Experimental evaluation of methods for reclaiming sulfur loaded amine absorbents
- Garg, Bharti, Pearson, Pauline, Cousins, Ashleigh, Verheyen, Vincent, Puxty, Graeme, Feron, Paul
- Authors: Garg, Bharti , Pearson, Pauline , Cousins, Ashleigh , Verheyen, Vincent , Puxty, Graeme , Feron, Paul
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Conference proceedings , Conference paper
- Relation: 14th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference (GHGT-14); Melbourne, Australia; 21st-26th October 2018 p. 1-8
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a major flue gas contaminant that has a direct effect on the performance of amine-based carbon dioxide capture units operating on power plant flue gases. In many countries, flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) is an essential upstream requirement to CO2 capture systems, thereby increasing the overall operational and capital cost of the capture system. In Australia, the efficacy of CO2 capture may be compromised by the accumulation of SO2 in the absorption solvent. CSIRO’s CS-Cap process is designed to capture of both these acidic gases in one absorption column, thereby eliminating the need for a separate FGD unit which could potentially save millions of dollars. Previous research at CSIRO’s post-combustion capture pilot plant at Loy Yang power station has shown that mono-ethanolamine (MEA) solvent absorbs both CO2 and SO2, resulting in a spent amine absorbent rich in sulfates. Further development of the CS-Cap concept requires a deeper understanding of the properties of the sulfate-rich absorbent and the conditions under which it can be effectively regenerated. In the present study, thermal reclamation and reactive crystallisation processes were investigated, allowing the parameters affecting the regeneration of sulfate-loaded amine to be identified. It was found that amine losses were considerably higher in thermal reclamation than in reactive precipitation. During thermal reclamation, vacuum conditions were more effective than atmospheric, and pH of the initial solution played a significant role in recovery of MEA from the sulfate-rich absorbent. Reactive crystallisation could be effectively accomplished with the addition of KOH. An advantage of this process was that high purity K2SO4 crystals (~99%) were formed, despite the presence of degradation products in the solvent.
- Authors: Garg, Bharti , Pearson, Pauline , Cousins, Ashleigh , Verheyen, Vincent , Puxty, Graeme , Feron, Paul
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Conference proceedings , Conference paper
- Relation: 14th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference (GHGT-14); Melbourne, Australia; 21st-26th October 2018 p. 1-8
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a major flue gas contaminant that has a direct effect on the performance of amine-based carbon dioxide capture units operating on power plant flue gases. In many countries, flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) is an essential upstream requirement to CO2 capture systems, thereby increasing the overall operational and capital cost of the capture system. In Australia, the efficacy of CO2 capture may be compromised by the accumulation of SO2 in the absorption solvent. CSIRO’s CS-Cap process is designed to capture of both these acidic gases in one absorption column, thereby eliminating the need for a separate FGD unit which could potentially save millions of dollars. Previous research at CSIRO’s post-combustion capture pilot plant at Loy Yang power station has shown that mono-ethanolamine (MEA) solvent absorbs both CO2 and SO2, resulting in a spent amine absorbent rich in sulfates. Further development of the CS-Cap concept requires a deeper understanding of the properties of the sulfate-rich absorbent and the conditions under which it can be effectively regenerated. In the present study, thermal reclamation and reactive crystallisation processes were investigated, allowing the parameters affecting the regeneration of sulfate-loaded amine to be identified. It was found that amine losses were considerably higher in thermal reclamation than in reactive precipitation. During thermal reclamation, vacuum conditions were more effective than atmospheric, and pH of the initial solution played a significant role in recovery of MEA from the sulfate-rich absorbent. Reactive crystallisation could be effectively accomplished with the addition of KOH. An advantage of this process was that high purity K2SO4 crystals (~99%) were formed, despite the presence of degradation products in the solvent.
A technology review for regeneration of sulfur rich amine systems
- Garg, Bharti, Verheyen, Vincent, Pearson, Pauline, Feron, Paul, Cousins, Ashleigh
- Authors: Garg, Bharti , Verheyen, Vincent , Pearson, Pauline , Feron, Paul , Cousins, Ashleigh
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control Vol. 75, no. (2018), p. 243-253
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Reducing the capital cost of post combustion CO2 capture by eliminating flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) pre-treatment, requires management of the amines preferential SO2 absorption. Novel technologies such as CS-Cap restrict the impact of SO2 to only a small fraction of the amine inventory resulting in high sulfate burden amines. Traditional thermal reclamation of these spent absorbents has advantages regarding simplicity, but ranks poorly for industrial ecology around PCC. These amines require low energy regeneration technologies compatible with their physico-chemical properties that also maximise the potential for valorising by-products. This review summarises the sulfur chemistry and outlines several amine reclamation processes. It assesses the status of established and novel regeneration technologies for their applicability to high sulfur loaded amines. Should deep sulfur removal be required, a hybrid approach with initial bulk removal (as product) followed by a polishing step to further reduce sulfur is prospective. A preliminary estimation of the relative cost of using standard reclamation methods for treating Sulfur loaded CS-Cap absorbent revealed the cost would increase due to its higher sulfate burden despite comparable treatment volumes. Research gaps are identified which would enable better comparison between the costs of traditional FGD versus higher reclamation costs for combined capture technologies.
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