Parametric study and optimization of MEA-based carbon capture for a coal and biomass co-firing power plant

The operational parameters of monoethanolamine (MEA)-based carbon capture were investigated and optimized based on 300 MWe co-firing power plant. The representative coal and biomasses (peanut shell, rice straw and rice husk) were employed as co-firing fuels by quantitative analysis. The stripper pressure is determined as 1.9 bar and CO2 capture rate no more than 90% is preferred for relatively low energy consumption, and the optimal CO2 loadings in lean solution is mainly 0.22. The key material and energy performances of the main equipment and the carbon capture system at the optimal operating conditions were comprehensively discussed. The addition of the biomass leads to more CO2 captured as well as more thermal consumption. The optimal specific thermal requirement for rice husk-firing reaches the lowest, 3.39 MJ/kg CO2 for 90% CO2 removal. To capture CO2 from flue gases deriving from biomass-contained fuels is more energy efficient compared to that from pure coal. The carbon capture system contributes ∼18–22% total energy penalty compared with the case without carbon capture system. The study devotes to the application of integrated low energy penalty carbon capture technology (CCT) with biomass co-firing technology.