Pilot scale testing of an advanced solvent in a 0.7 MWe post-combustion CO₂ capture unit

An advanced Amine Promoted Buffer Solution (APBS), APBS-CDRMax® (CDRMax), developed by Carbon Clean Solutions Limited (CCSL), was tested at the 0.7 MWe CO₂ capture facility at Kentucky Utilities E.W. Brown Generation Station using a heat-integrated two-staged stripping CO₂ capture process. The performance of the solvent was evaluated to determine operating conditions that maximized the cyclic capacity of the solvent and results in energy savings. The regeneration energy ranged from 2.9 to 3.3 GJ/ton CO₂ with 14 vol % (dry) CO₂ inlet and approximately 90 % capture. The difference in the reboiler specific heat duty at stripper pressures of 1.7 and 2.1 bar was minimal as similar amounts of water vapor were observed in the CO₂ product stream at stripper outlet. Recycling of product CO₂ increased the inlet CO₂ concentration to the absorber from 14 to 16 vol% which enhanced mass transfer from the gas to the solvent resulting in about 5 % reduction in the energy of regeneration at the lower stripper pressure. The solvent circulation rate was reduced by about 30 % relative to previous 30 wt% MEA campaign for the CO₂ target capture of 90 %. Additionally, the reduced solvent make-up rate of CDRMax shows promise for capital and operating cost savings for post-combustion CO₂ capture.