Largest carbon dioxide separation technology for power generation developed in South Korea

Korea Institute of Power Analysis (KIER) has efficiently demonstrated the world’s largest fuel energy era expertise able to inherently separating carbon dioxide. They’ve additionally develop into the primary on the earth to make use of this strategy to efficiently generate steam for electrical energy manufacturing.

In standard fuel energy generationgasoline combustion releases carbon dioxidea significant greenhouse fuel, together with nitrogen and water vapor. As soon as emitted, CO₂ mixes with nitrogen from the air, necessitating specialised services to selectively separate and seize pure CO₂ for storage. This extra course of will increase energy era prices.

To deal with this problem, chemical looping combustion (CLC) expertise is rising as an eco-friendly energy era answer. Not like standard strategies the place gasoline reacts immediately with air, CLC expertise delivers pure oxygen to the gasoline utilizing oxygen-carrying particles. These particles launch oxygen throughout combustion and later reabsorb it when uncovered to air, constantly repeating the cycle to maintain the method.

By leveraging this expertise, gasoline interacts solely with pure oxygen, eliminating any response with nitrogen from the air. Because of this, the combustion course of generates carbon dioxide and water vapor, due to this fact after condensation of water vaporenabling direct seize with out the necessity for added separation. Moreover, in contrast to standard combustion, which produces nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), a significant contributor to ultrafine particulate matterthis expertise operates by means of flameless combustion, drastically decreasing NOₓ emissions.

The analysis staff, in collaboration with KEPCO Analysis Institute, developed a world-class chemical looping combustion (CLC) expertise. In 2023, they established a 3 MW-scale pilot plant, the biggest of its type globally, and carried out full-scale demonstration assessments. Over 300 hours of steady operation, the expertise achieved a carbon dioxide separation and emission effectivity exceeding 96%, surpassing the earlier world benchmark of 94%.

Together with the profitable demonstration, the analysis staff has additionally opened the door to commercialization. For the primary time on the earth, they’ve efficiently produced steam for energy era utilizing chemical looping combustion (CLC) expertise. Whereas superior international locations such because the European Union, China, and the US have been conducting CLC expertise demonstrations, none have but achieved steam manufacturing.

If the demonstration scale of the expertise is small, effectivity is excessive, however warmth loss is important, making it not possible to generate steam. Equally, if effectivity can’t be maintained whereas scaling up, steam manufacturing doesn’t happen.

Nevertheless, the analysis staff has enabled steam manufacturing by growing course of design and operation applied sciences that reduce heat loss whereas scaling up and by advancing large-scale manufacturing methods for oxygen provider particles. This transition has moved the expertise from the realm of promising future improvements to the area of commercialization.

An financial evaluation of chemical looping combustion (CLC) expertise predicts that, in comparison with a standard 100MW pure fuel energy plant, it’s going to generate an annual working revenue of 14.4 billion KRW and enhance energy era effectivity by 4%.

Notably, CO₂ seize prices are anticipated to be lowered by 30% in comparison with present strategies, enabling the seize of over 150,000 tons of CO₂ per yr. This development is anticipated to make a major contribution to attaining nationwide carbon neutrality targets.

Dr. Ryu Ho-jung, the lead researcher of the CCS Analysis Division, said, “To realize nationwide carbon neutrality, it’s important to ascertain and function fuel energy vegetation that incorporate revolutionary applied sciences akin to chemical looping combustion (CLC).

“We will continue to advance and demonstrate our technology to accelerate the commercialization of next-generation power generation solutions.”