C2 and C+ compound production from carbon dioxide: supply chain design and optimization

The use of carbon dioxide to produce chemical products can in principle decrease both fossil resource exploitation and greenhouse gas emissions. Potential compounds that can be obtained are ethylene and polyurethane, characterized by large markets underpinning many industries. The importance of such platform chemicals means that different routes have been investigated in the literature for their alternative synthesis. However, there is lack of a direct comparison of these products and processes in a carbon capture utilization and storage supply chain in the existing literature: a gap which we wish to address here. A mixed integer linear optimization model for a carbon capture utilization and storage supply chain is developed here: carbon dioxide can be extracted from flue gas to be stored and/or utilized for ethylene (via the tandem or methanol to olefin processes), polyethylene or polyurethane production and these can be either sold immediately or stored. The framework is exemplified by a case study localised within the UK Teesside petrolchemical cluster and the best topology is suggested to minimize total costs. Moreover, a dynamic analysis of the system over the years is considered here to suggest the best way to implement carbon dioxide capture and utilisation through to 2050. Results show that the optimal cost is achieved by capturing carbon dioxide and converting it into ethylene via the methanol-to-olefin process; the whole system levelized cost is 7.3 $/kgEthylene. Moreover, ensuring an homogeneous way of capturing carbon dioxide over time maximises the profitability of the overall system.