Bernd Schallert | Dortmund University of Technology - Technische Universität Dortmund (original) (raw)

Papers by Bernd Schallert

Research paper thumbnail of Reclaiming of Monoethanolamine (MEA) Used in Post-Combustion CO2-capture with Electrodialysis

Energy Procedia, 2014

Heat-stable salts (HSS) in amine-based solvents may lead to a long-term performance impairment of... more Heat-stable salts (HSS) in amine-based solvents may lead to a long-term performance impairment of post-combustion CO 2capture process system. They can cause a loss of solvent capacity, corrosion, heat exchanger fouling, increased foaming or flooding, etc. The application of electrodialysis (ED) can be a possible cost effective technique for removal of HSS from degraded amine solutions. The paper presents the results of lab-scale ED experiments on HSS removal from synthetic degraded MEA solutions with different HSS content and CO 2-loadings. The efficiency of ED-process for reclaiming of MEA solvent is shown. The influence of solvent CO 2-loading on the specific energy consumption of ED-process is presented. The lab-scale data have been used for design and manufacturing of a pilot ED plant. Within the OCTAVIUS project it has been planned to test the ED-pilot plant at the EnBW post-combustion CO 2 capture pilot plant.

Research paper thumbnail of Is Fly Ash Boosting Amine Losses In Carbon Capture From Coal?

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding aerosol based emissions in a Post Combustion CO2 Capture process: Parameter testing and mechanisms

International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2015

ABSTRACT Solvent emissions from a Post Combustion CO2 Capture (PCCC) process can lead to environm... more ABSTRACT Solvent emissions from a Post Combustion CO2 Capture (PCCC) process can lead to environmental hazards and higher operating cost. Aerosol based emissions in the order of grams per Nm3 have been reported from PCCC plants. These emissions are attributed to the presence of particles such as sulphuric acid aerosol droplets in the flue gas. Recently, we confirmed the relation between particle number concentration in the inlet flue gas and aerosol based emissions of monoethanolamine (MEA) as the solvent. The operating parameters and especially the presence of CO2 were found to influence the extent of aerosol based emissions. In this study, the following parametric experimental tests were performed in a mini CO2 capture plant: changing the lean solvent temperature, the pH of the lean solvent, and the CO2 concentration in the flue gas. Moreover, other commonly used CO2 capture solvents, a mixture of 2-amino-2-methyl-propanol (AMP) with piperazine (Pz), and AMP with potassium taurate (KTau), were evaluated for their potential for aerosol formation. Increasing the temperature of the lean solvent resulted in a lowering of the amine emissions. Aerosol based emissions were observed only at a relatively high lean pH. As the CO2 content of the flue gas was reduced from 12.7 to 0.7 vol.%, a maximum in the emissions was observed at 6 vol.% of CO2. Aerosol based emissions for both AMP (1500–3000 mg/Nm3) and Pz (200–400 mg/Nm3) were measured, while no aerosol based emissions were observed for AMP-Ktau as a solvent even in the presence of sulphuric acid aerosols in the flue gas. The ratio of AMP:Pz emissions was found to be much lower in the presence of aerosols (5–12) as compared to only volatile emission (∼26). This indicated that Pz has a preference to be in the aerosol phase over AMP. Three aspects were found to be important for aerosol based emissions in a CO2 capture absorber: (i) the particle number concentration, (ii) the supersaturation, and (iii) the reactivity of the amine. These observations add to the existing understanding of aerosol formation and growth by heterogeneous nucleation in counter-current gas liquid absorption processes, by considering the reactivity of the components.

Research paper thumbnail of Predicting Amine Mist Formation Based on Aerosol Number Concentration and Size Measurements in Flue Gas

Research paper thumbnail of Investigation of aerosol based emission of MEA due to sulphuric acid aerosol and soot in a Post Combustion CO2 Capture process

