The facility will be able to test new capture technologies on coal combustion, flue gas and, process gas from advanced fossil-fuel conversion systems such as coal gasification.
In the flue gas mode, the Modular Carbon Dioxide Capture Facility (MCCF) will mimic coal-fired combustion processes that produce electricity. The combustor can be fired with natural gas, coal, or a combination of the two. Coal-burning of approximately 18kg of pulverised coal per hour results in a flue gas (110-scfm) laden with various pollutants. The design will permit the incorporation of a capture/separation technology anywhere along the flue gas path. If regeneration of the capture medium is required as part of the capture/separation process, this step can be readily integrated into the system.
In a fuel gas mode, the MCCF will blend various high pressure gases (hydrogen, carbon monoxide, water, carbon dioxide, and minor components) to simulate the gas composition found in gasification processes — integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) and Vision 21 plants, for example.
The facility allows the testing of capture on process streams that simulate advanced energy conversion systems. Side-by-side comparison of capture and separation technologies can also be conducted. It can be used to investigate the impact of gaseous components, and other parameters on each technology.
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