SRMA 2011.

PROCESSES AND PLANTS FOR REDUCING EMISSION AND STORAGING CO2

Ivan Stojanovi,laden Stojanovi, Marko eeri University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Kraljice Marije 16, Belgrade, Serbia This paper considers the problem of capturing carbon-dioxide(2), which is damaging gas that produces greenhouse effects, that is to say the planet earth warming, with goal to find possibilities to overcome that problem. There are three different types of capturing technology: capturing carbon-dioxide before combustion (Pre-combustion technology), combustion in oxygen atmosphere(Oxyfuel technology) and capturing carbon-dioxide after combustion(Post-combustion technology). Key words: Capturing CO2, Pre-combustion technology, Oxyfuel technology, Post-combustion technology.

INTRODUCTION
Processes of CO2 capture are still in the study phase. There are technologies which can perform these processes but they are expensive and unavailable to majority of the world. The term CO2 capture and storage means capturing CO2 from huge sources of gas greenhouses. Nowadays there are three different types of CO2 capture technologies: capturing CO2 before combustion, after combustion and CO2 capturing in oxygen environment (Oxyfuel technology). mole of carbon produced one mole of carbon dioxide. If the mass of carbon emitted share with its molar mass we get as far as malls. When the resulting value multiplied by the molar mass of carbon dioxide will get CO2 emissions. MC = MO = 12kg/kmol 16kg/kmol MCO2 = MC MO +2 = 12 +2 16 = 44kg/kmol MCO2 = (MC / MC) * = 9430499,045 MCO2 10312 44 = 34,578,496,498 kg = 34.58Mt Oil consumption was: 4.329Mten. 1ten = 41.868GJ. 4.329Mten = 4329 4329 106ten = 106 41.868GJ = 181246.572TJ Carbon emissions factor for oil is 20tC/TJ. 181246.572TJ 20tC/TJ = 3624931.44tC . MC = MO = 12kg/kmol 16kg/kmol MCO2 = MC MO +2 = 12 +2 16 = 44kg/kmol MCO2 = (MC / MC) MCO2 = 3624931 10312 44 = 13.291Mt Gas consumption was: 2.080Mten. 1ten = 41.868GJ. 2.080Mten = 2080 2080 106ten = 106 41.868GJ = 87085.44TJ Carbon emissions factor for gas is 15.3tC/TJ. 87085.44TJ 15.3tC/TJ = 1332407.232tC MC = MO = 12kg/kmol 16kg/kmol MCO2 = MC MO +2 = 12 +2 16 = 44kg/kmol MCO2 = (MC / MC) * = 1332407,232 MCO2 10312 44 = 4.885Mt

THE TOTAL CO2 EMISSIONS IN THE REPUBLIC SERBIA OF BURNING FOSSIL FUELS
To determine the emissions of CO2 from burning fossil fuels is necessary to first determine the consumption of coal per annum. We will start from spending for 2008. year. Coal consumption was: 8.161Mten. First, we convert the given value of ten, and then convert the resulting value in GJ, so we will multiply by 41.868GJ because 1ten = 41.868GJ. 8.161Mten = 8161 8161 106ten = 106 41.868GJ = 341684.748TJ Emissions of carbon is obtained when the coal consumption is multiplied by a factor of carbon emissions, which the lignite is 27.6tC/TJ. 341684.748TJ 27.6tC/TJ = 9430499.045tC Response that corresponds to formation of carbon dioxide from carbon: C + O2 CO2 On the basis of the equation we see that from one

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Kraljice Marije 16, Belgrade, Serbia, ivanstojanovic1987@gmail.com

