2024 journal article
Techno-economic analysis of chemical looping air separation using a perovskite oxide sorbent
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GREENHOUSE GAS CONTROL, 132.
author keywords: Chemical looping; Air separation; Techno-economic analysis; Modeling; Perovskite
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
(OpenAlex)
13. Climate Action
(Web of Science)
Source: Web Of Science
Added: March 18, 2024
Air separation is a costly process that is difficult to operate efficiently at small scales. Chemical looping air separation (CLAS) is a promising process for small-footprint oxygen production with low energy consumption. CLAS has potential applications in a promising carbon capture technology, oxyfuel combustion (oxy-combustion). In oxy-combustion, high-concentration oxygen from an air separation unit is used to combust a carbonaceous fuel into an easily-separated, nitrogen-free exhaust stream. In this paper, a techno-economic analysis was conducted in conjunction with reactor modeling to determine the cost of oxygen from a CLAS plant as a modular air separation unit for a 5 MW thermal coal-based oxy-combustion plant. The effects of different length-to-diameter ratios were investigated. The cost of oxygen from CLAS was projected to be as low as $65/ton O2 under baseline assumptions, which was much lower than typical current delivered oxygen at similar scales. Although higher in capital cost, CLAS also compares favorably to pressure swing adsorption, which has much larger parasitic energy losses. Further analysis indicates that air and steam demand and the sorbent reactor L/D ratio are key to optimizing the costs.