CO2 Capture for Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants

Reaction Properties of Basic Oxygen Furnace Slag and Methane in a Fluidized-Bed Chemical Looping System

In the conventional steelmaking process, slag is the second-largest byproduct. Although most slags have ways to be reused, the demand for small BOF (basic oxygen furnace) slag is still limited. This study aimed to develop a fluidized-bed chemical looping system using BOF slag as an oxygen carrier and methane as a fuel to produce heat for the steelmaking process. The results of the BOF slag reaction test on a batch fluidization and reaction test facility indicated that the methane conversion rate increased with an increase in the methane concentrations and the reaction temperature. As methane concentration increased from 5 to 15 v/v % at the reaction temperature of 950 °C and the fluidized velocity of 5.1 times the minimum fluidized velocity of BOF slag, the methane conversion rate increased from 65.8 to 76.6%. By setting 10 v/v % as the referenced methane concentration, the methane conversion rate corresponded to 71.6%, and as the reaction temperature increased to 980 °C, the methane conversion rate of 85.7% was achieved. The fluidized gas velocity influenced the fluidized state of the oxygen carrier and the gas residence time in the reactor. As the gas velocity was 1.9 times the minimum fluidization velocity of BOF, the methane and oxygen carrier conversion rates reached 83.3 and 13.0% at the referenced methane concentration and reaction temperature of 950 °C. The experimental results could offer the required design and operation parameters for the methane fluidized bed chemical looping system using BOF slag as the oxygen carrier.

A Review on Enhancing Solvent Regeneration in CO2 Absorption Process Using Nanoparticles

The employment of nanoparticles in solvents is a promising method to reduce the energy consumption during solvent regeneration. Numerous experimental and theoretical studies have been conducted to investigate the remarkable enhancement of nanoparticles. Yet, there are limited reviews on the mechanistic role of nanoparticles in enhancing the solvent regeneration performance. This review addresses the recent development on the employment of various nanoparticles, which include metals oxides, zeolites and mesoporous silicas, to enhance the mass and heat transfer, which subsequently minimize the solvent regeneration energy. The enhancement mechanisms of the nanoparticles are elaborated based on their physical and chemical effects, with a comprehensive comparison on each nanoparticle along with its enhancement ratio. This review also provides the criteria for selecting or synthesizing nanoparticles that can provide a high regeneration enhancement ratio. Furthermore, the future research prospects for the employment of nanoparticles in solvent regeneration are also recommended.

Thermal Stability of Particle-Phase Monoethanolamine Salts

The use of monoethanolamine (MEA, 2-hydroxyethanamine) for scrubbing of carbon dioxide from combustion flue gases may become the dominant technology for carbon capture in the near future. The widespread implementation of this technology will result in elevated emissions of MEA to the environment that may increase the loading and modify the properties of atmospheric aerosols. We have utilized experimental measurements together with aerosol microphysics calculations to derive thermodynamic properties of several MEA salts, potentially the dominant forms of MEA in atmospheric particles. The stability of the salts was found to depend strongly on the chemical nature of the acid counterpart. The saturation vapor pressures and vaporization enthalpies obtained in this study can be used to evaluate the role of MEA in the aerosol and haze formation, helping to assess impacts of the MEA-based carbon capture technology on air quality and climate change.

Crystal-Size Effects on Carbon Dioxide Capture of a Covalently Alkylamine-Tethered Metal-Organic Framework Constructed by a One-Step Self-Assembly

To enhance the carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), amine functionalization of their pore surfaces has been studied extensively. In general, amine-functionalized MOFs have been synthesized via post-synthetic modifications. Herein, we introduce a one-step construction of a MOF ([(NiLethylamine)(BPDC)] = MOFNH2; [NiLethylamine](2+) = [Ni(C12H32N8)](2+); BPDC(2-) = 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylate) possessing covalently tethered alkylamine groups without post-synthetic modification. Two-amine groups per metal centre were introduced by this method. MOFNH2 showed enhanced CO2 uptake at elevated temperatures, attributed to active chemical interactions between the amine groups and the CO2 molecules. Due to the narrow channels of MOFNH2, the accessibility to the channel of CO2 is the limiting factor in its sorption behaviour. In this context, only crystal size reduction of MOFNH2 led to much faster and greater CO2 uptake at low pressures.

