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Validation of Plant Data for CO2

Capture from Flue Gas Using MEA
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Contents
Abstract..................................................................................................... 1
1 Background .......................................................................................... 2
2 Process Description ................................................................................ 2
3 Model Description .................................................................................. 3
4 Simulation Results ................................................................................. 4
5 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 7

Abstract
This Aspen HYSYS example validates the plant data for CO2 capture from flue gas at
the rate of 130 ton/day by using MEA.

The properties are modeled with the Electrolyte Non-Random Two- Liquid (Electrolyte
NRTL) model, and the absorber is simulated with the rate-based distillation model,
column analysis is used to evaluate the hydraulics based on the giving column
geometries and internals, Economics Analysis is available to estimate the capital and
operating costs, finally, process CO2 emissions are reported.

The model predictions match the plant data well, it can be used as a starting point
for more complex model development, integration, debottlenecking and optimization.

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1 Background

Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) refers to a suite of technologies that
can play an important role in meeting energy and climate goals, it involves the
capture of CO2 from large point sources including power generation or industrial
facilities, the captured CO2 is then compressed and transported to be used in a range
of applications or injected into deep geological formations which trap the CO2 for
permanent storage.

The more stringent climate targets triggered by the greater ambition of the 2015
Paris Agreement and the 2018 IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C have spurred greater
interest in CCUS [1]. In the IEA’s Sustainable Development Scenario, global CO2
emissions from the energy sector should decline to net zero by 2070, and the initial
focus of CCUS will be on retrofitting existing fossil fuel-based power and industrial
plants to tackle emissions and supporting low-carbon hydrogen production.

The next decade will be critical for the deployment of CCUS. The amount of CO 2
captured will grow by a factor of 20 from around 40 Mt today (2020) to over 800 Mt
in 2030, an annual average of around 20 coal power plants will be retrofitted with
capture equipment between 2025 and 2030, and 18 Mt of hydrogen will be produced
from CCUS-equipped facilities [1].

CO2 absorption using chemical solvents is a mature CO2 separation technique, which
is currently used in gas processing and methanol, ethanol and hydrogen production.
While this capture technology is being actively investigated for commercial
implementation, it is necessary to further reduce the costs, scale up and optimize the
process to improve the overall process economics and operability.

Rigorous models are necessary for the design, scale up, integration, optimization and
operation of CO2 capture. This Aspen HYSYS example demonstrates how to model
CO2 capture from flue gas by using MEA at the rate of 130 ton/day and validates the
plant data from a coal power plant.

2 Process Description
This example validates the data for CO2 capture from flue gas in a coal power plant
[2]. The flue gas, which consists of CO2, O2 and N2, is sent to the absorber column to
remove CO2.

The absorber column has 2 sections with packing inside it. Two lean MEA solvent
streams enter the absorber on the top of the first and second sections, respectively.
The flue gas enters the absorber at the bottom and contacts with the solvents in the
column. The absorber operates at about 1 bar and CO2 is absorbed by the solvent in
the absorber. Clean gas comes out from top of the column and the rich solvent leaves
absorber from the bottom and is sent to the stripper.

Before entering the Stripper, rich solvent stream goes through a heat exchanger to
increase the temperature to 80C. The stripper column has 26 valve trays and the rich

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solvent enters the stripper column on stage 5. CO2 is stripped from the rich amine in
the column and the MEA solvent is regenerated. The lean solvent from the bottom of
the stripper is recycled with makeup back to the absorber.

Figure 1: CO2 capture using MEA flowsheet in Aspen HYSYS

3 Model Description

The model includes the following key features:

 HYSYS Acid Gas – Chemical Solvents fluid package for the electrolytes system

 Rate-based model for distillation column simulation

 Column Analysis for distillation column design and rating

 Economic Analysis for capital and operating costs

 Process CO2 emissions

First, the HYSYS Acid Gas – Chemical Solvents fluid package is used to compute the
properties. The special fluid package for CO2 capture is based on the Electrolyte Non-
Random Two- Liquid (Electrolyte NRTL) model for electrolyte thermodynamics and
Peng-Robinson Equation of State for vapor phase properties with all the necessary
aqueous-phase equilibrium and kinetics reactions required for rigorous calculations
of the process, the pure and binary parameters in the model have been regressed or
validated against the available experimental data (e.g. vapor pressure, density, heat
capacity, VLE and heat of absorption).

The absorber is simulated with the rate-based model, which utilizes the mass heat-
transfer correlations based on transfer properties and tray/packing geometry,
assuming that separation is caused by mass transfer between the contacting phases.

