Thermo-Fluid Engineering for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)

Learning Outcomes

Full CEng Programme Level Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Design a carbon capture reactor suitable for extracting 90-95% CO2 from a power plant for their coursework which incorporates pre-processing of feedstocks and their limiting constraints; through to a techno-economic evaluation of the CO2 capturing process and CO2 underground storage.
• Apply mathematical, statistical and engineering analysis to thermo-fluid processes found in real energy technology applications, specifically targeting carbon capture storage and utilisation technologies. Students will identify suitable models for fluid properties and multiphase processes within these applications whilst demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of fluid and flow properties and operating conditions.
• Multiphase systems will be introduced to kinetic theory of granular flow. They will solve PDFs and moments of PDFs for individual particle and/or droplet systems which will support the definition of key operational properties, e.g., particle/droplet sizes and their impact on heat and mass transfer characteristics. Students will also apply two-film theory based on Henry’s Law to design a suitable carbon capture system for a range of variables, e.g., CO2 input concentrations, alkanolamines concentrations, etc.
• In addition to designing the carbon capture system, the students will conduct appropriate economic and wider societal factors, including some suitable cost estimates; building cost estimates; defining plant and cost assumptions; sources of cost estimates; example cost estimates; levelised cost of electricity; cost of CO2 avoided; and key CCUS policy indicators, public perception of CCUS.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Identify suitable models for fluid properties and processes across the applications studied in this module
• Evaluate fluid properties and flow properties
• Apply engineering analysis to thermo-fluid processes found in real energy technology applications.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Present technical and economic assessments of investment options, accounting for uncertainty.
• Communicate in a clear, structured and efficient manner.

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Perform analytical and numerical analysis in order to identify and optimise prospective energy technologies.
• Design a carbon capture reactor suitable for extracting 90% CO2 from a power plant.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Modelling approaches for flows occurring in energy applications.
• The impact of hydrocarbon fuel use on the environment, and the role of low-carbon energy technology in avoiding these impacts
• Technical systems for achieving low-carbon energy production.
• Physical phenomena associated with real fluid mixtures, heat and mass transfer, chemicallyreactive flows, multi-phase flow, and porous media flow.

Introduction to carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS)

• Current global markets: Overview of current energy production and its current economic, environmental and social impact; global markets for fuel, energy and carbon
• Introduction to CCUS: different components of the CCUS chain; current status of CCUS technologies and challenges for deployment

Introduction to multiphase flows

• Gas-particle systems: regimes of multi-phase flow, dense and dilute particle flows, phase coupling, fluidisation characteristics
• Gas-liquid systems: introduction to liquid break up and spray formation, PDFs, moments of the PDF

Mass transfer mechanisms

• Homogeneous and Heterogeneous reactions: enthalpy of formation, chemical reactions and reaction kinetics, intra-particle diffusion, mass and heat transport for single particles
• Film theory for gas-liquid systems: Types of reactors, Henry’s Law, Two-film model, first-order and second order reactions

CO2 production and separation

• Post-combustion – absorption technologies: chemical absorption; types of alkanolamines; technological advances and limitations; gas-liquid contactors
• Post-combustion – sorbents and membranes: solid physical adsorption; pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and temperature swing adsorption (TSA); types of adsorbents including zeolites, MOFs; membrane gas absorption; typical membrane-module configurations
• CO2 Absorber design: mass and material balances; flow rates; tower diameters; packing height
• Pre-combustion: integrated gasification combined cycle, synthesis gas production, water-gas-shift reaction; types of separation technologies; advantages and disadvantages
• Oxy-fuel technologies: cryogenic air separation; reactor configuration; chemical looping technologies; types of oxygen carriers

CO2 storage in porous reservoirs

• Structure of porous media: Micro- and macroscopic descriptions. Darcy’s law. Permeability. Fracturing. Non-Darcy behaviour
• Flows through porous media: Full set of equation for an isothermal flow through porous media. Initial and boundary conditions. Radial flow
• Anisotropy of permeability: Averaging permeabilities. Layered reservoir without crossflow, composite reservoir
• Capillary pressure: Pore-level modelling. Meniscus rise in a capillary
• Multiphase flow through porous media: Diffusion in porous media. Multiphase flows. Extension of Darcy’s law. Relative permeabilities. Capillary curve. Mass balance equation and complete model
• CO2 sequestration in geological reservoirs: Properties of CO2 in supercritical state.

CO2 utilisation

• CO2-based fuels: Current and future uses of CO2; Fischer-Tropsch synthesis; fundamentals of catalysis; methane and methanol production
• CO2-based chemicals: overview of mineral carbonation; CO2-based formic acid formation, ethylene and ethanol production; polymer production; challenges surrounding the commercialisation of CO2-based products; life-cycle analysis of the end-use of CO2-based products

Risks and Economics

• Economics of CCUS: importance of cost estimates; building cost estimates; defining plant and cost assumptions; sources of cost estimates; example cost estimates; levelised cost of electricity; cost of CO2 avoided
• Wider awareness of CCUS: CCUS policy indicators, public perception of CCUS

Teaching methods include

• Lectures including examples, with lecture hand-outs provided.
• Set example questions are supported by group problem solving sessions.
• Mock exam test run at one of the revision sessions.

Learning activities include

• Directed reading.
• Group and individual work on examples.
• Coursework project: to produce a short report.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.