Advanced Carbon Capture Membranes and Processes

Membranes are among a suite of technologies being considered for next-generation carbon capture processes. Membranes offer advantages such as energy-efficient passive operation, tolerance to acid gases and oxygen, no use of hazardous chemicals, a small footprint, easy turndown, and no steam use that would require modifications to the existing steam cycle.

Working with DOE NETL, MTR has developed new membranes and process designs to recover CO2 from power plant flue gas. MTR Polaris membranes have CO2 permeances ten times higher than standard commercial membranes, which greatly reduces the cost of a membrane capture system. These membranes are combined with a novel selective recycle process design that pre-concentrates CO2, reducing the energy required for capture. Design calculations estimate that this membrane process can capture 90% of the CO2 in coal flue gas as a supercritical fluid at a cost of about $50/ton of CO2 captured. This translates to an increase in the levelized cost of electricity of 45-50%.

The technology is currently under field demonstration at the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) operated by Southern Company in Birmingham, AL. A membrane system capturing 1 ton/day CO2 from post-FGD flue gas has been in operation since early 2012. In 2014, a larger 20 ton/day system (the CO2 equivalent to 1 MWe power generation) will be installed and tested at NCCC. Technical results to date for the field tests, and future plans will be discussed in this presentation.