PTQ Q1 2024 Issue

Filtration and separation for industrial carbon capture, transport, and storage

Novel filtration and separation products and a deep understanding of material science and fluid contamination characteristics are needed to reduce the Opex of carbon capture

Lara Heberle and Julien Plumail Pall Corporation

I n addition to electrification, hydrogen, and other clean energy technologies, large-scale carbon capture, utili- sation, and storage (CCUS) is critical to achieving net- zero 2050 goals. These goals were set forward by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2021 as a challeng- ing path to restrict global temperature rise to 1.5°C. One of the key aspects of the plan is to limit emissions from point-source industrial emitters that produce elevated lev- els of CO₂, which are often hard to abate. These industries include cement, lime, steel, and aluminum production, bio- energy, refineries, chemicals, natural gas and coal power plants, pulp and paper, and waste-to-energy.1 Looking at the carbon capture value chain, there are a range of technologies at widely varying technical readiness levels (TRL). The most mature carbon capture technology,

which is currently used in most industrial carbon capture installations, is chemical absorption, where a solvent selec- tively binds with the CO₂ in one column called the absorber and regenerates in a secondary regenerator column where the CO₂ is released. Solvent-based absorption technology is well known and has been used extensively in natural gas treating plants such as in amine sweetening processes. Other carbon capture technologies at lower TRLs include physical absorption, adsorbents, oxyfuel combustion, cryo- genics, calcium or chemical looping, and membranes. Once CO₂ is captured, it is typically dehydrated, com- pressed into a dense or supercritical phase for easier trans- port, then transported via pipeline or ship. It can be utilised in material production, enhanced oil recovery, or other pro- cesses or stored in depleted reservoirs or saline formations.

Treated gas

CO to compression

Condenser

Water wash loop

Carbon bed

Reux drum

Cooler

Stripper

Feed gas

Heat exchanger

Cooler

Absorber

Reboiler

Lean solvent

Rich solvent

Figure 1 Pretreatment and solvent-based capture filtration and separation needs

Filtration and separation recommendations for select process locations in Figure 1

# 1 2 3 4

Need

Driver

Separation solution Low ΔP flue gas filter Low ΔP aerosol removal Low ΔP aerosol removal Absolute-rated particulate filter Absolute-rated particulate filter

Particulate removal from dry gas feeds Remove contaminants on inlet gas Prevent amine carry-over on absorber outlet Remove solid contaminants from solvent loop

Protect equipment, prevent solvent loss Protect equipment, prevent solvent loss Meet environmental specs, prevent solvent loss

Prevent fouling of critical equipment

5 Prevent activated carbon fine carry-over in solvent loop

Prevent fouling of critical equipment

Table 1

PTQ Q1 2024