Energy requirement analysis on carbon capture plants satisfying impurity specifications

Simulation-based analysis estimating both the energy requirement of the entire carbon capture process and the purity of the recovered CO 2 is scarce. The purity of the captured CO 2 is crucial as it must meet a specification before transportation, preventing phase change and damage to the transportation system. This study conducted 31,104 simulations of a monoethanolamine carbon capture plant treating measured flue gas from an existing cement production plant. After capture, the CO 2 is treated through a deoxygenation unit followed by a compression train to fulfill specific quality specifications. Based on the sensitivity analysis, the energy consumption of the post-treatment process decreased with increased purity downstream. Despite this, the total energy consumption was not affected. Moreover, after the two-step purification the CO 2 stream was able to successfully fulfill the specification for NO x , O 2 , NH 3 , Ar, CO, SO 2 . However, failing to meet the H 2 O concentration requirements of both considered specifications and the N 2 concentration specified for ship transport. Thus, increasing the post-treatment energy cost or standard adjustments is required for future applications. • Developed a simulation model of carbon capture for real flue gas from the cement industry. • Performed 31,104 simulations to conduct parameter studies, covering a wide range of operational conditions. • Analyzed the impact of impurities on the plant’s energy consumption and performance. • Energy and economical cost analysis on removal efficiency and CO 2 purity before and after treatment. • Process analysis of CO 2 stream compared to different quality specifications.