CC pilots (DK4.1)

CO₂ capture pilots (mini-, middle-, large-scale)

The CO₂ capture pilots are used to study new solvent formulations, energy reductions, solvent emissions and degradation, process configurations, etc.

Mini-scale pilot:

The mini pilot can be used for testing solvent performance, packing efficiency, closed loop mass balance and energy consumption. It can easily be reconfigured for studying split flow applications, advanced heat integration and similar interesting CO₂ capture optimization scenarios.

The mini pilot consists of an absorber and a stripper unit. The absorber and the stripper are constructed as modular-based stainless steel columns, making it possible to extend the heights for future application. The absorber has 7 packed sections and the desorber has 4. Each module is 19.8 cm high, and the inner diameter is 49.75 mm.

The absorber has on every second flange a sample outlet while on every other flange it has a liquid inlet. In total it has three lean solvent inlets, given the option to feed lean solvent at different heights, and four sample outlets. Solvent is distributed into the column with a sprinkler consisting of four holes with a diameter of 1 mm. Gas is introduced to the absorber in the bottom. The setup is equipped with solvent recycling. CO₂ concentration is measured at the absorber in- and outlet.

Medium-scale absorber:

The absorber column consists of 10 glass tubes with a height of 1 m each and an inner diameter of 0.1 m. They are connected with flanges, which incorporate a patented liquid sampling system and are equipped with a temperature sensor.

At every second flange there is a liquid inlet, while every other flange has a liquid re-collector built in, which transfers the liquid away from the wall towards the centre of the column. The height of each glass tube including the flange is approximately 1 m; thus, the whole glass section is about 10 m high.

The liquid inlets are at heights of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 m height, the liquid re-collectors at heights of 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 m. Each 1 m glass section is filled with 4 structured packing elements of the type Mellapak 250 Y each with a diameter of 0.084 m and a height of 0.205 m. The packing elements are fixed with liquid re-collectors inside the glass column, that prevent the gas from bypassing the packing at the wall and which recollect the liquid phase from the wall. The total packed height is 8.2 m, and the packing volume is 0.0454 m3. The distance between the gas and liquid inlet is 10.25 m thus the total column volume is 0.0805 m3. The differential pressure to the outside atmosphere is measured at the base of the column, the middle (5 m) and the column head.

Mobile large-scale pilot:

The Technical University of Denmark (DTU), in collaboration with Pentair Union Engineering, designed and constructed a mobile CO₂ capture pilot plant (MTU). This plant can capture up to 1 ton of CO₂ per day and is designed for continuous 24/7 operation. The plant's flexible design allows for adjustment of key process parameters, including stripper bottom pressure, solvent flow, and gas flow rates, enabling various operational configurations. The pilot plant can be configured in over 20 advanced setups to enhance energy efficiency.

The mobile plant is built into two modular, container-sized skids (20 ft) with two towers:

• Container 1: Handles flue gas pre-treatment (including an active carbon filter), treatment of depleted flue gas (via a wash section), and CO₂ product processing.
• Container 2: Dedicated to CO₂ capture and desorption.

The MTU features four main towers (absorber, stripper, wash tower, and an advanced heat pump), all mounted on the container roofs. The absorber and stripper have a packing height of 10 meters, while the wash tower is 13.4 meters tall and includes a sequence of sections: a water wash, an acid wash, a dry bed, and a polishing section. The wash tower is essential for minimizing solvent emissions from the treated flue gas.

The facilities are supported by skilled technical and scientific staff. The units have been for various Danish and EU funded projects.

The three pilots are specially designed and therefore state-of-the-art units. The mobile pilot has the possibility of operating with more than 20 advanced process configurations, which have never been seen before at any pilot.