Development of the next generation CO2 capture processes using new formulated solvents and novel solvent regeneration techniques

二氧化碳（CO2）的捕获是大多数天然气加工厂、生物气加工装置和炼油厂的重要加工步骤。它也是化学和能源生产设施的一个基本过程，如制氢厂、合成气厂、生物质气化装置和油砂作业。这些工业过程是未来生产清洁能源和低碳燃料（包括生物燃料）的非常重要的步骤。此外，二氧化碳捕获过程是碳捕获、利用和储存（CCUS）技术的最重要组成部分，该技术在解决我们时代的两个重要环境问题方面发挥着关键作用：（i）气候变化和（ii）能源安全。国际能源署（IEA）的一项研究报告称，在未来50年内，通过提高石油采收率（EOR）应用，有可能储存高达360 Gt的CO2。EOR技术代表了一个可能增加石油产量高达3750亿桶的机会。从生命周期评价的角度看，CO2驱油生产的原油单位能量CO2排放总量远小于天然气。例如，IEA Weyburn-Midale CO2监测和储存项目是世界上最大的CO2强化采油和CCUS技术实施项目，自2000年以来已储存了3，000多万吨人为CO2。 拟议研究的最终目标是开发一种更有效的工业气流CO2捕集工艺技术，具有尽可能低的资本和运营成本，以及最小的运营挑战。主要目的是研究不同的方法，通过开发有前途的和新的配方溶剂，用于CO2回收，使用新的和最近发明的特种胺，以降低CO2分离的成本。在拟议的研究计划中，我们将重点研究这些新产生的胺及其配制的混合物，包括（i）4-（（2-羟乙基）（甲基）氨基）-2-丁醇（HEMAB）和（ii）4-（（2-羟乙基）（乙基）氨基）-2-丁醇（HEEAB）。初步结果表明，这些新的胺可以提供更高的CO2吸收能力比传统的胺去除CO2。新的溶剂再生技术，称为催化剂辅助方法，以及溶剂再生的比例分流概念，也将用于进一步降低能耗。所获得的知识将有助于我们目前对这些技术的理解，并为开发未来更有效的CO2捕获技术奠定基础。新的认识将有助于该行业在CO2捕获和分离过程的资本和运营成本方面实现显着节省，从而减少温室气体并有益于我们的环境。

The capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important processing step for most natural gas processing plants, bio-gas processing units and petroleum refineries. It is also an essential process for chemical and energy production facilities such as hydrogen production plants, synthesis gas plants, biomass-gasification units, and oil-sand operations. These industrial processes are very important steps for the future production of clean energy and low-carbon fuels, which include bio-fuels. Also, the CO2 capture process is the most important component of the technology called Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS), which plays a key role in addressing the two important environmental problems of our time: (i) climate-change and (ii) energy security. An International Energy Agency (IEA) study reports that there is a significant opportunity of storing up to 360 Gt of CO2 through enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications over the next 50 years. The EOR technology represents an opportunity to potentially increase oil production by up to 375 billion barrels. From the perspective of life cycle assessment, the total emission of CO2 per unit energy produced from the oil produced by CO2 EOR flooding is much less than that of natural gas. For example, the IEA Weyburn-Midale CO2 Monitoring and Storage Project, which constitutes the world's largest implementation of CO2 for EOR and CCUS technologies, has stored over 30 million tons of anthropogenic CO2 since 2000.      The ultimate goal of the proposed study is to develop a more effective CO2 capture process technology for industrial gas streams, with the lowest possible capital and operating costs, and minimal operating challenges. The primary objective is to investigate different methods for reducing the cost of CO2 separation by developing promising and novel formulated solvents for CO2 recovery using new and recently invented specialty amines. In the proposed research program, we will focus on studying these newly created amines and their formulated mixtures which include (i) 4-((2-hydroxyethyl)(methyl)amino)-2-butanol (HEMAB) and (ii) 4-((2-hydroxyethyl)(ethyl)amino)-2-butanol (HEEAB). Initial results show that these novel amines can provide much higher CO2 absorption capacities for CO2 removal than conventional amines. Novel solvent regeneration techniques, called the catalyst-aided method, together with the concept of proportional split flow for solvent regeneration, will also be used to further reduce the energy consumption. The knowledge obtained will contribute to our current understanding of these technologies, as well as form the basis for developing the future and more efficient generations of CO2 capture technologies. The new understanding will help the industry to achieve significant savings in both capital and operating costs of the CO2 capture and separation processes which can reduce the greenhouse gas and benefit our environment.