Consumables
BASF and RTI International jointly develop new Carbon Capture Technology
Monday 21. June 2010 - Focus on waste gases from coal-fired power plants; Sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy
BASF and U.S. research institute RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina/USA, are joining forces to develop a new, exceptionally cost-effective technology to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from waste gases emitted by coal-fired power plants and other industrial sources. The development project is sponsored by a two million dollar cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The award is part of the DOEs stimulus-funded initiative focusing on energy-related research projects.
Efficient solvents are essential for the CO2-capture. The two partners will work on novel non-aqueous solvent systems that can be recycled. The capture process could use 40 percent less energy than conventional amine-based processes. Coal-fired power plants produce 50 percent of the electricity generated in the United States and contribute about 36 percent of all the carbon dioxide emissions in that region or 1.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually.
“This new process for capturing carbon dioxide would keep the United States at the forefront of advanced energy and greenhouse gas control technologies,” said Dave Myers, vice president of the Engineering and Technology Unit at RTI. “Working with BASF, a global leader for gas treatment technologies, will also provide a path for rapid commercialization of the technology so that we can have cost-competitive clean energy production from coal-fired power plants.”
“Coupling RTIs engineering and research capabilities with BASFs gas treatment’s technical and commercial know-how, will provide the right synergies to develop a highly effective new technology for the industrial carbon capture”, said Todd Spengemann, Business Manager, Americas Gas Treatment Solutions within BASFs intermediates division.
BASF is one of the worlds most successful suppliers of gas treatment technology. Around the globe, some 200 ammonia, natural gas, syngas and liquefied petroleum gas facilities use BASF processes and products for gas sweetening, i.e. to remove acid gases like hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and CO2. The company sells these technologies under the aMDEA brand, which is short for “activated methyldiethanolamine.” BASF has been cooperating with RWE Power and Linde since 2007 to develop a process for capturing CO2 from flue gases emitted by coal-fired power plants.