Modeling tools for the design of pre-combustion decarbonisation reactors and zero emission power plants

For the design of power plants with CO2 capture pre-combustion decarbonisation a set of modeling tools has been developed. System assessments are being done using Aspen Plus. A two-level approach has been developed: in the first one the heat integration is done in a simplified way, and in the second level additional details and restrictions are taken into account.

For simulation of novel technologies for pre-combustion decarbonisation specialized models are available. For membrane reactors a 1-dimensional model is capable of calculating the performance while accounting for concentration gradients along the membrane length coordinate. For simulation of sorption enhanced reactors a 1-dimensional dynamic model is available that gives the reactor performance and also the time and spatial description of the reaction with absorption and desorption processes.

The results of the modeling are used in a generalized plant economic model that calculates the investments and from this the cost of electricity and specific costs of CO2 avoidance.