A Rapid Temperature Swing Adsorption Carbon Capture Technology for Optimal Operation of a Fossil Power Plant

Default ARPA-E Project Image

Program:
FLECCS
Award:
$789,009
Location:
Cary, North Carolina
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
11/01/2020 - 05/31/2022
Website:

Critical Need:

Power plants equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies can reduce the cost of net-zero carbon systems, but the addition of variable renewable energy (VRE) sources like wind and solar can make them difficult to design and operate while limiting their commercial potential. Increased cyclic operation of electricity generators could also reduce capacity factor and efficiency, increase operations and maintenance costs, and potentially increase CO2 emissions. Improving CCS processes and designs could enable a low-cost, net-zero carbon electricity system.

Project Innovation + Advantages:

Susteon will evaluate a CO2 capture technology using solid sorbents based on thermal swing adsorption that enables power generators to operate the power plant in a "load following" mode in response to grid conditions in a high VRE penetration environment. The proposed capture technology, based on novel structured adsorbents incorporating advanced nanomaterials, is currently being demonstrated with flue gas derived from natural gas combustion. Susteon plans to simulate the integration of this technology with an existing natural gas power plant in southern California, a region with a large amount of renewable electricity on the grid. This integrated model has the potential to maximize the power plant’s net present value operation in a high VRE penetration environment.

Potential Impact:

Improvements in the design and processes of CCS-equipped plants in high VRE environments could dramatically reduce the cost of a net-zero carbon system. Benefits include:

Security:

Flexible CCS systems can enable the continued use of low-cost domestic fuel for electricity generation and increase the reliability of a deeply decarbonized electricity system.

Environment:

Flexible CCS systems can achieve high CO2 capture rates from flue gas. Enabling deep turndown of natural-gas fired plants at times of high VRE output will reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Economy:

Flexible CCS systems can reduce the cost of a net-zero carbon electricity system by providing dispatchable power to a high-VRE grid.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Jack Lewnard
Project Contact:
Dr. S James Zhou
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
sjz@susteon.com

Partners

National Energy Technology Laboratory

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• General Electric (GE) Global Research - Flexible Oxy-Fuel Combustion for High-Penetration Variable Renewables
• Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) - Positive Power with Negative Emissions: Flexible NGCC Enabled by Modular Direct Air Capture
• Linde - Process Integration & Optimization of an NGCC Power Plant W/Co2 Capture, Hydrogen Production & Storage
• Luna Innovations - Flexible FlueCO2
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Power Plant CO2 Capture Integrated with Lime-based Direct Air Capture
• RTI International - Advanced Co2 Capture Solvent Systems for Dynamic Power
• Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) - Oxygen Storage Incorporated into the Allam Oxy-Fuel Power Cycle
• Susteon - A Rapid Temperature Swing Adsorption Carbon Capture Technology for Optimal Operation of a Fossil Power Plant
• University of Pittsburgh - Natural Gas/Direct Air Capture Hybrid Plant

Release Date:
07/13/2020