Demonstration plant for carbon capture 2023
After trials on a smaller pilot plant in 2021, ARC is following up with a larger demonstration plant that can capture up to 4 metric tons of CO2 per day. The demonstration plant is expected to be operational in late summer 2023.
Test of carbon capture on waste incineration
Through an EUDP-supported project, ARC, together with DTU, Pentair and Rambøll, is investigating how carbon capture is best connected to waste incineration, and whether it can be made energy-neutral by using heat energy from the carbon capture process for district heating.
Carbon capture is particularly interesting in relation to energy utilization of waste, as it is possible to capture large amounts of biogenic CO2, whereby a plant can help to actively lower the total amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. About two-thirds of the CO2 discharge from Amager Bakke consists of biogenic CO2
The challenge of connecting carbon capture for a waste-to-energy plant is, however, that there are many variations in the composition of the flue gas that come from energy utilization of waste, as the waste brought to the plant is varied. This means that a carbon capture plant connected to waste energy must be able to handle changes without affecting efficiency.
The trials on a small pilot plant in 2021 were very promising in terms of the efficiency of capture. A decision has therefore been made to continue them. In 2023, we plan to build a larger demonstration plant with a capacity of 160 kg per hour. The plant is designed to verify the results obtained from the pilot plant. Fewer solvents will be tested, but they have to remain in the plant for a longer period. How a simulated connection to the district heating network will affect carbon capture will also be studied. Captured CO2 must be pressurised and condensed into a liquid which will be used for various practical purposes
At the demonstration plant, the purpose is:
- to learn more about the technology so we can build the best-possible full-scale plant
- to reduce the energy requirement (electricity/steam) even more than we achieved in the pilot plant
- to simulate connection to the district heating network – to make the most of the heat
The demonstration plant will in every way resemble a full-scale plant, although of course it will be much smaller.
Demonstration plant versus pilot plant
Find out more
You can read more about carbon capture, ARC’s project and results in the articles below:
The pilot plant for carbon capture ran at ARC until April 2022. The aim was to test whether CO2 capture can be done on flue gas from a waste-to-energy plant and gain practical experience with carbon capture technology. The pilot studies are the first of their kind at a waste incineration plant.
This research article summarises a number of the experiences gained from the project. Such experience is relevant to future experiments with carbon capture technologies.
This research article deals with whether the completed carbon capture process at the pilot plant at ARC has led to any unwanted emissions
CO2 capture process takes place by CO2’in the flue gas being captured with an amine-based solvent. This is broken down over time due to impurities in the flue gas. Experience from the pilot plant at ARC shows that the breakdown can lead to unwanted emissions, e.g. from flue gas, and also consists of corrosion products. Installing a filter to clean the solvent of impurities fixed the problem.
The technology to capture CO2 and then transport it to either underground storage or for use in PtX (as a basis for the development of green fuels) is ready to be implemented.
This research article points out that there is a lack of global harmonization of the framework for the entire value chain from capturing CO2 until it has been transported further for storage or use. A standardization of the quality of CO is particularly urgent2. The higher the requirements, the more energy must be used in the process of capturing and purifying CO2. But on the other hand, it becomes cheaper to transport and store. Coordinating this worldwide to reduce costs throughout the value chain is necessary. A wCO2 infrastructure and storage capacity across national borders is also required – as CO2 does not respect national borders.
You can find out more about the project at EUDP´s website, and read more about the heat pump integration and net-zero-energy in Ebbe Hauge Jensen’s thesis at DTU from 2021