Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “carbon capture system”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10

NETL Direct Air Capture Center

In 2022 Congress authorized the $25M National Energy Technology Laboratory Direct Air Capture Center. The facility will be specifically targeted at accelerating the commercialization of technologies beyond the conceptual stage which have not yet reached full pilot-scale (TRL 3 to 6). The ability to operate over a wide range of conditions will help the developers to understand how their technologies respond in different climates, from summer to winter and arid to tropical. NETL recognizes that DAC technology is still early in its evolution, and a wide variety of highly varied technologies are being explored. The Center will be designed with substantial flexibility to accommodate the rapidly evolving technological landscape. Testing systems at three scales will be included: lab-scale systems designed to examine the long-term stability of DAC materials, bench-scale module testing systems capable of probing flow dynamics, and small pilot-scale skid rooms able to test prototype DAC units under a wide variety of climate conditions. The NETL DAC Center will feature dedicated engineering, technician, scientific and logistical support for experimental system design, installation, operation of experiments, and interpretation of results for projects including but not limited to kinetics of absorption/desorption, thermal duty, and post-mortem elemental characterization to understand degradation. The NETL DAC Center projects will also have access to dedicated process modeling and analysis to evaluate the technoeconomic aspects of new technologies. NETL’s Systems Engineering and Analysis (SEA) team, the Carbon Capture Simulation Initiative (CCSI), and the Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems (IDAES) are all potential collaborators with NETL’s testing partners from industry, academia, and other research institutions. NETL also has world class capabilities in device scale modeling (i.e., MFIX) that will be available to help design more efficient contactors and optimize unique internal configurations that can be realized by advanced manufacturing. The talk will cover the design and capabilities of the center, the planned availability, and feedback will be solicited from the audience on DAC testing needs.

Luebke, David↗

Accelerating commercialization of direct air capture technology

In 2022 Congress authorized the $25M National Energy Technology Laboratory Direct Air Capture Center. The facility will be specifically targeted at accelerating the commercialization of technologies beyond the conceptual stage which have not yet reached full pilot-scale (TRL 3 to 6). The ability to operate over a wide range of conditions will help the developers to understand how their technologies respond in different climates, from summer to winter and arid to tropical. NETL recognizes that DAC technology is still early in its evolution, and a wide variety of highly varied technologies are being explored. The Center will be designed with substantial flexibility to accommodate the rapidly evolving technological landscape. Testing systems at three scales will be included: lab-scale systems designed to examine the long-term stability of DAC materials, bench-scale module testing systems capable of probing flow dynamics, and small pilot-scale skid rooms able to test prototype DAC units under a wide variety of climate conditions. The NETL DAC Center will feature dedicated engineering, technician, scientific and logistical support for experimental system design, installation, operation of experiments, and interpretation of results for projects including but not limited to kinetics of absorption/desorption, thermal duty, and post-mortem elemental characterization to understand degradation. The NETL DAC Center projects will also have access to dedicated process modeling and analysis to evaluate the technoeconomic aspects of new technologies. NETL’s Systems Engineering and Analysis (SEA) team, the Carbon Capture Simulation Initiative (CCSI), and the Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems (IDAES) are all potential collaborators with NETL’s testing partners from industry, academia, and other research institutions. NETL also has world class capabilities in device scale modeling (i.e., MFIX) that will be available to help design more efficient contactors and optimize unique internal configurations that can be realized by advanced manufacturing. The talk will cover the design and capabilities of the center, the planned availability, and feedback will be solicited from the audience on DAC testing needs.

