At every point in the CCS chain, from production to storage, industry has at its disposal a number of process technologies that are well understood and have excellent health and safety records. However, widespread adoption of CCS techniques has brought into focus the need for robust monitoring techniques as well as the importance of optimisation and efficiency of design.
Post-combustion capture
CO2 can be captured from the exhaust of a combustion process by absorbing it in a suitable solvent. This is called post-combustion capture. The absorbed CO2 is liberated from the solvent and is compressed for transportation and storage. Other methods for separating CO2 include high pressure membrane filtration, adsorption/desorption processes and cryogenic separation.
Pre-combustion capture
Solid, liquid or gaseous fuel is first converted to a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide using one of a number of processes referred to a ‘gasification’ or ‘reforming’. These processes are similar in some respects to that used for many years to make town gas. The hydrogen produced in this way may be used, not only to fuel our electricity production, but also in the future to power our cars and heat our homes with near zero emissions.
Innovative oxy-fuel combustion systems
In oxy-fuel combustion the oxygen required is separated from air prior to combustion, so producing a more concentrated CO2 stream for easier purification. This process promises high efficiency levels and offers major business opportunities.
2008 CCSA © | Last Updated: Jan 2008