International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2013

ABSTRACT The prevention of emissions of amine species is of high importance for the overall susta... more ABSTRACT The prevention of emissions of amine species is of high importance for the overall sustainability and performance of Post Combustion CO2 Capture facilities. There is a clear understanding of amine emissions based on volatility in the treated flue gas. Emission via aerosols from Post Combustion CO2 Capture facilities has only been pointed out recently. Thus, there is little knowledge about emission via aerosols in contrast to emission based on volatility. It has been found that flue gas quality plays an important role for emissions caused by aerosols formation. In this work, we study the experimental assessment of the impact of flue gas quality on the level of monoethanolamine (MEA) emission via aerosols. In a dedicated test rig, effects of the flue gas components such as sulphuric acid aerosols and extremely fine particles like soot has been studied. An aerosol generator capable of producing controlled amounts of soot and dosing sulphuric acid aerosol to a mobile CO2 capture mini-plant was used as a test equipment for this study. Soot particle number concentration were in the range of 104–106 per cm3. The particle number concentration for different amount of H2SO4 aerosols were in the order of 108 per cm3. Amine emissions up to 4.3 ppmv (12 mg/N m3 for MEA) is considered to be as an upper limit for the design of a Post Combustion CO2 Capture plant. MEA emissions in the presence of soot particles were in the range of 100–200 mg/N m3 which is 2–4 times higher than baseline vapour based emissions of about 45 mg/N m3. The expected particle size of H2SO4 aerosols is well below 100 nm, while the corresponding mass concentration range is between 1 and 5 mg/m3. The MEA emissions observed due to H2SO4 aerosols were in the range of 600–1100 mg/N m3. Moreover, parametric tests have shown that besides flue gas quality, the absorber temperature profile and the presence of CO2 in the flue gas are pre-requisite for aerosol emissions. It is evident that the observed level of emissions in this study are unacceptable. Therefore, it is imperative that fundamental know-how about aerosol formation and reduction is generated in order to design appropriate counter measures.

Research paper thumbnail of Heat Stable Salts (HSS) Removal by Electrodialysis: Reclaiming of MEA Used in Post-combustion CO2-Capture

Research paper thumbnail of The 8 th Trondheim Conference on Capture , Transport and Storage Round Robin Tests on Nitrosamines Analysis in the Effluents of a CO 2 Capture Pilot Plant

Processes of post combustion CO2 capture using amine based solvents generate nitrogenous compound... more Processes of post combustion CO2 capture using amine based solvents generate nitrogenous compounds. Among these products, carcinogenic nitrosamines are of great concern due the potential impacts on the environment and human health. Trace analysis of nitrosamines in simple matrices such as water is well described in standard methods[1] However, measuring nitrosamines in CO2 capture processes matrices is much more challenging since nitrosamines, which are formed to small concentrations as solvent degradation products, may be present in solvent, wash waters, and atmospheric emissions. Within the FP7 OCTAVIUS project, 2 international round robins on the analysis of 9 nitrosamines in solvent matrices and the atmospheric emissions from the EnBW pilot plant in Heilbronn (Germany) were organized. The first round robin test was performed on solvent matrices. The analytical methods of the laboratories involved were compared using synthetic spiked samples and real liquid samples obtained from ...

Research paper thumbnail of Auswirkungen von SCR-DENOX-Anlagen auf nachgeschaltete Kraftwerkskomponenten

Variation in flue gas concentration of sulphuric acid, ammonia and nitric oxides can arise on the... more Variation in flue gas concentration of sulphuric acid, ammonia and nitric oxides can arise on the catalysts of SCR-DENOX equipment. The plants components concerned are air heaters and regenerative feed heaters, desulphurization plants and the flue gas duct systems relative to corrosion and operational performance

Research paper thumbnail of Leaching of fly ash particulate matter in MEA solutions and its relevance to the CO2 capture process with flue gas of coal-fired power plants

Research paper thumbnail of Erfahrungen aus einem zweijährigen Versuchsbetrieb mit DENOX-Pilot-Anlagen

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of number concentration of soot and H2SO4 on aerosol based emissions from a post combustion capture plant

It is known that the use of volatile solvents for a post combustion capture process can lead to e... more It is known that the use of volatile solvents for a post combustion capture process can lead to emission of the solvent due to their high vapour pressure. More recently, the issue of emission due to the formation of aerosols has been observed at different pilot plants. Therefore, it is of high importance to understand the mechanism of the formation process of aerosols. The main hypothesis regarding the formation of these aerosols is related towards the presence of nuclei in the flue gas. These nuclei can be sulphuric acid aerosol droplets, fine particles (e.g. fly ash, soot), etc. which are present especially, in flue gases from coal fired power plants. This article describes the experimental results of the effect of soot and H2SO4 aerosol number concentration on solvent emissions from a typical absorber-desorber setup. The solvent used in this study is 30 wt. % MEA. This work was carried out as a collaboration between TNO, KIT, E.ON and Laborelec/GDF SUEZ. To study the effect of th...

