Alfa Laval to equip 'world first' carbon capture project
20 Dec 2010
Alfa Laval is to supply heat exchangers for the world’s first full-scale IGCC (integrated gasification combined cycle) process for power generation with carbon capture, in the US.
The SEK80-million order for the company’s Packinox units is due for delivery in 2012. The heat exchangers will be used in a gas treatment process of an IGCC power generation plant.
The project has received funding from the US Department of Energy and will, when finalized, include a state of the art gasification facility with a capacity of more than 500 MW and an integrated carbon capture facility.
Instead of burning coal directly to produce electricity, the IGCC process breaks down the coal into synthesis gas, which is purified and used to fuel the power plant.
The process is designd to minimise emissions: 99% of the sulphur dioxide is removed, - and up to 65% of the carbon dioxide will be captured. CO2 from the US facility will be used for injection into depleted oil and gas wells for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).
According to the US Department of Energy, the EOR technology has the potential to increase domestic oil recovery efficiency from about 30% to more than 60%.
Around 45% of the electricity generated in the US comes from coal-fired power plants, official US figures also show.