Luebke, David↗

Combined Techno-Economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of an Integrated Direct Air Capture System with Advanced Algal Biofuel Production

The continuous increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere since the First Industrial Revolution correlates convincingly with the ongoing rise of the Earth's global average temperature contributing to climate change. As a response, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies are being implemented to mitigate anthropogenic CO2 emissions by capturing CO2 from high emitting point sources, such as power plants, refineries, and cement factories, and subsequently buried in geological formations underground for long term storage. Recently direct air capture (DAC) has emerged as a promising alternative technology that captures CO2 directly from the atmosphere for use or sequestration. This study investigates the potential synergistic benefits of integrating a solid amine-based DAC system with advanced algal biofuel production in photobioreactors (PBRs). DAC utilization allows the removal of atmospheric CO2 while also decoupling algae production facilities from anthropogenic point CO2 sources and avoiding the cost and logistics challenges of transporting CO2 long distances to remote facilities. Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment are performed to assess the economic and environmental benefits of heat and mass integration between the DAC and the PBR for biofuel production. The DAC-PBR system integration also considers on-site flue gas handling options, DAC capital utilization, the tradeoff between centralization or decentralization of key unit operations, and the PBR array. This presentation will discuss how optimizing DAC-PBR process integration can enhance the algal biofuel's economic and environmental sustainability and the prospect of DAC enabling the circular carbon economy.

algal biofuel production↗

Carbon Capture Design and Costing: Phase 2 (C3DC2) (Final Project Report)

ION Clean Energy’s (ION) advanced solvent is one of the leading solvent systems currently under development for post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) capture. ION has partnered with Nebraska Power Public District (NPPD), Sargent & Lundy, Koch Modular Process Systems, and Siemens to design a commercial-scale (700 MW) capture system utilizing ION’s advanced solvent, ICE-21, retrofitted onto NPPD’s Gerald Gentleman Station in Sutherland, Nebraska, USA. The capture system was designed to take full advantage of the solvent benefits including an efficient physical plant layout, reduced energy requirements, less solvent degradation, lower emissions, and lower capital costs relative to systems built with DOE BBS case benchmark solvents. This Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study also included an investigation of utilizing biomass co-combustion with the aim of reaching near-zero emissions for this coal-fired power generating unit. The targeted biomass was from local resources in Nebraska tied to the production of ethanol.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership of the Western United States

This technical report documents research conducted under DOE Award No. DE-FE0031837 focused on evaluating the feasibility of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) systems in the central and western United States. The project integrated geologic characterization, reservoir simulation, infrastructure modeling, and economic analysis to assess CO₂ storage potential near industrial sources and develop strategies for transport and sequestration. The work included subsurface modeling, risk assessment, monitoring and verification (MRV) planning, and evaluation of regulatory pathways such as EPA Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class VI permitting and IRS 45Q tax credit eligibility. Results demonstrate the viability of multiple storage approaches, including saline formations, enhanced coalbed methane recovery, and basalt mineralization, supported by data-driven workflows and regional analyses. The project also produced permitting templates, technology transfer activities, and stakeholder engagement efforts to support deployment readiness. These findings contribute to the development of scalable, economically viable CCUS systems and provide a repeatable framework for future carbon management projects.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

An algal-bacterial symbiotic system of carbon fixation using formate as a carbon source

The commercial implementation of algal cultures for efficient capture of CO 2 from fossil-derived flue gases is not a reality yet due to several major challenges, particularly low gas-liquid mass transport efficiency along with loss of productivity due to pests. This study has explored an algal-bacterial symbiotic system to utilize formate as a carbon source. The algal-bacterial assemblage, after a 400-day adaptive evolution using the formate medium, has demonstrated a new capability to assimilate both formate and CO 2 to promote biomass production. The formate tolerant culture system also addresses CO 2 mass transfer limitation under high light conditions. Continuous cultivation of the assemblage on formate led to a carbon capture efficiency of 90 % with a biomass concentration of 0.92 g L -1 and biomass productivity of 0.31 g L -1 day -1 , and the system did not require CO 2 aeration. In addition, 13 C isotope tracing, proteomics, and microbial community analysis reveal a uniquely evolved community for formate utilizations and robust biomass synthesis, in which Chlorella sorokiniana is a dominant phototroph companying with highly diverse bacterial subpopulations. In the presence of formate, evidence has shown that Chlorella is able to form mutualism with formate utilizing bacteria in semi-continuous cultures, leading to a highly effective photomixotrophic metabolism. Furthermore, this study demonstrates a new route of using electrochemical-derived formate to support mutualistic algae-bacteria biorefinery while the formate as an alternative carbon source could repel pests for outdoor algal cultivations.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

