Achieving Negative CO2 Emissions through BECCS: Performance Analysis of Amine-based Post-Combustion Carbon Capture in Energy-from-Waste Plant

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage plays a pivotal role in the energy transition. This work is specifically related to the Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage framework, as it proposes a detailed analysis of the coupling between CCS and an energy-from-waste power plant. A number of potential methods for integrating carbon capture with energy-from-waste plants are currently under investigation. However, the technology with the highest technology readiness level is carbon capture with aqueous amine solutions (MEA, monoethanolamine). This technology is applied downstream of a large energy-from-waste plant with the capacity to treat approximately 500,000 t of unsorted municipal solid waste per year. The plant operates, according to the season, in both electric-only and combined heat and power modes. The post-combustion capture system is based on a conventional amine absorption process utilizing a 30%w/w aqueous solution of MEA simulated with Aspen Plus. In order to investigate the system from the perspective of energy performance, a number of potential configurations were examined, with regard to both the operational mode and the addition of a wet flue gas cleaning system. From the perspective of electricity production, the steam cycle is penalized by its integration with the district heating network, as well as by the consumption of steam for solvent regeneration. With regard to the impact of flue gas temperature at the absorber inlet, the incorporation of DCC enhances the energy performance of the capture section, as the absorption process is thermodynamically favored by lower temperatures.