Dec 24 2009
Powerspan Corporation announced the test results for its post-combustion ECO2 carbon capture technology for coal-fired power plants, which was conducted at a 1-megawatt pilot unit. The 1-megawatt test unit is located at FirstEnergy Corp.'s R.E. Burger Plant near Shadyside, Ohio. The pilot test was successful as it met all the performance goals.
The average CO2 capture was more than 90 percent from a slip slipstream of flue gas from the coal-fired power plant in actual operating environment. The performance data from the pilot test has provided enough information for Powerspan to proceed to commercial scale demonstration systems with much confidence. To capture CO2 and compress at commercial scale, the cost will be less than $50 per ton based on the pilot performance data.
Christopher R. McLarnon, Ph.D. Senior Vice President of Engineering and R&D, said that the goal of the ECO2 pilot test was to demonstrate that this technology will result in lower energy costs when compared to other post-combustion CO2 capture technologies. He added that the data from this pilot demonstration proved that this goal has been achieved.
Morgan Jones, Staff Environmental Specialist of FirstEnergy, said that the company was delighted to have been part of this carbon capture technology pilot test. He added the implementation of this innovative technology in existing power plants to reduce CO2 emissions is the best approach.
The post-combustion CO2 capture technology has to be proved commercially for substantial emission reductions from existing power plants. The commercialization of ECO2 carbon capture technology is one step closer as a solution for industries because of the encouraging pilot test results.
Powerspan intends to publish a review of the pilot test results conducted by a global provider of engineering services to chemical process, resource, and energy industries in early 2010.
Source: www.powerspan.com