Led By: Prof Phil Bowen, Cardiff University
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is considered a necessary technology to meet 2050 climate change targets. This is due to the continued requirement for baseload power, in addition to complementing intermittent renewable power generation. Hence, the residual conventional power generators need to be decarbonised and CCS technologies need to be advanced. There is some misalignment between the need for CCS integration and a push for high efficiency gas turbines with realistic capital cost and footprint. Subsequent development needs will include raising the CO2 concentration in the exhaust and the elimination of by-products that could poison the capture media.
Moreover, there is now the potential of new fuels entering the market, which need to be de-risked for heat and power generation applications. One of the main challenges in this industry will be the appreciable differences in chemical properties between these fuels.
This activity will align with the work of UK CCSRC to develop understanding of the main routes to CCS-integrated power generation. This programme will consider post-combustion and oxyfuel power generation, and provide studies to underpin the development work needed to evolve gas turbines into capture-ready systems without incurring excessive cost. Combustion testing will include measuring the sensitivity of burner performance for variable natural gas compositions, plus the development of syngas burners that could integrate with UCG projects.
The work package will:
Optimise use of oxy-fuel & CO2-enriched fuels (for CCS) systems.
Develop methods for effective utilisation of unconventional fuels.
Develop methods for effective utilisation of industrial gases (e.g. steel industry gases) & syngases (with and without CCS) for heat and power.