Research paper thumbnail of Umkehrosmoseanlage im Kraftwerk Schkopau: Erste Betriebserfahrungen

Under the supply contract between BUNA AG and VEBA Kraftwerke Ruhr AG, power plant Schkopau will ... more Under the supply contract between BUNA AG and VEBA Kraftwerke Ruhr AG, power plant Schkopau will supply a total of 200 t/h of process steam. Condensate produced will not be returned. For reasons of environmental protection and costs, the only option was the treatment of water from the 100 m remote river Saale, considering the high amount of water required. The design is marked by the composition of the Saale water: the chloride and above all sulphate concentrations contributed to the high conductivity of 1100 to 2200 μS/c. The organic carbon, given here as TOC (total organic carbon) was encountered mostly in a solved condition and could bc verified to between 7 and 19 mg/. Suspended solid matter ranged between I and 80 mg/. The acid capacity KS4.3 at 3 mmol/ was the reason for the installation of slow decarbonization plant with lime milk and flocculant as a first treatment in order to be able to use the water for the operation of the cooling tower.

Research paper thumbnail of Grenzen der schwingungsspektroskopischen Analytik

Berichte der Bunsengesellschaft für physikalische Chemie

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding Solvent Degradation: A Study from Three Different Pilot Plants within the OCTAVIUS Project

Energy Procedia

Degradation of amines is one of the most important issues to be addressed for absorption-desorpti... more Degradation of amines is one of the most important issues to be addressed for absorption-desorption based post-combustion CO 2 capture. Several laboratory studies have been performed to identify the degradation products and understand the mechanisms of degradation. However, there seems to be a gap in knowledge from translating the lab scale studies to observations from the pilot campaigns. Moreover, the observations from different pilot plant campaigns can be quite different. The objective of this study is to compare the solvent degradation behavior from different campaigns and highlight their causes in terms of solvent metal content and ammonia emissions. Results from the following different pilot plants are evaluated: (a) TNO's CO 2 capture plant at Maasvlakte, the Netherlands, (b) EnBW's CO 2 capture plant at Heilbronn, Germany and (c) ENEL's CO 2 capture plant at Brindisi, Italy. The different rate of oxidative degradation are correlated to the different operating conditions and layout of the pilot plants. Along with these results, kinetic models based on laboratory studies are used to compare the pilot plant observations, highlighting the differences between lab-scale studies and pilot plant studies.

Research paper thumbnail of Prevention of Mist Formation in Amine Based Carbon Capture: Field Testing Using a Wet ElectroStatic Precipitator (WESP) and a Gas-Gas Heater (GGH)

Energy Procedia

This study presents the results of two field tests that aimed at evaluating two countermeasures (... more This study presents the results of two field tests that aimed at evaluating two countermeasures (WESP and GGH) to avoid acid mist formation. A WESP is shown to be very efficient for the removal of nuclei from the flue gas (100 % efficient) and thus can prevent aerosol formation inside an amine based absorber. This is however only valid in the absence of SO2 in the flue gas entering the WESP. A decreasing WESP efficiency is noted in the presence of SO2 with increasing voltages as a result of newly formed aerosols inside the WESP. This implies that no or very low levels of SO2 should be present in the flue gas entering the WESP. Since most of the amine carbon capture installations have a pre-scrubber (usually using NaOH to remove residual SO2 in the flue gas leaving the power plant's Flue Gas Desulphurisation) in front of their amine absorber, the WESP must be installed behind this pre-scrubber and not in front of it. Having a Gas-Gas Heater (or any type of flue gas cooling such as a Low Temperature Heat Exchanger) installed upstream of the wet scrubbing may prevent homogenous nucleation and thus prevent the conversion of H2SO4 into sulfuric acid aerosols and consequently mist formation issues in the amine based carbon capture installation. Which option to choose amongst the two countermeasures presented in this study will depend on whether a new built installation is being considered or whether a carbon capture is planned as a retrofit into an existing installation.