FEED Study of CarbonCapture Inc DAC and CarbonCure Utilization Technologies Using United States Steel’s Gary Works Plant Waste Heat (Final Report)

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) led this project to produce a front-end engineering design (FEED) study of an advanced Direct Air Capture and Utilization System (DACUS) system that can remove a minimum of 5,000 tonnes/yr net of carbon dioxide from air (based on cradle-to-gate LCA) and utilizing the CO 2 to produce low carbon intensity ready mix concrete. The designed system, if built, would be larger than any currently existing Direct Air Capture (DAC) collector in the U.S. Such carbon capture technologies are critical to meeting the goals of the DOE’s program to accelerate climate-critical technology. In addition to the power sector, industrial facilities for the manufacture of steel and cement/concrete are among the major sources of anthropogenic CO 2 . DAC is a promising new technology for reducing CO 2 , a potent greenhouse gas, in the atmosphere but is expensive, in part due to the energy required to adsorb and desorb captured CO 2 during cycles. By integrating CarbonCapture Inc. (CCI) DAC modules at United States Steel's Gary Works (USS) and utilizing the site's waste heat, energy, and location this project evaluates the feasibility of utilizing the captured CO 2 and the logistics of transportation. CarbonCapture Inc. has developed an innovative DAC system using novel adsorbents to cost-effectively capture CO 2 . The captured, liquified gas will be trucked to ready-mix concrete plants within the region, the closest of which is approximately 3.5 miles away, where CarbonCure will inject it into concrete during the mixing process at the facilities. The carbon dioxide reacts with concrete, mineralizing into calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ), permanently locking the greenhouse gas into the matrix of the building material. This FEED study demonstrated a full CO 2 value chain for DACUS from industrial facilities. It also provided a means for Visage Energy Corp. (Visage) to assess the impact of this holistic approach on job creation, regional economic impact, and environmental justice. The project team also included Sargent & Lundy (S&L) to provide the constructability review and costing of the integration of the DAC with the steel plant. Ecotek Engineering USA, LLC designed the outside battery limit (OSBL) infrastructure to connect the DAC and the plant. Activities performed during the project included: (1) Project Management Plan; (2) Technology Maturation Plan (TMP); (3) Initial Workforce Readiness Plan; (4) Workforce Readiness Plan; (5) Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) Study; (6) Project Design Basis; (7) Hazards and Operability (HAZOP) Study; (8) Constructability Review; (9) Project Cost Assessment; (10) Logistics Analysis of CO 2 Transportation to the Utilization Site; (11) Business Case Analysis; (12) Life Cycle Analysis (LCA); (13) Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Analysis; (14) Environmental Justice Analysis; and (15) Economic Revitalization and Job Creation Outcomes Analysis. This report provides a summary of the outcomes and results of the project, which was performed between Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2024.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Advanced CO 2 Capture Solvent Systems for Dynamic Power Generation

RTI International, in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Carbon Capture Simulation for Industry Impact (CCSI 2 ), Electricity Power Research Institute (EPRI), and West Virginia University (WVU), successfully completed a joint research effort in developing a cost-effective, resilient, load-following advanced CO 2 capture technology for natural gas power plants. The project’s objective was to develop a CO 2 capture process that maximizes the net present value (NPV) of the electricity sale by minimizing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) under dynamic plant loads and high renewable penetration environments. The two key innovations developed in this project were the use of (i) advanced water-lean solvents (WLSs) and (ii) process intensification equipment, such as a rotating packed bed (RPB) absorber and dual-stage flash regeneration. The process’s low CO 2 capture cost is realized through WLSs’ low energy required for solvent regeneration, which lowers the operating cost while RPBs intensify the absorption process and reduces the power plant capital cost. A suite of advanced computational and simulation packages was implemented to guide the process design, validate the dynamic response of the capture plant, evaluate system-wide performance, and maximize the power plant’s profit. The project also engaged with power producers and other stakeholders to ensure its technical relevance and techno-economic viability. The development of this highly disruptive CO 2 capture technology could accelerate the industry adoption and thereby lower the greenhouse gas emissions of the U.S. power sector. Deployment of this technology can increase the reliability and decrease the cost of electricity generation in the U.S. by enabling the use of low-carbon fossil fuels to balance fluctuations of renewable energy availability.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

