Research Team: Ashleigh Hildebrand and Howard Herzog
Sponsor: Carbon Sequestration Initiative
Summary:
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a crucial technology for stabilization of atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. To get the greatest emission reduction benefit from CCS, “full capture” systems that capture 85-90% of their emissions must be widely utilized. However, the cost and technological newness associated with CCS represent a risk and disincentive for the first adopters of the technology. In particular, the cost of adding full capture may be prohibitive in the current economic climate where it is difficult to finance even non-capture plants. Full capture also involves a number of technology “step-outs”, or systems or processes with which industry has limited experience. A lower capture level, or “partial capture,” could potentially mitigate these issues. This would allow the United States to continue to reap the economic and energy security advantages of coal, but with emissions comparable to natural gas.
This research is aimed at investigating the impact of capture level on both the technology and economics. Spreadsheet models are being developed for both pulverized coal (PC) and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plants. These models account for the equipment and process variations with respect to capture level and generate economic details for the project. The goal is to identify what capture levels are practical as a near-term implementation strategy, with the objective of expediting development and deployment of full capture systems.
Publications:
Hildebrand, A.N., "Strategies for Demonstration and Early Deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage: A Technical and Economic Assessment of Capture Percentage," M.I.T. Masters Thesis, May (2009). <PDF>
Hildebrand, A.N. and H.J. Herzog, "Optimization of Carbon Capture Percentage for Technical and Economic Impact of Near-Term CCS Implementation at Coal-Fired Power Plants," presented at the 9th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies, Washington, DC, November (2008). <PDF>
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Research