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TOTAL: 52.754Mt 2

TOTAL EMISSIONS OF CO2 FROM POWER PLANTS IN SERBIA

Electricity generation in thermal power plants is: Consumption of coal in power plants, was in 6693 Mtoe. 6.693Mten = 6693 6693 106ten = 106 41.868GJ = 280222.524TJ Carbon emissions: 280222.524TJ 27.6tC/TJ = 7734141.662tC Carbon dioxide: MCO2 = MC / MC * MCO2 = 7734141,662 44 = 10,312 = 28358519427kg 28.36Mt Oil consumption for electricity generation, was in 0079 Mtoe. 0.079Mten = 0079 0079 106ten = 106 41.868GJ = 3307.572TJ Carbon emissions: 3307.572TJ 20tC/TJ = 66151.44tC Carbon dioxide: MCO2 = (MC / MC) * = 66151.44 MCO2 44 = 10,312 0.242Mt Gas consumption for electricity production was: 0052 Mtoe. 0.052Mten = 0.052 106ten = 0.052 106 41.868GJ = 2177.136TJ Carbon emissions: 2177.136 15.3tCTJ = 33310.1808tC Carbon dioxide: MCO2 = (MC / MC) * = 33310.1808 MCO2 10312 44 = 0.122Mt TOTAL: 28.722 MtCO2 Budgeted amount was obtained SO2 from power plants and burning fossil fuels is emitted into the atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect. This amount of CO2 would be extracted and stored.

carbon leads to capturing of CO2 H2 is used later on as a fuel and CO2 is captured before combustion. This process is based on chemical absorption since after oxidation and the production of carbon dioxide and hydrogen this mixture goes into a device in which under influence of absorbent H2 and CO2 are separated. The absorbent is a substance which links CO2 to itself and mostly absorbents are amines. Hydrogen, which is captured, is further transferred to thermal power plant where it is used for production of electrical power. CO2 is transferred, together with the absorbent, into a device for regeneration. In the regenerator, under the influence of higher temperatures the absorbent and CO2 are separated because the absorbent in such conditions is not capable of holding to carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide leaves the regenerator as current of clear gas gas with high content and it is taken to a storage place. The absorbent can be used in a process again.

Pre-combustion technology blocks current validation status

PRE-COMBUSTION CO2 CAPTURE

Pre-combustion CO2 capture includes the idea that fossil fuel is mixed with water steam and air and the process of oxidation of oxygen and

This way of capturing CO2 is applicable in thermal power plants that use solid fuel. Around 90% CO2 is captured. As this technology requires significant modifications in thermal power plants it is impossible to be used on the existent ones, but if this way of capturing CO2 is adopted it will be used in the new ones. Disadvantage of this plant is that it requires building up a chemical power plant in front of the gas turbine, also high investment costs and due to high emission of nitrogen oxide (Nx) it is necessary to build in high quality plants for absorbers; also efficiency of hydrogen combustion in gas turbines is not as high as when conventional fuels are used and it is less flexible in respect to adaptation of electricity production to the needs of consumers.

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Kraljice Marije 16, Belgrade, Serbia, ivanstojanovic1987@gmail.com

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COMBUSTION IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF OXYGEN

Oxyfuel technology is a method which brings in clear oxygen in the process of combustion. In order to get clear oxygen a cryogen process of getting oxygen from air in a separate plant should be performed before combustion. Produced oxygen reacts with fossil fuel and combust. In order to make combustion process stable, it is necessary to recirculate cold gasses and take them into furnace. Current of gasses after the process of combustion consists mainly of CO2 and water steam. These two elements can be easily separated with the process of condensation. Water steam condensates and is taken further while CO2 leaves the compensator and it is taken to the storage place. This process allows capturing of 100% CO2. Unlike the pre-combustion technology Oxyfuel technology can be applied in existent thermal power plants, but with slight modifications. The advantage of using this technology is one hundred percent capture of CO2. However one of the main disadvantages is necessity of cryogenic process in order to get clear oxygen. This method requires additional energy in high percentage. Thermal power plant of 500W power will use up at least 15% of energy it produces annually for performance of cryogen process. This process makes it more expensive in whole. Nowadays a new technology is being developed, promising technology which might replace the cryogen process in the future. This technology captures oxygen form air by oxidation of metal compounds.

