Investigation of trace elements in the inlet and outlet streams of a MEA-based post-combustion capture process results from the test programme at the Niederaussem pilot plant

The first post-combustion capture pilot plant in Germany was constructed and commissioned in July 2009 at BoA 1 in Niederaussem, the most advanced and efficient lignite-fired power plant unit in the world, as part of the joint development programme of RWE Power, BASF and Linde that is aiming at a highly efficient CO2-scrubbing technology for power plants. The test programme at the pilot plant focuses not only on the energy demand for CO2 capture, solvent stability and corrosion resistance of innovative materials but also comprises an extensive analysis programme regarding emissions. Therefore, the pilot plant is in particular equipped with an online gas-analysis system to continuously measure the composition of the inlet and outlet gas streams. In addition, an extensive sampling and measurement programme is being carried out with the aim of making up the balance of trace elements in the gaseous flows including components that are normally not determined. For the liquid drain streams, a wide range of physical and chemical data is collected in parallel with the analysis of the gas streams. This paper summarises the results of the measurement programme and the operational experience regarding solvent losses for the benchmark solvent monoethanolamine (MEA). Some of the results are compared with the outcome of other test facilities by way of example.