Progress on the Developments of an Advanced Aqueous Amine-Based Post-Combustion CO2 Capture Utilizing BASF’s OASE® Blue Technology

Linde and BASF are working together to develop a post-combustion capture technology incorporating BASF’s novel aqueous amine-based process.  This technology offers significant benefits compared to other solvent-based processes as it aims to reduce the regeneration energy requirements using novel solvents that are very stable under the coal-fired power plant feed gas conditions. BASF has developed the desired solvent based on the evaluation of a large number of candidates, and long-term small pilot-scale testing has been performed on a lignite-fired flue gas.  Linde has evaluated a number of options for capital cost reduction in large engineered systems for solvent-based post-combustion capture technology.

There are two pilot plants currently under operation with OASE^® Blue Gas Treating technology

• 0.45 MW_el Pilot Plant in Niederaussem, Germany operating since 2009 in cooperation with RWE, (Project supported by BMWi⁽¹⁾)
• 1.5 MW_el Pilot Plant in Wilsonville, AL operating since beginning of 2015 (project supported by DOE⁽²⁾)

Recently, the University of Illinois in Champaign, IL has been selected for one of several phase 1 awards for large scale post-combustion capture pilots awarded by the US DOE-NETL under their carbon capture program.  The University of Illinois will team with Linde and BASF to demonstrate the OASE® blue technology in a 25 MWe (500 TPD CO2 capture) large scale pilot plant to be built at the Abbott Power Plant on their campus. This will enable progress of the technology to the next stage of commercialization.

In this presentation, the details on the unique features of both operating pilot plants aimed at reduced regeneration energy consumption, capex reduction and emissions reduction will be discussed. Progress made on the performance validation, emissions minimization and long term solvent stability confirmation will be presented. Plans for the large pilot plant at the Abbott Power plant in Champaign, IL will also be discussed. 

1. Supported by BMWi - Sponsorship codes: 0327793 A to I for RWE Power, BASF and Linde
2. Supported by DOE funding under project award DE-FE0007453
3. Supported by DOE funding under project award DE-0026588 to University of Illinois, Champaign, IL.