Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells as Means for Post-Combustion CO2 Capture: Retrofitting Coal-Fired Steam Plants and Natural Gas-Fired Combined Cycles

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Spinelli ◽  
Stefano Campanari ◽  
Matteo C. Romano ◽  
Stefano Consonni ◽  
Thomas G. Kreutz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Co2 Capture ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Co2 Separation ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells ◽  
Combined Cycles

The state-of-the-art conventional technology for post combustion capture of CO2 from fossil-fuelled power plants is based on chemical solvents, which requires substantial energy consumption for regeneration. Apromising alternative, available in the near future, is the application of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFC) for CO2 separation from post-combustion flue gases. Previous studies related to this technology showed both high efficiency and high carbon capture rates, especially when the fuel cell is thermally integrated in the flue gas path of a natural gas-fired combined cycle or an integrated gasification combined cycle plant. This work compares the application of MCFC based CO2 separation process to pulverized coal fired steam cycles (PCC) and natural gas combined cycles (NGCC) as a ‘retrofit’ to the original power plant. Mass and energy balances are calculated through detailed models for both power plants, with fuel cell behaviour simulated using a 0D model calibrated against manufacturers’ specifications and based on experimental measurements, specifically carried out to support this study. The resulting analysis includes a comparison of the energy efficiency and CO2 separation efficiency as well as an economic comparison of the cost of CO2 avoided under several economic scenarios. The proposed configurations reveal promising performance, exhibiting very competitive efficiency and economic metrics in comparison with conventional CO2 capture technologies. Application as a MCFC retrofit yields a very limited (<3%) decrease in efficiency for both power plants (PCC and NGCC), a strong reduction (>80%) in CO2 emission and a competitive cost for CO2 avoided (25–40 €/ton).

Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells for Retrofitting Postcombustion CO2 Capture in Coal and Natural Gas Power Plants

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Spinelli ◽  
Stefano Campanari ◽  
Stefano Consonni ◽  
Matteo C. Romano ◽  
Thomas Kreutz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Co2 Capture ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Co2 Separation ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells

The state-of-the-art conventional technology for postcombustion capture of CO2 from fossil-fueled power plants is based on chemical solvents, which requires substantial energy consumption for regeneration. A promising alternative, available in the near future, is the application of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) for CO2 separation from postcombustion flue gases. Previous studies related to this technology showed both high efficiency and high carbon capture rates, especially when the fuel cell is thermally integrated in the flue gas path of a natural gas-fired combined cycle or an integrated gasification combined cycle plant. This work compares the application of MCFC-based CO2 separation process to pulverized coal fired steam cycles (PCC) and natural gas combined cycles (NGCC) as a “retrofit” to the original power plant. Mass and energy balances are calculated through detailed models for both power plants, with fuel cell behavior simulated using a 0D model calibrated against manufacturers' specifications and based on experimental measurements, specifically carried out to support this study. The resulting analysis includes a comparison of the energy efficiency and CO2 separation efficiency as well as an economic comparison of the cost of CO2 avoided (CCA) under several economic scenarios. The proposed configurations reveal promising performance, exhibiting very competitive efficiency and economic metrics in comparison with conventional CO2 capture technologies. Application as a MCFC retrofit yields a very limited (<3%) decrease in efficiency for both power plants (PCC and NGCC), a strong reduction (>80%) in CO2 emission and a competitive cost for CO2 avoided (25–40 €/ton).

CO2 Separation From Combined Cycles Using Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Manzolini ◽  
S. Campanari ◽  
P. Chiesa ◽  
A. Giannotti ◽  
P. Bedont ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Co2 Separation ◽  
Co2 Removal ◽  
Anode Side ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells ◽  
Combined Cycles ◽  
Exhaust Stream ◽  
Cell Modules