An Azine-Linked Covalent Organic Framework: Synthesis, Characterization and Efficient Gas Storage

A azine-linked covalent organic framework, COF-JLU2, was designed and synthesized by condensation of hydrazine hydrate and 1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol under solvothermal conditions for the first time. The new covalent organic framework material combines permanent micropores, high crystallinity, good thermal and chemical stability, and abundant heteroatom activated sites in the skeleton. COF-JLU2 possesses a moderate BET surface area of over 410 m(2)  g(-1) with a pore volume of 0.56 cm(3)  g(-1) . Specifically, COF-JLU2 displays remarkable carbon dioxide uptake (up to 217 mg g(-1) ) and methane uptake (38 mg g(-1) ) at 273 K and 1 bar, as well as high CO2 /N2 (77) selectivity. Furthermore, we further highlight that it exhibits a higher hydrogen storage capacity (16 mg g(-1) ) than those of reported COFs at 77 K and 1 bar.

Polar group and defect engineering in a metal-organic framework: synergistic promotion of carbon dioxide sorption and conversion

A sulfone-functionalized metal-organic framework (MOF), USTC-253, has been synthesized that exhibits a much higher CO2 uptake capacity (168-182 %) than the corresponding unfurnished MOFs. The introduction of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) during the synthesis of USTC-253 affords defect-containing USTC-253-TFA with exposed metal centers, which has an increased CO2 uptake (167 %) compared to pristine USTC-253. USTC-253-TFA exhibits a very high ideal adsorption solution theory selectivity (S=75) to CO2 over N2 at 298 K. In addition, USTC-253-TFA demonstrates good catalytic activity and recyclability in the cycloaddition of CO2 and epoxide at room temperature under 1 bar CO2 pressure as a result of the presence of Lewis and Brønsted acid sites, which were evaluated by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy with a CO probe molecule. We propose that the CO2 adsorption capability has a positive correlation with the catalytic performance toward CO2 conversion.

Recent advances in the methanol synthesis via methane reforming processes

Depleting fossil fuel resources and continuously degrading environment due to greenhouse gases demands an immediate search for alternative clean energy resources to reduce the global warming associated problems.

A review of CO2 capture by absorption in ionic liquid-based solvents

Concern has increased about climate change caused by carbon dioxide (CO

Aminosilanes grafted to basic alumina as CO2 adsorbents--role of grafting conditions on CO2 adsorption properties

Solid oxide-supported amine sorbents for CO2 capture are amongst the most rapidly developing classes of sorbent materials for CO2 capture. Herein, basic γ supports are used as hosts for amine sites through the grafting of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane to the alumina surface under a variety of conditions, yielding the expected surface-grafted alkylamine groups, as demonstrated by FTIR spectroscopy and (29)Si and (13)C cross-polarization magic-angle spinning (CPMAS NMR) spectroscopy. Grafting amine sites on the surface in the presence of water leads to a high density of amine sites on the surface whereas simultaneously creating a unique type of aluminum species on the surface, as demonstrated by both 1D and 2D (27)Al MAS NMR spectroscopy. The thus prepared sorbents result in higher CO2 adsorption capacities and amine efficiencies compared to sorbents prepared in the absence of water or similar amine loading sorbents prepared using silica supports. In situ FTIR spectra of the sorbents exposed to CO2 at various pressures show no distinct difference in the nature of the adsorbed CO2 species on alumina- versus silica-supported amines, whereas water adsorption isotherms show that the improved performance of the amine-grafted alumina support is not a consequence of retained water on the more hydrophobic aminoalumina materials. The findings demonstrate that amine-grafted, basic alumina materials can be tuned to be more efficient than the corresponding silica-supported materials at comparable amine loadings, further demonstrating that the properties of amine sites can be tuned by controlling or adjusting the support surface properties.

