Analysis of different blended amines solutions for CO2 removal from a semi-closed GT power plant

The contribution of CO2 release with respect to the greenhouse effects and long-term climate alteration is becoming every year more relevant so that new concepts for energy conversion with very low or null release of CO2 to the environment have become of primary importance . While these new ideas are developed, in the transition phase techniques for CO2 separation from the stack can be applied to existing power plant with minor modifications, using mature technologies derived from the experience in chemical industries and oil/gas refineries. Among these techniques, flue gas treatment for the separation of CO2 by means of absorption by aqueous solutions of blended amines is generally considered as the most mature technology which can be transferred to the power plants field (Langeland and Wilhelmsen, 1993). The present application refers to a SCGT/CC (Semi Closed Gas Turbine/ Combined Cycle) power plant, which - with respect to conventional gas turbine and combined cycles - is more adaptable to this application as the CO2 concentration in the stack is much larger. The absorption plant data refer to a SCGT/CC plant designed around a 501F gas turbine engine, jointly developed by Westinghouse and Mitsubishi (Corti et al., 1998a). The whole study was developed at the "Sergio Stecco" Department of Energy Engineering, in Florence, using simulation tools developed in house for an accurate performance prediction of gas-turbine-based power plants, and ASPEN+ rel. 9.3 (Aspen Plus User Guide) for the whole simulation of the absorption system.