Advanced Solvents for CO2 Capture and Separation Technology for CO2 Sequestration to Enhance Utilization and Reduce Emissions from Wyoming Coal

Research Area 1: With continued concern over anthropogenic CO2 emissions and discussion of carbon reduction strategies, it is critical to find effective ways to manage carbon emissions. The high level of emissions from coal-fired power plants, has yielded tremendous effort in developing cost-effective CO2 capture technologies. As a result, a broad array of post-combustion CO2 capture methods has been developed. Regardless, a need still exists for the development of new technologies (e.g. solvents) and the study of how different coal sources impact the capture solution performance and degradation. Here, a new solvent is evaluated to reduce the overall cost for CCS. The solvent will be compared to MEA using the CAER's 0.1 MWth using Wyoming coal combustion for flue gas and the impact on solvent performance, heat stable salt formation, and degradation will be evaluated. The impact of Wyoming coal flue gas components that vary from bituminous coal (SOx, NOx, and fly ash) will be evaluated and additives will be developed to improve solvent performance in the presence of these components. Research Area 2: Carbon dioxide storage in deep saline aquifers is one of the most promising methods for sequestration. However, the displaced brine that results from this process needs to be processed once it comes to the surface. This displaced fluid can amount to millions of gallons of brine solution per day requiring treatment. Membrane capacitive deionization in conjunction with carbon surface modifications and energy recovery mechanisms can be more efficient than competitive technology, such as reverse osmosis (RO). This process will be examined for brine treatment with relevant ionic species located in Wyoming aquifers. Energy recovery will be shown to strongly decrease the energy required for this water separation, producing a value-added product of fresh water for local communities in Wyoming.