Coupling of an amine-based carbon capture unit to a municipal solid waste incineration plant – an analysis of the dynamics

• Aspen model shows MSWI flue gas dynamics impact CO 2 capture efficiency. • DCC removed 19.3 % SO 2 and 2.4 % NO X ; cooler, higher-pressure flue gas helps. • Load jumps led to a temporary reduction in the carbon capture rate from 90 % to 62 %. • Dynamic control improved capture up to 8.6 %, with higher heat demand. • Energy integration enables heat recovery synergies for economic viability. This study investigates the integration of an amine-based CO 2 capture system with a municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) plant in Germany, focusing on mitigating CO 2 emissions from flue gas. Using operational data from the MSWI plant, the study analyzes the impact of highly dynamic and inhomogeneous flue gas composition on carbon capture performance. A steady-state simulation model of a carbon capture plant was developed in Aspen Plus® to optimize operational conditions and evaluate the effects of acidic components on system performance. Results indicate that while a direct contact cooler (DCC) with water reduces SO 2 and NO x concentrations modestly, better removal rates are achieved by lowering flue gas temperatures or increasing operational pressure. Only 11.4 % of the solvent degrades oxidative after 8000 operating hours because of the prior flue gas cleaning in the MSWI plant. At 1 bar pressure and 140 °C flue gas temperature, the DCC only reduced the degradation rate by 3.3 %. A dynamic simulation model in Aspen Dynamics® assesses system response to variable flue gas conditions. Significant load increases reduce the CO 2 capture rate temporarily to 61 %. An optimization of the dynamic simulation model is carried out, which substantially improves performance. Additional implemented feed-forward control for solvent management further enhances response times and minimizes overshoot. The integration of model predictive control was less effective due to high dynamics of the flue gas composition and flowrate. Energy optimization reveals synergies between the MSWI plant and CO 2 capture system, identifying opportunities for heat recovery and reduced energy demand. The integrated simulations provide insights into optimizing system integration and operational strategies for economic and ecological viability.