This paper presents an analysis of advanced cycles with limited CO2 emissions based onthe integration of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) in natural gas fired combined cycles (NGCC) in order to efficiently capture CO2 from the exhaust of the gas turbine. In the proposed cycles, the gas turbine flue gases are used as cathode feeding for a MCFC, where CO2 is transferred from the cathode to anode side, concentrating the CO2 in the anode exhaust. At the anode side, the MCFCs are fed with natural gas, processed by an external reformer which is thermally integrated within the FC module; the corresponding CO2 production is completely concentrated at the anode. The resulting anode exhaust stream is then sent to a CO2 removal section which is based on a cryogenic CO2 removal process, based on internal or external refrigeration cycles, cooling the exhaust stream in the heat recovery steam generator and recycling residual fuel compounds to the power cycle. In all cases, a high purity CO2 stream is obtained after condensation of water and pumped in liquid form for subsequent storage. The possibility to arrange the MCFC section with different configurations and operating parameters of the fuel cell modules is investigated, and the option to include two fuel cell modules in series connection, with intermediate cooling of the cathode stream, in order to enhance the plant CO2 separation effectiveness, is also examined. The MCFC section behavior is simulated taking into account Ansaldo Fuel Cells experience and reference data based on a dedicated simulation tool. Detailed energy and material balances of the most promising cycle configurations are presented; fuel cell and conventional components’ working parameters are described and discussed, carrying out a sensitivity analysis on the fuel cell CO2 utilization factor. The plant shows the potential to achieve a CO2 avoided fraction approaching 70–80%, depending on the CO2 concentration limit at cathode outlet, with overall electric efficiency only 1–2% points lower than the reference combined cycle. The plant power output increases by over 40%, thanks to the contributions of the MCFC section which acts as an active CO2 concentrator, giving a potentially relevant advantage with respect to competitive carbon capture technologies.

CO2 Separation From Combined Cycles Using Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Manzolini ◽  
S. Campanari ◽  
P. Chiesa ◽  
A. Giannotti ◽  
P. Bedont ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Co2 Separation ◽  
Co2 Removal ◽  
Anode Side ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells ◽  
Combined Cycles ◽  
Exhaust Stream ◽  
Cell Modules

This paper presents an analysis of advanced cycles with limited CO2 emissions based on the integration of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFC) in natural gas fired combined cycles (NGCC) in order to efficiently capture CO2 from the exhaust of the gas turbine. In the proposed cycles, the gas turbine flue gases are used as cathode feeding for a MCFC, where CO2 is transferred from the cathode to anode side, concentrating the CO2 in the anode exhaust. At the anode side the MCFCs are fed with natural gas, processed by an external reformer which is thermally integrated within the FC module; the corresponding CO2 production is completely concentrated at the anode. The resulting anode exhaust stream is then sent to a CO2 removal section which is based on a cryogenic CO2 removal process, based on internal or external refrigeration cycles, cooling the exhaust stream in the heat recovery steam generator, and recycling residual fuel compounds to the power cycle. In all cases, a high purity CO2 stream is obtained after condensation of water and pumped in liquid form for subsequent storage. It is investigated the possibility to arrange the MCFC section with different configurations and operating parameters of the fuel cell modules, and the option to include two fuel cell modules in series connection, with intermediate cooling of the cathode stream, in order to enhance the plant CO2 separation effectiveness. The MCFC section behavior is simulated taking into account Ansaldo Fuel Cells experience and reference data, based on a dedicated simulation tool. Detailed energy and material balances of the most promising cycle configurations are presented; fuel cell and conventional components working parameters are described and discussed, carrying out a sensitivity analysis on the fuel cell CO2 utilization factor. The plant shows the potential to achieve a CO2 avoided fraction approaching 70–80%, depending on the CO2 concentration limit at cathode outlet, with an overall electric efficiency only 1–2% point lower than reference combined cycle. The plant power output increases by over 40%, thanks to the contribute of the MCFC section which acts as an active CO2 concentrator, giving a potentially relevant advantage with respect to competitive carbon capture technologies.

scholarly journals Preliminary Performance and Cost Evaluation of Four Alternative Technologies for Post-Combustion CO2 Capture in Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuele Gatti ◽  
Emanuele Martelli ◽  
Daniele Di Bona ◽  
Marco Gabba ◽  
Roberto Scaccabarozzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supersonic Flow ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Co2 Capture ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Cost Evaluation ◽  
Base Case ◽  
Co2 Absorption ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Energy Penalty