Large-scale spatially explicit analysis of carbon capture at cellulosic biorefineries

The large-scale production of cellulosic biofuels would involve spatially distributed systems including biomass fields, logistics networks and biorefineries. Better understanding of the interactions between landscape-related decisions and the design of biorefineries with carbon capture and storage (CCS) in a supply chain context is needed to enable efficient systems. Here we analyse the cost and greenhouse gas mitigation potential for cellulosic biofuel supply chains in the US Midwest using realistic spatially explicit land availability and crop productivity data and consider fuel conversion technologies with detailed CCS design for their associated CO 2 streams. Optimization methods identify trade-offs and design strategies leading to systems with attractive environmental and economic performance. Strategic and operational decisions depend on underlying spatial features and are sensitive to biofuel demand and CCS incentives. US CCS incentives neglect to motivate greenhouse gas mitigation from all supply chain emission sources, which leverage spatial interactions between CCS, electricity prices and the biomass landscape.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Net Present Value Optimization of a Natural Gas Combined Cycle Plant with CO 2 Capture using a Water-Lean Solvent Considering Transient Electricity Price for Multiple Regions

Global CO 2 emissions are increasing at about a 1.5% rate per year. Fossil fuel-based plants are one of the main contributors to this rise. In the power generation industry, fossil fuel plants are dominant, and many plants are under development. In this study, a natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plant with postcombustion capture using a leading water-lean solvent is considered. For optimal design and operating schedule, large-scale dynamic optimization is undertaken for net present value (NPV) optimization. The first principle dynamic model of NGCC is developed, including a model of the highly efficient H-class gas turbines. For computational tractability of the dynamic optimization problem, a reduced-order model is developed by using the Hankel singular value decomposition. A waterlean solvent, N-(2-ethoxyethyl)-3-morpholinopropan-1-amine, is used for carbon capture. A model of the capture system is developed in Aspen Plus, which is used to develop a reduced-order model by using ALAMO, a machine learning software. In addition, a reduced model of the CO 2 compression system with a dehydration unit is also considered. The integrated system is used for NPV optimization by using the Python-based PYOMO platform. The PCC process is analyzed for three configurations-conventional packed bed, rotating packed bed (RPB), and a combination of RPB and direct contact cooler. The NPV optimization is performed for 14 regional markets by considering year-long clustered and continuous locational marginal price data with a 1 h interval. Optimization results show that the PCC can achieve 90% CO 2 capture with a positive NPV for six regions. Sensitivity studies conducted by using the PCC configurations indicate that the process is economically feasible for 9 regions out of 14 regional electricity markets with NPV values in the range of 33−540 $MM.

cabon capture↗

Analysis of carbon capture at cellulosic biorefineries

The large-scale production of cellulosic biofuels would involve spatially distributed systems including biomass fields, logistics networks and biorefineries. Better understanding of the interactions between landscape-related decisions and the design of biorefineries with carbon capture and storage (CCS) in a supply chain context is needed to enable efficient systems. Here we analyse the cost and greenhouse gas mitigation potential for cellulosic biofuel supply chains in the US Midwest using realistic spatially explicit land availability and crop productivity data and consider fuel conversion technologies with detailed CCS design for their associated CO2 streams.

carbon capture and storage (CCS)↗

Method and apparatus for capturing carbon dioxide during combustion of carbon containing fuel

