Flue Gas Collection Pressure Control for Reliable CO2 Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carbon dioxide capture systems in process plant networks with multiple emitters are susceptible to malfunctions due to operational faults, leading to pressure fluctuations and system shutdowns, particularly when integrating amine scrubbers, which complicates the control of flue gas flows and increases the risk of system unavailability.
Innovation Solution
A method and network configuration where individual flue gas ducts are connected to a common collecting duct through pressure maintaining valves and flue gas flaps, controlled by pressure set values, with a flue gas blower adjusting the collecting duct pressure, decoupling temperature and pressure control, and using coordinated control units to manage flue gas release and collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If flue gases from multiple emitters are collected in a common duct for CO2 removal, then individual units can be dispensed of and CO2 recovery efficiency is improved, but the system becomes susceptible to malfunctions due to pressure fluctuations and operational faults
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into multiple independent control zones, with each flue gas emitter having its own pressure maintaining valve and control unit. This segmentation allows individual emitters to be isolated and controlled separately, preventing system-wide malfunctions while maintaining overall CO2 recovery efficiency through the common collecting duct.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts pressure parameters in each flue gas duct using pressure maintaining valves controlled by pressure set values. By changing pressure parameters individually for each emitter while maintaining a common collecting duct pressure, the system achieves both efficient CO2 recovery and operational reliability through flexible parameter control.
2Reliability
If pressure maintaining valves are used to control flue gas duct pressures, then pressure stability is improved and malfunction risk is reduced, but device complexity increases due to additional control components
Solution Approach 1:
Each pressure maintaining valve is controlled by a pressure controller that receives pressure set values corresponding to the pressure required to release flue gas via the open flap. This parameter-based control approach provides pressure stability through automated adjustment while keeping the control logic relatively simple and based on straightforward pressure measurements and adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure maintaining valves are controlled based on feedback from pressure measurements in each flue gas duct. The pressure controllers continuously monitor duct pressures and adjust valve positions to maintain pressures at set values, providing automatic feedback control that ensures pressure stability without requiring complex manual intervention.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flue gas flaps are opened for direct atmospheric release, then system flexibility is improved and pressure relief is achieved, but CO2 recovery efficiency decreases due to bypass of the removal arrangement
Solution Approach 1:
The flue gas flaps are designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing them to transition between open and closed positions based on operational requirements. This dynamic control enables the system to flexibly switch between direct atmospheric release and CO2 recovery modes, providing operational adaptability while maintaining the ability to maximize CO2 recovery when conditions are favorable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system controls the position of flue gas flaps based on pressure parameters and operational conditions. By adjusting flap positions as a controllable parameter, the system achieves operational flexibility for pressure relief while coordinating with the pressure maintaining valves to ensure that CO2 recovery efficiency is maintained when flaps are closed and the removal arrangement is operational.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach stabilizes flue gas duct pressures, reduces the risk of malfunctions, and ensures continuous operation by simulating atmospheric back pressure, allowing flexible and reliable carbon dioxide recovery even in the presence of operational faults.
Implementation Method 1
controlling flue gas duct pressures in the individual flue gas ducts by operating the pressure maintaining valves using flue gas duct pressure set values, the flue gas duct pressure set values corresponding to pressures required to release the respective flue gas via the individual or common flue gas release unit
Implementation Method 2
adjusting a pressure in the flue gas collecting duct by operating the flue gas blower
Implementation Method 3
Each of the individual flue gas ducts is connected via a flue gas flap to an individual or common flue gas release unit
Implementation Method 4
flue gases are classically subjected to a scrubbing step using e.g. an alkaline carbonate solution or an amine solution in order to absorb carbon dioxide
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A method of recovering carbon dioxide from flue gases of a plurality of carbon dioxide emitters (1, 2, 3, 4) of a process plant network (100) is proposed, wherein the carbon dioxide emitters (1, 2, 3, 4) comprise individual flue gas ducts (11) operated at individual flue gas duct pressures, wherein each of the individual flue gas ducts (11) is connected via a pressure maintaining valve (13) to a common flue gas collecting duct (10), wherein each of the individual flue gas ducts (11) is connected via a flue gas flap (14) to an individual or common flue gas release unit (15), wherein the flue gas collecting duct (10) is connected to a carbon dioxide removal arrangement (20) including a flue gas blower (21), wherein the method comprises controlling flue gas duct pressures in the individual flue gas ducts (11) by operating the pressure maintaining valves (13) using flue gas duct pressure set values, the flue gas duct pressure set values corresponding to pressures required to release the respective flue gas via the individual or common flue gas release unit (15) at an opened state of the respective flue gas flap (14) to the atmosphere, and wherein the method further comprises adjusting a pressure in the flue gas collecting duct (10) by operating the flue gas blower (21). A process plant network (100) is also proposed.