CO₂ Ready

It is unclear how important the “CO₂ ready concept” will be in impacting the NO_x control market.  But new pulverized coal plants permits have been rejected because the plants were not deemed to be CO₂ ready. A CO₂ ready plant is one which could add a CO₂ scrubber without major modifications to existing equipment.

DOE has published a document analyzing the concept of CO₂ ready as well as the costs for retrofitting existing PC plants with CO₂ capture systems. http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/carbon_seq/Resources/Analysis/pubs/CO2%20Capture
ReadyCoalPowerPlants%20Final.pdf

This document indicates that SO₂ should be no more than 10 ppm to avoid creation of salts in the CO₂ clear liquor scrubbing system.

Some plants installing scrubbers in the near future will want to make them CO₂ ready. This may mean electing wet lime systems in order to meet the future efficiency requirements. Limestone systems with dibasic acid could also meet the 10 ppm. Dry systems would probably not be able to meet this low level.

The mercury reduction needs prior to CO₂ capture have not been addressed. But the likely need for more efficient scrubbing will have a bigger impact on mercury control technology selection.

Back to Gold Dust Newsletter No. 362 Table of Contents