in Latrobe Valley, Victoria, Australia. This aqueous MEA absorbent was previously used for more than 700 h of PCC, and the collected samples represent a further 834 h of PCC operation. These data provide a new perspective on the close, interdependent relationships between corrosion and amine degradation reactions. Other important outcomes include confirmation that (a) organic degradation products identified during laboratory-scale trials were also produced during pilot-scale PCC and (b) N-(2-hydroxyethyl)imidazole (HEI) is a suitable molecular marker for oxidative degradation of MEA. This investigation has also highlighted areas that require further research, including (a) determination of oxidative degradation mechanisms in both the presence and absence of dissolved transition metals, (b) determination of parameters that limit oxidative degradation during pilot-scale PCC, (c) investigation of the antioxidative or oxygen-scavenging properties of partially oxidized amine absorbents during PCC, and (d) measurement of the concentrations of glycine, glycolic acid, and other potential organic acids during PCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Description: The use of aqueous amines, such as monoethanolamine (MEA, 2-aminoethanol), for post-combustion capture (PCC) of
Primary sources and accumulation rates of inorganic anions and dissolved metals in a MEA absorbent during PCC at a brown coal-fired power station
- Authors: Reynolds, Alicia , Verheyen, Vincent , Adeloju, Samuel , Chaffee, Alan , Meuleman, Erik
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control Vol. 41, no. (2015), p. 239-248
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- Description: Post-combustion capture (PCC) of CO2 from fossil fuel-fired power station flue gas is one of many technologies that are being developed to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in the medium term. Wet-gas scrubbing using aqueous amines is currently the most mature PCC technology suitable for separating CO2 from coal-fired power station flue gases. In this study, a series of twelve samples of a degraded 30% (w/w) MEA absorbent were obtained over a six month pilot scale PCC campaign at a brown coal-fired power station in Australia. These samples were used to investigate the accumulation of heat-stable salts, inorganics and minerals. The heat-stable salts concentration increased from 0.80 to 2.29% (w/w, as MEA) and organic acids from the oxidative degradation of MEA were the largest component of heat-stable salts. Acid gases such as SOx and NOx, make-up water, ultra-fine fly-ash and corrosion were all sources of the minerals and inorganics that accumulated in the aqueous MEA absorbent. Corrosion was the single biggest contributor of transition metals and the abrupt change in ratios of Fe, Cr and Mo suggests that the dominant corrosion mechanism may have changed towards the end of the campaign. The rapid accumulation of minerals and inorganics during this PCC campaign highlights the importance of continuing research into the interactions between amine absorbents and inorganic or mineral contaminants. The data presented in this study are an important resource for design of laboratory scale experiments to investigate these physical and chemical interactions between aqueous amines, minerals and inorganics.