Developing zero-emission technology

Aker Clean Carbon is making progress in developing its proprietary CO2-capture technology, and the company’s engineers have now found a method that could eliminate waste emissions of amine.

Carbon capture facilities will dramatically improve air conditions through significant
reductions of emissions. In addition to removing more than 85 per cent of CO2, the
facilities will also capture sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and fly ash from coal-fired
power stations.


Potential emissions of amine from carbon capture facilities have been raised as a
concern in recent public debates. ”Reducing the possibility for such emissions has a high
priority among our technology developers,” says Oscar Fr. Graff, chief technical officer of
Aker Clean Carbon.


Amines in liquid form are used to capture CO2. If emitted in air, amines could decompose
and possible create nitrosamines, which have some hazardous characteristics. Cleansing
systems within the facility removes most of the amine from the exhaust gas and Aker
Clean Carbon has recently conducted tests of emissions to air that show measures well
below the measures used in the plans for large-scale CO2 capture facilities.


“We have test results from our own facility that are only a fifth of measures that have
circulated in the domestic debate,” says Mr Graff.


Aker Clean Carbon has through its development of improved CO2 capture technology
also developed a method to eliminate amine emissions to air. This method includes
installing a dedicated cleansing-bath as the last step in the treatment of the exhaust. Any
amine left in the system will be captured by this bath. This would also reduce the amount
of amine needed in the facility.


“By reducing the emissions of amines, you also remove the source for possible
secondary creation of nitrosamines in the atmosphere,” says Mr Graff.


Aker Clean Carbon has applied for patent protection for the method, which will also be
demonstrated in Aker Clean Carbon’s mobile test unit, which in the second quarter will be
in operation at the Longannet coal-fired power station in Scotland.