Devices, systems, facilities and processes for carbon capture optimization in industrial facilities
Devices, systems, and methods for carbon capture optimization in industrial facilities are disclosed herein. An example carbon capture process involves cooling a flue gas stream using at least one gas-to-air heat exchanger disposed upstream of a carbon dioxide (CO2) absorber. Another example carbon capture process involves heating a heat medium for solvent regeneration and CO2 stripping using a fired heater and/or using at least one waste heat recovery unit.
1. A method for processing a flue gas stream, the method comprising:
receiving, at a solvent regenerator, a rich solvent flowing from a carbon dioxide (CO2) absorber, wherein the flue gas stream flows through the CO2 absorber, and the rich solvent comprises CO2 captured from the flue gas stream in the CO2 absorber;
heating a heat medium using at least a fired heater, wherein heating the heat medium comprises heating the heat medium using a waste heat recovery unit based on heat recovered by the waste heat recovery unit from the driver flue gas;
transporting the heated heat medium from the fired heater to the solvent regenerator;
generating, by the fired heater, a fired heater flue gas; and
transporting the fired heater flue gas into the flue gas stream at a position upstream of a CO2 absorber;
driving a CO2 compressor using a driver, the driver producing a driver flue gas;
transporting the driver flue gas from the driver to the waste heat recovery unit;
producing, by a power generator configured to generate electricity, a generator flue gas; and
transporting the generator flue gas from the power generator to a second waste heat recovery unit,
wherein heating the heat medium also includes heating the heat medium using the second waste heat recovery unit based on heat recovered by the second waste heat recovery unit from the generator flue gas.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the driver is an internal combustion engine.