Large scale economics of a precipitating potassium carbonate CO2 capture process for black coal power generation

Abstract

Potassium carbonate (K2CO3) solvents offer a lower cost and environmentally benign alternative to the traditional amine-based solvents for post-combustion capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from power station flue gases. The CO2CRC is developing a precipitating K 2CO3 process, termed UNO MK 3, which has the potential for significant cost reductions. The costs have been calculated based on capturing 90% of the CO2 emissions from a new build black coal (Illinois No. 6) power station with a net output of 550 MW. With the UNO MK 3 process for CO2 capture, the cost of electricity is predicted to be as low as 73/MWh and the cost of capture as low as 21/tonne of CO2 avoided. The cost of electricity wi..