I've just read an article online from the Sunday times - very good!
It explains the work which is being done on carbon capture and storage better than I can!
The company in question is Doosan Babcock, who are doing an awful lot of work at the moment on oxycoal combustion.
Showing posts with label oxycombustion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oxycombustion. Show all posts
Friday, October 3, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Another coal fired power station
Germany is to build another new coal fired power station. This is part of a series of new or expanded power stations which are being built.
The power station is being built by the same people who started the oxy-combustion rig in Schwartze Pumpe.
The reason for this? Back in 2000 the then german government decided to phase out all of their nuclear power stations.
With this set in law the current government must comply, which gives them a problem.
The only technical solution they can find is to build / expand 26 coal fired power stations - which of course the greens hate.
There's irony there somewhere.
The power station is being built by the same people who started the oxy-combustion rig in Schwartze Pumpe.
The reason for this? Back in 2000 the then german government decided to phase out all of their nuclear power stations.
With this set in law the current government must comply, which gives them a problem.
The only technical solution they can find is to build / expand 26 coal fired power stations - which of course the greens hate.
There's irony there somewhere.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
A CCS roadmap
I was recently at the Coal Research Forum biannual conference. It's a pleasent affair - three good meals a day, interesting presentations and a chance to sit in the bar and chat with other people from around the country.
The opening presentation was given by Dr. Mike Farley from Doosan Babcock - they're the people who build the power stations and are also looking to build capture plants.
Part of his presentation included a roadmap for CCS.
Unlike the road map for the middle east these are so close to completion that they are more of a historical document!
Two of his slides are below.
Amine capture roadmap
Oxycoal combustion roadmap
I like to see things like this. It cheers me up. It suggests that the UK can take a global lead on a technology that is seen by the IEA as providing a 19% drop in global CO2 emissions.
Another good bit of news from today is the press release from RWE, announcing that the capture demonstration unit on their combustion test facility is nearly ready. Not exactly power station sized, yet - but a vital link in the chain.
The opening presentation was given by Dr. Mike Farley from Doosan Babcock - they're the people who build the power stations and are also looking to build capture plants.
Part of his presentation included a roadmap for CCS.
Unlike the road map for the middle east these are so close to completion that they are more of a historical document!
Two of his slides are below.
Amine capture roadmap
Oxycoal combustion roadmap
I like to see things like this. It cheers me up. It suggests that the UK can take a global lead on a technology that is seen by the IEA as providing a 19% drop in global CO2 emissions.
Another good bit of news from today is the press release from RWE, announcing that the capture demonstration unit on their combustion test facility is nearly ready. Not exactly power station sized, yet - but a vital link in the chain.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Vatenfall starts!
This is a big deal.
The worlds first carbon and capture power station will be switched on today in Germany - hopefully it will work!
Naturally the green groups are bashing it as irrelevant, and complaining about the number of coal power stations which are being built in germany (around 10 I believe).
Either they don't understand Carbon Capture and Storage, or their keen for us to have global warming, I can't decide.
Germany is only building new coal power stations anyway as the green groups managed to prevent new nuclear build - making CCS (which the greens are also blocking) more important.
It's strange how green groups couldn't have done anything more harmful to the enviroment, isn't it!
The worlds first carbon and capture power station will be switched on today in Germany - hopefully it will work!
Naturally the green groups are bashing it as irrelevant, and complaining about the number of coal power stations which are being built in germany (around 10 I believe).
Either they don't understand Carbon Capture and Storage, or their keen for us to have global warming, I can't decide.
Germany is only building new coal power stations anyway as the green groups managed to prevent new nuclear build - making CCS (which the greens are also blocking) more important.
It's strange how green groups couldn't have done anything more harmful to the enviroment, isn't it!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Four ways to capture CO2
I recently attended an even at the IChemE (Institute of Chemical Engineers) which presented the four (perhaps three-and-a-half) methods of capturing CO2.
What strikes me is how far down the production path these four methods are.
Flue gas scrubbing
This is the traditional approach, with the CO2 being scrubbed from the flue gasses just before they all go up the chimney.
Progress: A test plant is being built at the RWE test rig at Didcott, oxfordshire. This is due to be scaled up for a larger pilot plant, to be built at Aberthaw power station. At 1MW the pilot plant will be 1/300th of the size of the plant envisaged by the governments competition, so whilst it's small it is essential. The next step after this will probably be a commercial sized plant.
Oxycoal combustion
This is a new approach, where coal is burnt in a CO2 / oxygen mix. Since there is little nitrogen in this mix the combustion gases can, pretty much, just be piped straight underground (okay, some treatment is required).
Progress: Doosan Babcock is to build a 40MW test rig to prove the concept.
Gasification
Known as an IGCC plant the coal is gassified leaving a gas stream of just CO2 and water.
Progress: The components for the Hatfiled IGCC have been ordered, and provided nothing goes wrong it will be built and running by 2013.
Capture on this is obviously very easy, and the technology has been well proven.
Gasification and oxycombustion
A clever bunch of people at Jacobs engineering have worked out a method of burning the gasified coal gas, in pure oxygen and then sending the gas through a gas turbine and boiler to extract energy.
It's a great idea.
Progress: A demonstation plant is due to be built next to the Hatfield site.
All told it all looks very promising!
What strikes me is how far down the production path these four methods are.
Flue gas scrubbing
This is the traditional approach, with the CO2 being scrubbed from the flue gasses just before they all go up the chimney.
Progress: A test plant is being built at the RWE test rig at Didcott, oxfordshire. This is due to be scaled up for a larger pilot plant, to be built at Aberthaw power station. At 1MW the pilot plant will be 1/300th of the size of the plant envisaged by the governments competition, so whilst it's small it is essential. The next step after this will probably be a commercial sized plant.
Oxycoal combustion
This is a new approach, where coal is burnt in a CO2 / oxygen mix. Since there is little nitrogen in this mix the combustion gases can, pretty much, just be piped straight underground (okay, some treatment is required).
Progress: Doosan Babcock is to build a 40MW test rig to prove the concept.
Gasification
Known as an IGCC plant the coal is gassified leaving a gas stream of just CO2 and water.
Progress: The components for the Hatfiled IGCC have been ordered, and provided nothing goes wrong it will be built and running by 2013.
Capture on this is obviously very easy, and the technology has been well proven.
Gasification and oxycombustion
A clever bunch of people at Jacobs engineering have worked out a method of burning the gasified coal gas, in pure oxygen and then sending the gas through a gas turbine and boiler to extract energy.
It's a great idea.
Progress: A demonstation plant is due to be built next to the Hatfield site.
All told it all looks very promising!
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