Method and system for treating an effluent stream generated by a carbon capture system

• US 8,911,538 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Joensson, Staffan, Ungerer, Bjorn, Weingartner, Christoph, Kang, Shin G., Levasseur, Armand A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, PANKTI R
• Application Number:
  US13/334,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20130160857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 95/183
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/20447 containing a piperazine-ring
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/20484 with one hydroxyl group
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/20489 with two or more hydroxyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/606 Anticorrosion agents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/608 Antifoaming agents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0283 Flue gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1425 Regeneration of liquid absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/32 Direct CO2 mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87571 Multiple inlet with single outlet

Abstract

A system for treating an effluent stream including a carbon capture system utilizing an amine-containing solution to remove carbon dioxide from a flue gas stream, the carbon capture system generating an effluent stream comprising degradation products generated by the amine-containing solution; storage means for storing at least a portion of the effluent stream, the storage means being fluidly coupled to the carbon capture system. The system also including at least one nozzle connected to a combustion zone of a boiler, the at least one nozzle being fluidly coupled to the storage means for providing at least a portion of the effluent stream present in the storage means to the combustion zone of the boiler through the at least one nozzle, wherein the effluent stream provided to the combustion zone is co-incinerated with a fuel in the combustion zone.

Claims

1. A system for treating an effluent stream generated by a carbon capture system, the system comprising:

a carbon capture system utilizing an amine-containing solution to remove carbon dioxide from a flue gas stream, the carbon capture system generating an effluent stream comprising degradation products generated by the amine-containing solution;

storage means for storing at least a portion of the effluent stream, the storage means being fluidly coupled to the carbon capture system; and

at least one nozzle connected to a combustion zone of a boiler, the at least one nozzle being fluidly coupled to the storage means for providing at least a portion of the effluent stream present in the storage means to the combustion zone of the boiler through the at least one nozzle, wherein the effluent stream provided to the combustion zone is co-incinerated with a fuel in the combustion zone.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the amine-containing solution comprises a chemical solvent selected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), diisopropanolamine (DIPA), N-methylethanolamine, triethanolamine (TEA), N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), piperazine, N-methylpiperazine (MP), N-hydroxyethylpiperazine (HEP), 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol, 2-(2-tert-butylaminopropoxy)ethanol, 2-(2-tertbutylaminoethoxy)ethanol (TBEE), 2-(2-tert-amylaminoethoxy)ethanol, 2-(2-isopropylaminopropoxy)ethanol, or 2-(2-(1-methyl-1-ethylpropylamino)ethoxy)ethanol.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the carbon capture system comprises a reclaimer section, the reclaimer section generating the effluent stream.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the reclaimer section is fluidly coupled to the storage means.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a pump positioned between the storage means and the at least one nozzle, the pump adapted to provide the effluent stream to the at least one nozzle for introduction to the combustion zone.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of oil, gas, coal, peat and waste.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling the effluent stream provided from the carbon capture system to the storage means.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the control means controls the effluent stream provided from the storage means to the combustion zone.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein the control means is selected from the group consisting of a computer, a programmable logic controller, and a mobile device.

10. A method for treating an effluent stream generated by a carbon capture system, the method comprising:

contacting an amine-containing solution and a flue gas stream in a carbon capture system to remove carbon dioxide from the flue gas stream, the carbon capture system generating an effluent stream comprising degradation products;

providing at least a portion of the effluent stream to a storage means fluidly coupled to the carbon capture system; and

removing at least a portion of the effluent stream from the storage means for introduction to a combustion zone of a boiler through at least one nozzle fluidly coupled to the storage means and the combustion zone, wherein the effluent stream introduced to the combustion zone is combusted together with a fuel, thereby treating the effluent stream.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the amine-containing solution comprises a chemical solvent selected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), diisopropanolamine (DIPA), N-methylethanolamine, triethanolamine (TEA), N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), piperazine, N-methylpiperazine (MP), N-hydroxyethylpiperazine (HEP), 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol, 2-(2-tert-butylaminopropoxy)ethanol, 2-(2-tertbutylaminoethoxy)ethanol (TBEE), 2-(2-tert-amylaminoethoxy)ethanol, 2-(2-isopropylaminopropoxy)ethanol, or 2-(2-(1-methyl-1-ethylpropylamino)ethoxy)ethanol.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the carbon capture system comprises a reclaimer section, the reclaimer section generating the effluent stream.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the reclaimer section is fluidly coupled to the storage means.

14. A method according to claim 10, further comprising positioning a pump between the storage means and the at least one nozzle, the pump adapted to provide the effluent stream to the at least one nozzle for introduction to the combustion zone.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of oil, gas, coal, peat and waste.

16. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

controlling, through control means, a flow of the effluent stream from the carbon capture system to the storage means.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

controlling, through the control means, a flow of the effluent stream from the storage means to the combustion zone.