Research paper thumbnail of Study of Degradation Products at Different MEA Based Capture Pilot Plants

Energy Procedia, 2016

Abstract In the past, several research programs were undertaken at European Carbon Capture (CC) p... more Abstract In the past, several research programs were undertaken at European Carbon Capture (CC) pilot plants. The results of these individual MEA based campaigns are brought together in order to better understand the solvent degradation at CC pilot plants. The data correlation analysis shows that nickel catalyzes significantly the formation of some degradation products (e.g. HEPO) at low concentrations of 2 mg/l. The iron impact was less clear than determined for nickel. All pilot plants show HEGly and HEPO as the main degradation products, followed by HEF. Within the group of carboxylic acids, formate is the major degradation product.

Research paper thumbnail of Process for cleaning candle filters and membrane systems

Research paper thumbnail of Round Robin Tests on Nitrosamines Analysis in the Effluents of a CO2 Capture Pilot Plant

Energy Procedia, 2016

Processes of post combustion CO 2 capture using amine based solvents generate nitrogenous compoun... more Processes of post combustion CO 2 capture using amine based solvents generate nitrogenous compounds. Among these products, carcinogenic nitrosamines are of great concern due the potential impacts on the environment and human health. Trace analysis of nitrosamines in simple matrices such as water is well described in standard methods [1]. However, measuring nitrosamines in CO 2 capture processes emissions is much more challenging. Nitrosamines, formed to small concentrations as solvent degradation products, may indeed be present in solvent, wash waters, and atmospheric emissions which are more complicated to monitor. Within the FP7 OCTAVIUS project, 2 international round robins on the analysis of 9 nitrosamines in solvent matrices and the atmospheric emissions, from the EnBW CO 2 capture pilot plant in Heilbronn (Germany) were organized. The first round robin test was performed on solvent matrices. The analytical methods of the laboratories involved were compared using synthetic spiked samples and liquid samples obtained from the pilot plant. The second round robin test was performed on atmospheric emissions collected using a sampling train with cold impingers filled in with sulphamic acid in water. Each laboratory was provided with two blind samples of the liquid mixture spiked at different levels of concentrations of nitrosamines.

Research paper thumbnail of Accumulation of Absorbed Fly Ash Particulate Matter and its Impact on the CC Process

Energy Procedia, 2016

Fly ash entering a CO 2 capture plant in the incoming coal-fired flue gas is a potential source o... more Fly ash entering a CO 2 capture plant in the incoming coal-fired flue gas is a potential source of metals which support as catalysts the formation of degradation products in the MEA solvent. This study presents an assessment of the accumulation of absorbed particulate matter and an evaluation of the impact on the CC process. The particulate matter which is absorbed inside the CC plant and the ratio of flue gas flow to the installed liquid inventory determine the rate of accumulation. Filtration or settlement of particulate matter inside the process does not avoid leaching. The results of one ash sample from an European power station are presented leached with fresh 30 wt% lean MEA at different ratios (1:10 to 1:2000 g/g, ash/solvent) The results show that mobility of the trace elements Cu, V, Mn increases significantly to lower ash concentrations compared to the Fe mobility values. Dissolved Fe concentrations of 0.5-1.0 mg/L derive from leached fly ash after approximately 500 hours of operation provided that 1 mg/m ³ is absorbed and a high ratio of flue gas flow to liquid inventory is installed. Small dissolved Fe concentrations might still trigger the formation of degradation products.

Research paper thumbnail of Reclaiming of degraded MEA solutions by electrodialysis: Results of ED pilot campaign at post-combustion CO2 capture pilot plant

International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2015

A study of the behavior of heat stable salts (HSS) during electrodialysis (ED) reclaiming of mono... more A study of the behavior of heat stable salts (HSS) during electrodialysis (ED) reclaiming of monoethanolamine solvent (30 wt.% MEA) is reported in detail. Degraded lean MEA samples with a loading of approx. 0.2 mol/mol were taken from the solvent loop of post-combustion capture (PCC) pilot plant after 400, 535 and 972 h of operation at real conditions. The specially designed conventional pilot ED unit equipped with cation-exchanged membranes and anion-exchanged membranes was used. Before and after ED reclaiming, all streams were analyzed for specific solvent components. A quite uniform removal of all analyzed HSS anions (except for nitrate ions) during the ED treatment prevents accumulation of any specific undesirable compound in the solvent loop. Visual inspection of the ion-exchange membranes revealed the deposition on the membrane surface having reddish-brown color. It was experimentally confirmed that such deposition did not noticeable affect on membrane performance in ED process. Furthermore, it was demonstrated on the laboratory level that selected membranes possess a good long-term stability after being contacted with fresh and degraded MEA for approx. 2 years.

