Project objectives
The project objectives are integrated in world top research in fields of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technologies with applications to energy-intensive industrial processes. The project has the following main objectives:
Integration of high temperature solid looping thermo-chemical cycles (e.g. CaL, Ca - Cu cycle, CLOU etc.) into energy-intensive industrial processes based on fossil fuels e.g. heat and power sector, cement production, iron & steel production, chemicals (ammonia & fertilizers) etc. At least one illustrative case from all these industrial applications will be assess in connexion with innovative solid looping cycles used for process decarbonisation;
Optimization of chemical & calcium looping process conditions (e.g. new oxygen carriers / sorbents, reactors designs, operational conditions, autothermal reactor mode, fuel conversion rates, hydrodynamics etc.) using both experimental and numerical tools. The experimental work will make use of existing chemical & calcium looping rigs: one pilot unit with two interconnected circulated fluidized beds and two pilot units with fixed beds;
Development of detailed mathematical models of solid looping thermo-chemical reactors which will take into account the complex physical & chemical phenomena in the reactive gas-solid systems as well as the overall mass & energy balances. The models will be then simulated using various software packages (Matlab/Simulink, Aspen, ChemCAD), the results being used to support (optimize) the physical experiments and for overall process evaluation;
Performing detailed mass and energy integration to optimize the process performances. For instance, the thermal integration (pinch method) will be used as valuable tool to optimize the overall energy efficiency of the cycle. In addition, the energy vector poly-generation (e.g. hydrogen, synthetic fuels), plant flexibility assessment and advanced power generation concepts will be evaluated as promising options to further increase the energy efficiency;
Techno-economic and environmental assessments of innovative low carbon solutions to be integrated in energy-intensive applications will done based on experimental and numerical results generated within the project. Mass and energy balances will be used to quantify the key performance indicators (e.g. energy efficiency, ancillary consumptions, carbon capture rate, CO2 emissions, capital and operational costs, environmental impacts etc.). The evaluated new low carbon solutions will be compared to the benchmark cases (similar concepts without carbon capture or with carbon capture using gas-liquid absorption or oxy-fuel systems) to assess the technological and commercial development potential of these new technologies.
Available experimental research infrastructure
Project reports (Romanian)
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