Alkylamine-tethered stable metal-organic framework for CO(2) capture from flue gas

Different alkylamine molecules were post-synthetically tethered to the unsaturated Cr(III) centers in the metal-organic framework MIL-101. The resultant metal-organic frameworks show almost no N2 adsorption with significantly enhanced CO2 capture under ambient conditions as a result of the interaction between amine groups and CO2 molecules. Given the extraordinary stability, high CO2 uptake, ultrahigh CO2 /N2 selectivity, and mild regeneration energy, MIL-101-diethylenetriamine holds exceptional promise for post-combustion CO2 capture and CO2 /N2 separation.

Real-time monitoring of emissions from monoethanolamine-based industrial scale carbon capture facilities

We demonstrate the capabilities and properties of using Proton Transfer Reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) to real-time monitor gaseous emissions from industrial scale amine-based carbon capture processes. The benchmark monoethanolamine (MEA) was used as an example of amines needing to be monitored from carbon capture facilities, and to describe how the measurements may be influenced by potentially interfering species in CO2 absorber stack discharges. On the basis of known or expected emission compositions, we investigated the PTR-ToF-MS MEA response as a function of sample flow humidity, ammonia, and CO2 abundances, and show that all can exhibit interferences, thus making accurate amine measurements difficult. This warrants a proper sample pretreatment, and we show an example using a dilution with bottled zero air of 1:20 to 1:10 to monitor stack gas concentrations at the CO2 Technology Center Mongstad (TCM), Norway. Observed emissions included many expected chemical species, dominantly ammonia and acetaldehyde, but also two new species previously not reported but emitted in significant quantities. With respect to concerns regarding amine emissions, we show that accurate amine quantifications in the presence of water vapor, ammonia, and CO2 become feasible after proper sample dilution, thus making PTR-ToF-MS a viable technique to monitor future carbon capture facility emissions, without conventional laborious sample pretreatment.

Measurement, standards, and data needs for CO2 capture materials: a critical review

The commercial deployment of cost-effective carbon capture technology is hindered partially by the lack of a proper suite of materials-related measurements, standards, and data, which would provide critical information for the systematic design, evaluation, and performance of CO2 separation materials. Based on a literature search and conversations with the carbon capture community, we review the current status of measurements, standards, and data for the three major carbon capture materials in use today: solvents, solid sorbents, and membranes. We highlight current measurement, standards and data activities aimed to advance the development and use of carbon capture materials and major research needs that are critical to meet if innovation in carbon capture materials is to be achieved. The review reveals that although adsorbents are considered to have great potential to reduce carbon capture cost, there is no consensus on the experimental parameters to be used for evaluating sorbent properties. Another important finding is the lack of in situ experimental tools for the structural characterization of solid porous materials during CO2 adsorption, and computational methods that would enable a materials-by-design approach for their development.

Towards commercial scale postcombustion capture of CO2 with monoethanolamine solvent: key considerations for solvent management and environmental impacts

Chemical absorption with aqueous amine solvents is the most advanced technology for postcombustion capture (PCC) of CO(2) from coal-fired power stations and a number of pilot scale programs are evaluating novel solvents, optimizing energy efficiency, and validating engineering models. This review demonstrates that the development of commercial scale PCC also requires effective solvent management guidelines to ensure minimization of potential technical and environmental risks. Furthermore, the review reveals that while solvent degradation has been identified as a key source of solvent consumption in laboratory scale studies, it has not been validated at pilot scale. Yet this is crucial as solvent degradation products, such as organic acids, can increase corrosivity and reduce the CO(2) absorption capacity of the solvent. It also highlights the need for the development of corrosion and solvent reclamation technologies, as well as strategies to minimize emissions of solvent and degradation products, such as ammonia, aldehydes, nitrosamines and nitramines, to the atmosphere from commercial scale PCC. Inevitably, responsible management of aqueous and solid waste will require more serious consideration. This will ultimately require effective waste management practices validated at pilot scale to minimize the likelihood of adverse human and environmental impacts from commercial scale PCC.