CAPTURING CO2 AFTER COMBUSTION

Post- combustion technology is being done from current of gases. This process is based on a chemical absorption. It is taking place in a device where under absorbents influence CO2 is captured. Apart from these absorbents, which are mainly ammines and carbons, water is added into device as well. Two electricites come out from the device- one contains refined gasses with traces of CO2 and the other contains water, absorbent and CO2. The other electricity leads into a device for regeneration where it is heated up. Under the influence of heat the absorbent emits CO2. CO2 leaves the device for regeneration and it is taken to storage place while the absorbent can be reused in a process. Using this process it is possible to capture 80 and 90% of CO2. The advantage of this process of decreasing CO2 emission is ability to be built into bigger plants without prior modifications. Besides this advantage this technology has not been used sufficiently. It has been applied to some smaller thermal power plants but there are still some technical limits and problems which need to be solved in order to apply this technology to thermal power plants of great power.

Post-combustion (boiler-based) current validation status

Oxyfuel technology blocks (boilerbased) current validation status

Another problem that arises is storage of captured CO2. This process needs to be performed in such manner that it does not protrude into the atmosphere in infinite time period, but also that it does not induce a new ecological catastrophe. One of the newest technologies allows CO2 storage in the sea, but
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Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Kraljice Marije 16, Belgrade, Serbia, ivanstojanovic1987@gmail.com

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it is yet to be proved whether this is a good solution or only spoofing people. Scientists are not ready to give answers to the question what influence on the environment capturing CO2 might have. One possibility is that the captured CO2 is stored on the ground; this has already been done in deep geological layers, deserted mines and similar places. However oceans present the biggest natural resource that is able to absorb CO2. At least 85% CO2 from the atmosphere has been already absorbed on the ocean surface naturally. It is estimated that oceans contain 40.000 billion tons of CO2 in comparison with 750 billion tons in the atmosphere and around 2.200 billion tons in the earth. This means that if one takes all CO2 from the atmosphere and puts in the depth of oceans the concentration of CO2 in the ocean will change for less than 2%. Experiments have shown that liquid CO2 put down to the depth of 3000 meters has a tendency to climb towards a surface as it is less dense than surrounding water. However at 3000 meters depth it becomes solid, similar to ice, being denser than surrounding sea water. One of the considered methods has been the idea to throw liquid CO2 onto a sea bottom. Another possibility is its storage in deserted oil rigs. Even if CO2, stored at the depth of 3000 meters, does not come in contact with the atmosphere in the next 200 years, all that is just an assumption. We simply do not know what consequences might occur in a longer time period. The main concern should be making objective scientific thesis public, accessible to those who make political decisions so that they are informed properly at the time when certain decisions are being made. One of the major scientific questions is what would happen if no steps are taken in reducing level of CO2 . Ph value at the ocean surface will decrease which will lead to water becoming more acid, resulting in different chemical structure of water at the surface where most sea organisms live. Therefore we still do not know in which way the eco system is going to react to this slow, natural increase of CO2. This concern lead to some scientists pointing out that less damage might be produced with capturing CO2 from atmosphere and directly discarding it in huge ocean depth where far less organisms live. These organisms would be directly affected by a

huge change of their environment and it is a fact that their slow metabolism would hardly adapt to these changes. What consequences would it have on the atmosphere if in 100 or 200 yeartime a huge accumulated amount of CO2 from the bottom starts climbing up towards the surface and finally gets into atmosphere? Over the centuries we have built an artificial world suitable for our needs up to the point where 60 % of nature represents the work of our hands. For a man the challenge has always been to build a new world and not to respect the rules and limits of the existent. Instead of considering our planet as a whole, consisting of numerous interdependent systems, we always search for simple solutions to complex problems forgetting that the atmosphere, earth and oceans are three sides of the same triangle. Whatever we do to one side it will have effect on two others.

X REFERENCES 1. CO2 Capture Ready Plants,

International energy agency, Report Number: 2007/4, 2007. 2. Zero Emission Platform, CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) Matrix of Technologies, Technology Blocks,2008, http://www.zeroemissionsplatform.eu

3. Ministry of Energetics and Mining of Serbia, The energy balance for 2008, http://www.mem.gov.rs

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Kraljice Marije 16, Belgrade, Serbia, ivanstojanovic1987@gmail.com