Research paper thumbnail of Reclaiming of Monoethanolamine (MEA) Used in Post-Combustion CO2-capture with Electrodialysis

Energy Procedia, 2014

Heat-stable salts (HSS) in amine-based solvents may lead to a long-term performance impairment of... more Heat-stable salts (HSS) in amine-based solvents may lead to a long-term performance impairment of post-combustion CO 2capture process system. They can cause a loss of solvent capacity, corrosion, heat exchanger fouling, increased foaming or flooding, etc. The application of electrodialysis (ED) can be a possible cost effective technique for removal of HSS from degraded amine solutions. The paper presents the results of lab-scale ED experiments on HSS removal from synthetic degraded MEA solutions with different HSS content and CO 2-loadings. The efficiency of ED-process for reclaiming of MEA solvent is shown. The influence of solvent CO 2-loading on the specific energy consumption of ED-process is presented. The lab-scale data have been used for design and manufacturing of a pilot ED plant. Within the OCTAVIUS project it has been planned to test the ED-pilot plant at the EnBW post-combustion CO 2 capture pilot plant.

Research paper thumbnail of Is Fly Ash Boosting Amine Losses In Carbon Capture From Coal?

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding aerosol based emissions in a Post Combustion CO2 Capture process: Parameter testing and mechanisms

International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2015

ABSTRACT Solvent emissions from a Post Combustion CO2 Capture (PCCC) process can lead to environm... more ABSTRACT Solvent emissions from a Post Combustion CO2 Capture (PCCC) process can lead to environmental hazards and higher operating cost. Aerosol based emissions in the order of grams per Nm3 have been reported from PCCC plants. These emissions are attributed to the presence of particles such as sulphuric acid aerosol droplets in the flue gas. Recently, we confirmed the relation between particle number concentration in the inlet flue gas and aerosol based emissions of monoethanolamine (MEA) as the solvent. The operating parameters and especially the presence of CO2 were found to influence the extent of aerosol based emissions. In this study, the following parametric experimental tests were performed in a mini CO2 capture plant: changing the lean solvent temperature, the pH of the lean solvent, and the CO2 concentration in the flue gas. Moreover, other commonly used CO2 capture solvents, a mixture of 2-amino-2-methyl-propanol (AMP) with piperazine (Pz), and AMP with potassium taurate (KTau), were evaluated for their potential for aerosol formation. Increasing the temperature of the lean solvent resulted in a lowering of the amine emissions. Aerosol based emissions were observed only at a relatively high lean pH. As the CO2 content of the flue gas was reduced from 12.7 to 0.7 vol.%, a maximum in the emissions was observed at 6 vol.% of CO2. Aerosol based emissions for both AMP (1500–3000 mg/Nm3) and Pz (200–400 mg/Nm3) were measured, while no aerosol based emissions were observed for AMP-Ktau as a solvent even in the presence of sulphuric acid aerosols in the flue gas. The ratio of AMP:Pz emissions was found to be much lower in the presence of aerosols (5–12) as compared to only volatile emission (∼26). This indicated that Pz has a preference to be in the aerosol phase over AMP. Three aspects were found to be important for aerosol based emissions in a CO2 capture absorber: (i) the particle number concentration, (ii) the supersaturation, and (iii) the reactivity of the amine. These observations add to the existing understanding of aerosol formation and growth by heterogeneous nucleation in counter-current gas liquid absorption processes, by considering the reactivity of the components.

Research paper thumbnail of Predicting Amine Mist Formation Based on Aerosol Number Concentration and Size Measurements in Flue Gas

Research paper thumbnail of Investigation of aerosol based emission of MEA due to sulphuric acid aerosol and soot in a Post Combustion CO2 Capture process