A boiler system having a series of boilers. Each boiler includes a shell having an upstream end, a downstream end, and a hollow interior. The boilers also have an oxidizer inlet entering the hollow interior adjacent the upstream end of the shell and a fuel nozzle positioned adjacent the upstream end of the shell for introducing fuel into the hollow interior of the shell. Each boiler includes a flue duct connected to the shell adjacent the downstream end for transporting flue gas from the hollow interior. Oxygen is delivered to the oxidizer inlet of the first boiler in the series. Flue gas from the immediately preceding boiler in the series is delivered through the oxidizer inlet of each boiler subsequent to the first boiler in the series.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Carbon management technology pathways for reaching a U.S. Economy-Wide net-Zero emissions goal

The Carbon Management Study Group of the 37 th Energy Modeling Forum (EMF 37) designed seven scenarios to explore the role of three potentially key technology suites – point source carbon dioxide capture and storage (PSCCS), direct air capture of carbon dioxide (DACCS), and hydrogen systems (H 2 ) – in shaping the broader technology pathways to reaching net-zero carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions in United States by 2050. Each scenario was run by up to 13 models participating in the EMF 37 study. Results show that carbon dioxide removal technologies were consistently a major part of successful pathways to net-zero U.S. CO 2 emissions in 2050. Achieving this net-zero CO 2 goal without any form of carbon dioxide capture and storage was found to be impossible for most models; some models also found it impossible to reach net-zero without DACCS. The marginal cost of achieving net-zero CO 2 emissions in 2050 was between two and 10 times higher without PSCCS and/or DACCS available. The carbon price at which DACCS was deployed as a backstop technology depended upon the assumed cost at which DACCS was available at scale. Carbon prices were between $\$$250 and $\$$500 per ton CO 2 when DACCS deployed as a backstop. The average CO 2 capture rate across all models in 2050 in the central net-zero scenario was 1.3 GtCO 2 /year, which implies a substantial upscaling of capacity to move and store CO 2 . Finally, hydrogen sensitivity scenarios showed that H 2 typically constituted a relatively small share of the overall U.S. energy system; however, H 2 deployed in applications that are considered hard to decarbonize, facilitating transition towards net-zero emissions.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Solid State Air Purification System

Life support systems in spacecraft are designed to provide a safe, habitable environment for the astronauts, and one of the most significant challenges is managing acceptable air quality. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is respired normally by humans at concentrations that are toxic if inhaled directly, and as a result cabin air must be tightly managed. The Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) currently on board the ISS is the best functioning technology for manned space cabins, but has two significant drawbacks:1. The CDRA requires that air be dried prior to CO2 capture, and this costs energy _ in fact, the system spends 4X more energy drying the air than in actually capturing and releasing carbon dioxide. 2. The CDRA works in batch mode, while downstream CO2 processing systems require a continuous stream of CO2. This adds unnecessary complexity, as well as a second parasitic energy loss.An ideal system would process CO2 continuously without any need for drying of the air, and without any moving parts. Such a system would require a fraction of the size and weight of the CDRA while dropping the cost of CO2 capture by 5X or more. Such a technology would be enabling for future long term manned flight missions, such as a mission to Mars. eSionic is developing a new electrochemical membrane technology using its patented innovations in electrolyte materials. In Phase I of this program eSionic has demonstrated continuous gas separation using only electricity to drive the separation, with no moving parts or pressure drops. In Phase II, eSionic will demonstrate long-term operation of the membranes consistent with the needs of NASA for this development program.

Life Support↗

NETL's Cost of Capturing CO2 from Industrial Sources and Industrial Carbon Capture Retrofit Database

This presentation was given on behalf of NETL's Strategic Systems Analysis and Engineering Directorate, Energy Process Analysis Team at a United States Energy Association webinar on January 24, 2023. The presentation summarizes techno economic analysis results of nine industrial CO2 capture cases, and also gave an overview and brief demonstration of the industrial sources Carbon Capture Retrofit Database, which is a publicly available tool that estimates capture costs for a subset of the industrial sources appearing in the companion systems analysis report.

