THURSDAY 26 SEPTEMBER
Development of a Site-Assembled CO2 Absorber Column
Speaker: Esme Elman, Bechtel
Some potential sites for carbon capture are constrained by access, being located away from ports or other deep-water access. The one-piece absorber column design in Bechtel’s standard 1 million ton per year carbon capture plant design is over 65m high and 16.7m in diameter; to fabricate and test the one-piece absorber column in a low-cost location and then transport to an inland site would be challenging or impossible.
Bechtel has developed an alternative concept for an absorber column that can be assembled or fabricated on site to mitigate such logistics issues.
A range of construction methods were evaluated against criteria such as material cost, fabrication cost, ease of transport and ease of construction. Both circular and rectangular column geometries were evaluated, along with metallic and concrete materials with liners. A best technology selection report was produced with a range of disciplines, covering the various engineering, procurement and construction factors.
Get More for Less :“De-carbonising existing assets – Some lessons learned”
Speaker: Adish Jain and Paul Dickens, Fluor Limited, UK
Decarbonisation programmes are demanding increasing attention and Fluor’s Global new project awards illustrates this trend with a rise from 80+ Energy Transition Projects in 2022 to over 200 projects in 2023.
Lessons learned from two of the case studies of existing facilities illustrate
- A targeted but strategic approach is required at the organisation level to achieve carbon reduction.
- Develop “helicopter view” to identify opportunities at macro level.
- Assess existing facilities remaining life and technology “fit-for-purpose”.
- Assess impact on operations, plant availability and cost to prioritise these opportunities over long period.
- Combine energy transition with phased end-of-life asset renewal for improved return.
In Authors experience, some of the typical short term global opportunities are replacing fuel oil with fuel gas, electrification of combustion equipment, steam pressure rationalisation, recovering vent gases and recycle, flare gas recovery etc. The challenges are production loss during changeover, reduced availability, technology risk and importantly, the mindset to change.
Syngas Conditioning and Decarbonisation: Design, Footprints, Safety and Emissions Criteria from Project Experience
Speakers: Syed Hasan and Sangeeta Ankam, Kent
Net Zero ambition can be realised by sustainable energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables such as Syngas that is derived from scalable Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) gasification units (350 ~ 600 ktpa) to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) or other products.
This presentation defines opportunities for purification, decarbonisation and NOx abatement of Syngas facilities. The Syngas post MSW gasification is cooled via Heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) for further removal of particulates, inorganic species and quenching followed by Compression via steam turbine driver. The Syngas quality is enhanced in Water Shift reactor followed by Acid gases removal using Hydrolysis Reactor and Absorber column employing formulated amine that has higher acid gas loading capacity and mass transfer kinetics to achieve deep removal of both CO2 and H2S that are detrimental to Fischer-Tropsch (FT) Catalyst. The traces of contaminants are removed in Adsorbent beds prior to conversion of Syngas to Hydrocarbon liquids in FT unit and product upgrading is achieved in Hydrocracking and Fractionation unit to enable SAF production. The acid gas (CO2/H2S) is compressed to intermediate pressure for Sulphur removal via redox process and dehydration through adsorbent media. The conditioned CO2 is fiscally metered and piped for sequestration whereas sulphur cake is disposed of via trucks. The aforementioned Syngas to SAF process enables efficient decarbonisation with inherent safety, minimum footprints, reduced life cycle cost, lower GHG and NOx emissions.
Saipem’s Enzymatic Carbon Capture Technology: A Strategic Advance in Industrial Decarbonization
Speaker: Ligia Panà, Saipem
Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, requiring urgent action from all industrial sectors. As a global leader in engineering solutions, Saipem is committed to developing and implementing cutting-edge technologies that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster a sustainable future.
Introducing the enzymatic CO2 capture solution, Saipem demonstrates the vision and leadership in engineering a sustainable future, setting a new benchmark for environmental care.
The solution developed by Saipem is an innovative enzyme-catalysed carbon capture technology using a non-toxic and non-volatile solvent that excels in rapid CO2 absorption. The technology offers a unique, industrialized approach to decarbonization that combines sustainability, safety, and economic viability. Its modular and pre-engineered packages are a replicable, plug-and-play, perfect for quick and effective carbon-neutral transition, as it reduces onsite work and speeds up project timelines.
By harnessing the power of nature and innovation, the enzymatic carbon capture process can help a wide range of industrial sectors meet their environmental and economic goals and take a substantial step towards consistent environmental responsibility.
Furthermore, its innovative approach allows for the use of low-temperature heating medium for solvent regeneration, leading to OpEx reduction through integration with residual heat or low-grade geothermal sources.
Electrifying the Chemical Value Chain with Photocatalyst
Speaker: Trevor Best, Syzygy Plasmonics
Using a photocatalyst in an electrified reactor can increase efficiency in catalytic cracking and eliminate CO2/NOx emissions when powered by renewable electricity.
Photocatalyst rate has an exponential relationship with both temperature and photon Intensity.
An increase in photon intensity reduces the activation barrier even at a constant temperature, resulting in a higher reaction rate at lower temperatures.
Presenting point:
- Photocatalyst (Mechanism of Catalysis with Antenna-Reactor Photocatalystphotocatalyst
- Reactor Cell (Bulb vs LED: Luminous Efficacy vs Photon Efficiency)
- Data review from test site’s
- CO2 reforming
- Ammonia cracking
- Technology for the electrification sector in Midstream/Downstream