International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2013

ABSTRACT The prevention of emissions of amine species is of high importance for the overall susta... more ABSTRACT The prevention of emissions of amine species is of high importance for the overall sustainability and performance of Post Combustion CO2 Capture facilities. There is a clear understanding of amine emissions based on volatility in the treated flue gas. Emission via aerosols from Post Combustion CO2 Capture facilities has only been pointed out recently. Thus, there is little knowledge about emission via aerosols in contrast to emission based on volatility. It has been found that flue gas quality plays an important role for emissions caused by aerosols formation. In this work, we study the experimental assessment of the impact of flue gas quality on the level of monoethanolamine (MEA) emission via aerosols. In a dedicated test rig, effects of the flue gas components such as sulphuric acid aerosols and extremely fine particles like soot has been studied. An aerosol generator capable of producing controlled amounts of soot and dosing sulphuric acid aerosol to a mobile CO2 capture mini-plant was used as a test equipment for this study. Soot particle number concentration were in the range of 104–106 per cm3. The particle number concentration for different amount of H2SO4 aerosols were in the order of 108 per cm3. Amine emissions up to 4.3 ppmv (12 mg/N m3 for MEA) is considered to be as an upper limit for the design of a Post Combustion CO2 Capture plant. MEA emissions in the presence of soot particles were in the range of 100–200 mg/N m3 which is 2–4 times higher than baseline vapour based emissions of about 45 mg/N m3. The expected particle size of H2SO4 aerosols is well below 100 nm, while the corresponding mass concentration range is between 1 and 5 mg/m3. The MEA emissions observed due to H2SO4 aerosols were in the range of 600–1100 mg/N m3. Moreover, parametric tests have shown that besides flue gas quality, the absorber temperature profile and the presence of CO2 in the flue gas are pre-requisite for aerosol emissions. It is evident that the observed level of emissions in this study are unacceptable. Therefore, it is imperative that fundamental know-how about aerosol formation and reduction is generated in order to design appropriate counter measures.

Research paper thumbnail of Heat Stable Salts (HSS) Removal by Electrodialysis: Reclaiming of MEA Used in Post-combustion CO2-Capture

Research paper thumbnail of The 8 th Trondheim Conference on Capture , Transport and Storage Round Robin Tests on Nitrosamines Analysis in the Effluents of a CO 2 Capture Pilot Plant

Processes of post combustion CO2 capture using amine based solvents generate nitrogenous compound... more Processes of post combustion CO2 capture using amine based solvents generate nitrogenous compounds. Among these products, carcinogenic nitrosamines are of great concern due the potential impacts on the environment and human health. Trace analysis of nitrosamines in simple matrices such as water is well described in standard methods[1] However, measuring nitrosamines in CO2 capture processes matrices is much more challenging since nitrosamines, which are formed to small concentrations as solvent degradation products, may be present in solvent, wash waters, and atmospheric emissions. Within the FP7 OCTAVIUS project, 2 international round robins on the analysis of 9 nitrosamines in solvent matrices and the atmospheric emissions from the EnBW pilot plant in Heilbronn (Germany) were organized. The first round robin test was performed on solvent matrices. The analytical methods of the laboratories involved were compared using synthetic spiked samples and real liquid samples obtained from ...

Research paper thumbnail of Auswirkungen von SCR-DENOX-Anlagen auf nachgeschaltete Kraftwerkskomponenten

Variation in flue gas concentration of sulphuric acid, ammonia and nitric oxides can arise on the... more Variation in flue gas concentration of sulphuric acid, ammonia and nitric oxides can arise on the catalysts of SCR-DENOX equipment. The plants components concerned are air heaters and regenerative feed heaters, desulphurization plants and the flue gas duct systems relative to corrosion and operational performance

Research paper thumbnail of Leaching of fly ash particulate matter in MEA solutions and its relevance to the CO2 capture process with flue gas of coal-fired power plants

Research paper thumbnail of Erfahrungen aus einem zweijährigen Versuchsbetrieb mit DENOX-Pilot-Anlagen

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of number concentration of soot and H2SO4 on aerosol based emissions from a post combustion capture plant

It is known that the use of volatile solvents for a post combustion capture process can lead to e... more It is known that the use of volatile solvents for a post combustion capture process can lead to emission of the solvent due to their high vapour pressure. More recently, the issue of emission due to the formation of aerosols has been observed at different pilot plants. Therefore, it is of high importance to understand the mechanism of the formation process of aerosols. The main hypothesis regarding the formation of these aerosols is related towards the presence of nuclei in the flue gas. These nuclei can be sulphuric acid aerosol droplets, fine particles (e.g. fly ash, soot), etc. which are present especially, in flue gases from coal fired power plants. This article describes the experimental results of the effect of soot and H2SO4 aerosol number concentration on solvent emissions from a typical absorber-desorber setup. The solvent used in this study is 30 wt. % MEA. This work was carried out as a collaboration between TNO, KIT, E.ON and Laborelec/GDF SUEZ. To study the effect of th...

