MHIA Completes CO2 Capture System for Petra Nova Carbon Capture Project
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan (MHI), has successfully completed construction of the world’s largest post-combustion CO2 capture and compression system. Managed and executed in the U.S., the system is based on MHI’s proprietary KM CDR Process and high-performance KS-1 amine solvent which was jointly developed by MHI and Kansai Electric Power Co. and is used for CO2 absorption and desorption. The system captures CO2 from a 240 MW equivalent coal exhaust slipstream from Unit 8 at NRG Energy Inc.’s (NRG’s) W. A. Parish coal-fired generating station in Thompsons, Texas, and is rated at 4,776 metric tons per day of CO2 captured.
MHIA, together with MHI, licensed and provided the KM CDR Process and KS-1 solvent and delivered overall system design services, engineering, procurement for major system equipment (from primarily U.S.-based vendors), operator training, and commissioning support. MHIA formed a consortium with TIC (The Industrial Company) for execution of a full turnkey contract of the CO2 capture plant. The MHIA – TIC consortium was awarded in July 2014, began construction in September 2014 and completed the performance tests in December 2016.
The CO2 capture and compression system at the W.A. Parish coal-fired generating station is part of the Petra Nova Carbon Capture Project which is jointly promoted by NRG and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation (JX Nippon). Captured CO2 will be transported through an 81-mile pipeline and used for enhanced oil recovery at the West Ranch Oilfield, located on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
MHI has, through successful deployment of the KM CDR Process and KS-1 Solvent, delivered 11 commercial plants for natural gas and oil combustion exhaust gases and holds an outstanding market share in the world in the field of post combustion CO2 capture. CO2 capture application to coal-fired power stations is a cutting-edge technology that requires highly sophisticated tools and know-how to treat various impurities contained in flue gases. MHI has taken several steps to commercialize the technology, including extensive R&D efforts. In 2006, MHI successfully conducted a demonstration test, at a scale of 10 metric tons per day, in cooperation with Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (J-POWER). In 2011 MHI, together with Southern Company, successfully proved the reliability of the KM CDR Process in a joint demo project at Alabama Power’s Plant Barry coal-fired generating station, operating at a scale of 500 metric tons per day.
MHIA’s involvement in the Petra Nova Carbon Capture Project is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to contribute to the development of a sustainable society through innovative technological solutions.
Image Source: NRG Energy