Hughes, Sydney↗

Technology Demonstration of a High-Pressure Swirl Oxy-Coal Combustor

This technical report presents the exploration of the design and prototyping of a High-Pressure Swirl Oxy-coal Combustor. Pressurized oxy-coal combustion systems have the potential to improve efficiency along with an increased carbon capture rate. Reduction of flue gas at higher pressure, smaller system size, and capital cost reductions render high-pressure oxy-coal systems particularly attractive as next-generation energy-producing systems. High-pressure oxy-coal combustion systems are a recent concept, and thus operability issues of combustor designs for such systems are not fully understood. Significant challenges exist to maintain oxy-coal combustion stability at elevated pressure and a high CO 2 diluent environment. Although a body of knowledge exists for high-pressure oxygen combustion in rocket engines (or similar applications), it is yet to be strategized how these fundamental concepts can be translated to low-temperature CO 2 diluent combustion regimes. The realization of the pressurized oxy-coal based systems requires combustor components to be designed and demonstrated for an operating pressure over 10 bar. However, pressurized oxy-coal combustor design information at this pressure range and scale relevant to validate those proposed systems is currently limited. Experimental data from MWth scale oxy-coal combustors are needed to identify the optimal trade-off between net efficiency and systems size. The proposed effort is aimed at demonstrating a 1 MWth down-fired swirl Oxy-Coal combustor and investigate the interrelation between combustor operating conditions (pressure; flame stability; flue gas recirculation ratio) and conversion efficiencies to minimize oxygen requirements. One of the key challenges is to configure burner design (i.e., swirl number and injector) and operating conditions for high-pressure oxy-coal combustion systems. These experiments differ from current systems partly due to the high theoretical flame temperature and related burner operability issues associated with oxy-combustion. An ASPEN PLUS® model study for 550 MWe TIPS and ENEL pressurized oxy-coal systems with CO 2 recirculation was performed to evaluate system design, subsystems sizing, and operating condition determination. The system analysis effort included TRL and technology gap determination of subsystems and critical components. This information was scaled to develop design requirements (design pressure and flue gas recirculation: RR Flue Gas = $\frac{m_{flue}}{m_{total}}$) for the 1 MWth combustor. The effects of a wide range of carbon dioxide recirculation ratios on the thermal efficiency of ENEL and TIPS cycles are studied. The pressure of 10 bar and 80 bar are used for ENEL and TIPS cycles, respectively. The thermal efficiency of ENEL is significantly higher than the efficiency of TIPS at a pressure of less than 10 bar. The insights from system analysis were then used to design a 1 MWth swirl oxy-coal combustor. Flame temperature analysis and material strength analysis was performed to determine the combustor thickness. The structural integrity of the combustor was validated by finite element analysis using Abacus® and Hypermesh®. Feasibility of igniters and secondary burners are investigated in successful high-pressure oxy-methane combustion. The secondary burners are designed in such a way that it can operate between 100 to 500 kW firing input. Three generations of the pintle injector were designed based on swirl numbers (S=0, 0.9, and 1.2). Key pintle injector parameters such as pintle size, pintle orifice size, spray pattern were investigated by cold flow tests. Information from these tests was used to modify injector design for smooth and successful operation. A 5 mm pintle orifice size was decided upon as the optimum size for oxy-coal operation for the combustor. Shadow sizing experiments were performed to identify the atomization rate of each injector. Different coal water slurry mixtures (30 – 50% coal by wt% in the mixture) at various total momentum ratios (TMR) were investigated for this purpose. These experiments provided decisive information to choose the best design of the injector. The injector with 1.2 swirl provided higher atomization in all cases than other designs. The mean equivalent droplet size of the jet was similar at different TMR and mixture ratios using this injector, thus making it suitable for use in most cases. Therefore, the 1.2 swirl-pintle injector was chosen for the shakedown test. The combustor and other sub-systems, including feed systems and control and data acquisition, have been manufactured, assembled, and integrated. The total system integration and installation began on July 1, 2020. The shake-down tests and initial operational capability demonstration are expected to be completed by September 30, 2020.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