The CO2 Capture tool for refineries: a new approach to analyze CO2 capture in a multiple stack cluster

Abstract

There is a need to develop different strategies for refineries to decrease their CO2 emissions. Post-combustion capture allows a significant reduction of CO2 emissions in refineries, typically resulting in a scenario where a certain percentage of the sites emissions are captured. A cluster approach where multiple stacks are linked to the same CO2 capture infrastructure seems an effective way to cost-effectively decrease the emissions of a cluster.

In the EU-project REALISE, TNO and NTNU are developing a CO2 capture tool for refineries. Based on input parameters of a different stacks (e.g. flue gas flow rate, CO2 concentration, temperature), the model can calculate the most effective CO2 capture solution for the whole cluster based on constraints and requirements of the site.

An advantage of the tool is that it is a fast-running model, meaning that no process simulations are done in the tool itself. To achieve this, a database was built that contains a large number of simulation results from a standard CO2 capture plant modelled in CO2SIM software.

In the present work, the developed tool is used to evaluate cases containing up to five CO2 point sources with different CO2 contents (3 – 20% vol wet basis) and gas flow rates (varying from 50000 m3/h to 500000 m3/h). The CO2 capture costs, the costs connected to the operation and size of the units will be presented. Based on the obtained results, recommendations will be given for each case studied, and the feasibility discussed, also considering the ease of the operation and the required area.