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This makes it more accurate over a wider range of operating conditions, as the
equilibrium-stage model requires empirical adjustments for accurate simulation. This
is particularly useful for the chemical absorption processes, where component
efficiencies vary widely.

Furthermore, the column hydraulic performance is evaluated using Column Analysis.

Based on the process simulation, the CAPEX and OPEX are estimated with Activated
Economic Analysis, and the CO2 emissions of the process are reported. Reviewing the
costs and emissions reports can help to see where the process can be optimized and
provide more information for decision-making.

4 Simulation Results
The key simulation results for the absorber are shown in Error! Reference source
not found. and the model predictions match the data well.
Table 1: Comparison between actual plant data and modeling results

Plant Data HYSYS V12 %Deviation

Lean Loading (mole of CO2/mole of amine) 0.11 0.1231 11.91
Rich Loading (mole of CO2/mole of amine) 0.411 0.4236 3.07
Rich Amine Discharge temperature from absorber bottom (⁰C) 57.22 57.89 1.17
Off-gas Temperature (⁰C) 40 41.25 3.13
Steam Consumption (kg/hr) 17460 17460 0.00
Reflux Water Volumetric Flow(m3/hr) 3.63-4.08 4.59 12.50
CO2 Production(tpd) 125.2 131.1 4.71
Off-gas CO2 Composition(vol%) 0.223 0.289 29.60

The specifications for the column geometries and internal types are summarized in
Table 2, and the hydraulic plots are shown in Figures 2 and 3. We can see warning
messages on some of the stages, that indicates that we may modify the design to
improve the column performance.
Table 2: Specs of column geometries and internal types

Absorber Stripper
Section 1 Section2 Section 1

Start stage - End Stage 1-3 4 - 17 1 -26

Section Height, m 3 14 19.8

Diameter, m 2.9 2.9 2.6

Packing/Tray type PALL 25MM PALL 50MM Valve

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 Figure 2: Hydraulic plots of absorber

Figure 3: Hydraulic plots of stripper

In addition, the Economic Analysis results are shown in Figure 4.

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 Figure 4: Economic analysis of the process

Note: The lean amine makeup block is not supported in Economic Analysis and not
included in the estimation. Vendor quotes should be obtained where necessary.

Aspen HYSYS supports 2 well know standards for Global Warming Potential, EU-
2007/589/EC (European Commission Decision 2007/589/EC) and US-EPA Rule E9-
5711 (United States Environmental Protection Agency Rule E9-5711).

User can click the Utility Manager icon (accessed using the Home ribbon), then
click the Green House Gas Emission Preference icon and check the Calculate
CO2 Emissions check box to enable carbon tracking, user can also click the Carbon
Fee Preference icon and then specify Carbon Fee / Carbon Tax. The carbon price
is $51/tonne in this estimation.

Finally, the process CO2 emissions, including both material streams and utilities, are
reported on the Flowsheet Summary (accessed using the Home ribbon) and shown
in Error! Reference source not found..
Table 3: Results of CO2 emissions

Net CO2
Source Feed Product Utility
emission

Stream Flue gas Off gas CO2 Product

CO2 emission, tonne/year 4.89e4 9.91e2 4.79e4 1.88e4 -2.91e4

Carbon fee, k$/year 2.49e3 5.06e1 2.44e3 9.57e2 -1.49e3

* Stream CO2PROD represents that about 4.79e4 tonne/y CO2 is captured in the
process, so the net CO2 emission is negative.

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5 Conclusion
CO2 absorption using chemical solvents is an important technology to mitigate CO2
emissions and meet the climate goals. It is necessary to further reduce energy
penalty, scale up, integrate and optimize the capture process. Rigorous models are
critical for process modeling and optimization. This example shows how to model CO2
capture using MEA with Aspen HYSYS. The Electrolyte Non-Random Two- Liquid
(Electrolyte NRTL) model is used for the properties of the electrolyte system, the
distillation column is simulated with rigorous rate-based distillation model, Column
Analysis is used to evaluate the column performance, the process costs are estimated
using Economic Analysis and the process CO2 emissions are also reported. The
validation results are good compared to the plant data and this example can be used
as a start point for more sophisticated process development, integration and
optimization.

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References

[1] IEA flagship report, CCUS in Clean Energy Transitions, 2020,

https://www.iea.org/reports/ccus-in-clean-energy-transitions
[2] Ahmed Aboudheir and Walid Elmoudir, Optimization of an Existing 130 Tonne per
Day CO2 Capture Plant from a Flue Gas Slipstream of a Coal Power Plant, Energy
Procedia, 2013, 37, 1509 – 1516