The objective of this study is to assess the technical and economic potential of four alternative processes suitable for post-combustion CO2 capture from natural gas-fired power plants. These include: CO2 permeable membranes; molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs); pressurized CO2 absorption integrated with a multi-shaft gas turbine and heat recovery steam cycle; and supersonic flow-driven CO2 anti-sublimation and inertial separation. A common technical and economic framework is defined, and the performance and costs of the systems are evaluated based on process simulations and preliminary sizing. A state-of-the-art natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) without CO2 capture is taken as the reference case, whereas the same NGCC designed with CO2 capture (using chemical absorption with aqueous monoethanolamine solvent) is used as a base case. In an additional benchmarking case, the same NGCC is equipped with aqueous piperazine (PZ) CO2 absorption, to assess the techno-economic perspective of an advanced amine solvent. The comparison highlights that a combined cycle integrated with MCFCs looks the most attractive technology, both in terms of energy penalty and economics, i.e., CO2 avoided cost of 49 $/tCO2 avoided, and the specific primary energy consumption per unit of CO2 avoided (SPECCA) equal to 0.31 MJLHV/kgCO2 avoided. The second-best capture technology is PZ scrubbing (SPECCA = 2.73 MJLHV/kgCO2 avoided and cost of CO2 avoided = 68 $/tCO2 avoided), followed by the monoethanolamine (MEA) base case (SPECCA = 3.34 MJLHV/kgCO2 avoided and cost of CO2 avoided = 75 $/tCO2 avoided), and the supersonic flow driven CO2 anti-sublimation and inertial separation system and CO2 permeable membranes. The analysis shows that the integrated MCFC–NGCC systems allow the capture of CO2 with considerable reductions in energy penalty and costs.

scholarly journals Current status of national integrated gasification fuel cell projects in China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suping Peng
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Coal Gasification ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells ◽  
Integrated Gasification

AbstractCoal has been the main energy source in China for a long period. Therefore, the energy industry must improve coal power generation efficiency and achieve near-zero CO2 emissions. Integrated gasification fuel cell (IGFC) systems that combine coal gasification and high-temperature fuel cells, such as solid oxide fuel cells or molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs), are proving to be promising for efficient and clean power generation, compared with traditional coal-fired power plants. In 2017, with the support of National Key R&D Program of China, a consortium led by the China Energy Group and including 12 institutions was formed to develop the advanced IGFC technology with near-zero CO2 emissions. The objectives of this project include understanding the performance of an IGFC power generation system under different operating conditions, designing master system principles for engineering optimization, developing key technologies and intellectual property portfolios, setting up supply chains for key materials and equipment, and operating the first megawatt IGFC demonstration system with near-zero CO2 emission, in early 2022. In this paper, the main developments and projections pertaining to the IGFC project are highlighted.

Novel High-Performing Single-Pressure Combined Cycle With CO2 Capture

2010 ◽  
Vol 133 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolett Sipöcz ◽  
Klas Jonshagen ◽  
Mohsen Assadi ◽  
Magnus Genrup
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Electric Power ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Co2 Capture ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Market Demand ◽  
Combined Cycles

The European electric power industry has undergone considerable changes over the past two decades as a result of more stringent laws concerning environmental protection along with the deregulation and liberalization of the electric power market. However, the pressure to deliver solutions in regard to the issue of climate change has increased dramatically in the last few years and has given rise to the possibility that future natural gas-fired combined cycle (NGCC) plants will also be subject to CO2 capture requirements. At the same time, the interest in combined cycles with their high efficiency, low capital costs, and complexity has grown as a consequence of addressing new challenges posed by the need to operate according to market demand in order to be economically viable. Considering that these challenges will also be imposed on new natural gas-fired power plants in the foreseeable future, this study presents a new process concept for natural gas combined cycle power plants with CO2 capture. The simulation tool IPSEpro is used to model a 400 MW single-pressure NGCC with post-combustion CO2 capture using an amine-based absorption process with monoethanolamine. To improve the costs of capture, the gas turbine GE 109FB is utilizing exhaust gas recirculation, thereby, increasing the CO2 content in the gas turbine working fluid to almost double that of conventional operating gas turbines. In addition, the concept advantageously uses approximately 20% less steam for solvent regeneration by utilizing preheated water extracted from heat recovery steam generator. The further recovery of heat from exhaust gases for water preheating by use of an increased economizer flow results in an outlet stack temperature comparable to those achieved in combined cycle plants with multiple-pressure levels. As a result, overall power plant efficiency as high as that achieved for a triple-pressure reheated NGCC with corresponding CO2 removal facility is attained. The concept, thus, provides a more cost-efficient option to triple-pressure combined cycles since the number of heat exchangers, boilers, etc., is reduced considerably.

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