Research paper thumbnail of Umkehrosmoseanlage im Kraftwerk Schkopau: Erste Betriebserfahrungen

Under the supply contract between BUNA AG and VEBA Kraftwerke Ruhr AG, power plant Schkopau will ... more Under the supply contract between BUNA AG and VEBA Kraftwerke Ruhr AG, power plant Schkopau will supply a total of 200 t/h of process steam. Condensate produced will not be returned. For reasons of environmental protection and costs, the only option was the treatment of water from the 100 m remote river Saale, considering the high amount of water required. The design is marked by the composition of the Saale water: the chloride and above all sulphate concentrations contributed to the high conductivity of 1100 to 2200 μS/c. The organic carbon, given here as TOC (total organic carbon) was encountered mostly in a solved condition and could bc verified to between 7 and 19 mg/. Suspended solid matter ranged between I and 80 mg/. The acid capacity KS4.3 at 3 mmol/ was the reason for the installation of slow decarbonization plant with lime milk and flocculant as a first treatment in order to be able to use the water for the operation of the cooling tower.

Research paper thumbnail of Grenzen der schwingungsspektroskopischen Analytik

Berichte der Bunsengesellschaft für physikalische Chemie

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding Solvent Degradation: A Study from Three Different Pilot Plants within the OCTAVIUS Project

Energy Procedia

Degradation of amines is one of the most important issues to be addressed for absorption-desorpti... more Degradation of amines is one of the most important issues to be addressed for absorption-desorption based post-combustion CO 2 capture. Several laboratory studies have been performed to identify the degradation products and understand the mechanisms of degradation. However, there seems to be a gap in knowledge from translating the lab scale studies to observations from the pilot campaigns. Moreover, the observations from different pilot plant campaigns can be quite different. The objective of this study is to compare the solvent degradation behavior from different campaigns and highlight their causes in terms of solvent metal content and ammonia emissions. Results from the following different pilot plants are evaluated: (a) TNO's CO 2 capture plant at Maasvlakte, the Netherlands, (b) EnBW's CO 2 capture plant at Heilbronn, Germany and (c) ENEL's CO 2 capture plant at Brindisi, Italy. The different rate of oxidative degradation are correlated to the different operating conditions and layout of the pilot plants. Along with these results, kinetic models based on laboratory studies are used to compare the pilot plant observations, highlighting the differences between lab-scale studies and pilot plant studies.

Research paper thumbnail of Prevention of Mist Formation in Amine Based Carbon Capture: Field Testing Using a Wet ElectroStatic Precipitator (WESP) and a Gas-Gas Heater (GGH)

Energy Procedia

This study presents the results of two field tests that aimed at evaluating two countermeasures (... more This study presents the results of two field tests that aimed at evaluating two countermeasures (WESP and GGH) to avoid acid mist formation. A WESP is shown to be very efficient for the removal of nuclei from the flue gas (100 % efficient) and thus can prevent aerosol formation inside an amine based absorber. This is however only valid in the absence of SO2 in the flue gas entering the WESP. A decreasing WESP efficiency is noted in the presence of SO2 with increasing voltages as a result of newly formed aerosols inside the WESP. This implies that no or very low levels of SO2 should be present in the flue gas entering the WESP. Since most of the amine carbon capture installations have a pre-scrubber (usually using NaOH to remove residual SO2 in the flue gas leaving the power plant's Flue Gas Desulphurisation) in front of their amine absorber, the WESP must be installed behind this pre-scrubber and not in front of it. Having a Gas-Gas Heater (or any type of flue gas cooling such as a Low Temperature Heat Exchanger) installed upstream of the wet scrubbing may prevent homogenous nucleation and thus prevent the conversion of H2SO4 into sulfuric acid aerosols and consequently mist formation issues in the amine based carbon capture installation. Which option to choose amongst the two countermeasures presented in this study will depend on whether a new built installation is being considered or whether a carbon capture is planned as a retrofit into an existing installation.

Research paper thumbnail of Study of Degradation Products at Different MEA Based Capture Pilot Plants

Energy Procedia, 2016

Abstract In the past, several research programs were undertaken at European Carbon Capture (CC) p... more Abstract In the past, several research programs were undertaken at European Carbon Capture (CC) pilot plants. The results of these individual MEA based campaigns are brought together in order to better understand the solvent degradation at CC pilot plants. The data correlation analysis shows that nickel catalyzes significantly the formation of some degradation products (e.g. HEPO) at low concentrations of 2 mg/l. The iron impact was less clear than determined for nickel. All pilot plants show HEGly and HEPO as the main degradation products, followed by HEF. Within the group of carboxylic acids, formate is the major degradation product.

Research paper thumbnail of Process for cleaning candle filters and membrane systems

Research paper thumbnail of Round Robin Tests on Nitrosamines Analysis in the Effluents of a CO2 Capture Pilot Plant

Energy Procedia, 2016

Processes of post combustion CO 2 capture using amine based solvents generate nitrogenous compoun... more Processes of post combustion CO 2 capture using amine based solvents generate nitrogenous compounds. Among these products, carcinogenic nitrosamines are of great concern due the potential impacts on the environment and human health. Trace analysis of nitrosamines in simple matrices such as water is well described in standard methods [1]. However, measuring nitrosamines in CO 2 capture processes emissions is much more challenging. Nitrosamines, formed to small concentrations as solvent degradation products, may indeed be present in solvent, wash waters, and atmospheric emissions which are more complicated to monitor. Within the FP7 OCTAVIUS project, 2 international round robins on the analysis of 9 nitrosamines in solvent matrices and the atmospheric emissions, from the EnBW CO 2 capture pilot plant in Heilbronn (Germany) were organized. The first round robin test was performed on solvent matrices. The analytical methods of the laboratories involved were compared using synthetic spiked samples and liquid samples obtained from the pilot plant. The second round robin test was performed on atmospheric emissions collected using a sampling train with cold impingers filled in with sulphamic acid in water. Each laboratory was provided with two blind samples of the liquid mixture spiked at different levels of concentrations of nitrosamines.

Research paper thumbnail of Accumulation of Absorbed Fly Ash Particulate Matter and its Impact on the CC Process

Energy Procedia, 2016

Fly ash entering a CO 2 capture plant in the incoming coal-fired flue gas is a potential source o... more Fly ash entering a CO 2 capture plant in the incoming coal-fired flue gas is a potential source of metals which support as catalysts the formation of degradation products in the MEA solvent. This study presents an assessment of the accumulation of absorbed particulate matter and an evaluation of the impact on the CC process. The particulate matter which is absorbed inside the CC plant and the ratio of flue gas flow to the installed liquid inventory determine the rate of accumulation. Filtration or settlement of particulate matter inside the process does not avoid leaching. The results of one ash sample from an European power station are presented leached with fresh 30 wt% lean MEA at different ratios (1:10 to 1:2000 g/g, ash/solvent) The results show that mobility of the trace elements Cu, V, Mn increases significantly to lower ash concentrations compared to the Fe mobility values. Dissolved Fe concentrations of 0.5-1.0 mg/L derive from leached fly ash after approximately 500 hours of operation provided that 1 mg/m ³ is absorbed and a high ratio of flue gas flow to liquid inventory is installed. Small dissolved Fe concentrations might still trigger the formation of degradation products.

Research paper thumbnail of Reclaiming of degraded MEA solutions by electrodialysis: Results of ED pilot campaign at post-combustion CO2 capture pilot plant

International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2015

A study of the behavior of heat stable salts (HSS) during electrodialysis (ED) reclaiming of mono... more A study of the behavior of heat stable salts (HSS) during electrodialysis (ED) reclaiming of monoethanolamine solvent (30 wt.% MEA) is reported in detail. Degraded lean MEA samples with a loading of approx. 0.2 mol/mol were taken from the solvent loop of post-combustion capture (PCC) pilot plant after 400, 535 and 972 h of operation at real conditions. The specially designed conventional pilot ED unit equipped with cation-exchanged membranes and anion-exchanged membranes was used. Before and after ED reclaiming, all streams were analyzed for specific solvent components. A quite uniform removal of all analyzed HSS anions (except for nitrate ions) during the ED treatment prevents accumulation of any specific undesirable compound in the solvent loop. Visual inspection of the ion-exchange membranes revealed the deposition on the membrane surface having reddish-brown color. It was experimentally confirmed that such deposition did not noticeable affect on membrane performance in ED process. Furthermore, it was demonstrated on the laboratory level that selected membranes possess a good long-term stability after being contacted with fresh and degraded MEA for approx. 2 years.