Periodic Reporting for period 3 - C2FUEL (Carbon Captured Fuel and Energy Carriers for an Intensified Steel Off-Gases based Electricity Generation in a Smarter Industrial Ecosystem)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-06-01 al 2023-11-30
The hard-to-abate sectors need inventive solutions to reach decarbonization targets while simultaneously preserving a profitable business model. To this end, carbon capture & utilization (CCU) technology can play a key role in safeguarding the future of these industries to help them achieve carbon neutrality. In this context, C2FUEL aimed to develop energy-efficient, economically and environmentally viable CO2 conversion technologies for the displacement of fossil fuel emissions. The target was to create a real interaction between carbon intensive industries, power production and local economies. To achieve this goal, C2FUEL consortium (11 partners from 7 countries) purpose was to demonstrate, at industrially relevant scale, the capture of CO2 from industrial off-gases and its conversion into formic acid (FA) and Dimethylether (DME) as chemical energy carriers. These e-fuels are dedicated to local use and provide solutions for hard to abate mobility sectors or decentralized electricity production. The peculiar advantage of the C2FUEL demonstration would be its strategic location. Indeed, the concept will be demonstrated in Dunkirk, France, between DK6 combined cycle power plant, Arcelor Mittal steel factory and Dunkirk harbour, as a strong showcase for future replication.
More precisely, the CO2 present in the blast furnace gas will be selectively removed and combined with green hydrogen generated by high temperature water electrolysis. It would allow to simultaneously reuse CO2 emission from the steel-making factory, electricity surplus in the Dunkirk area and to improve the operational and environmental performance of the DK6 combined cycle.
More precisely, the CO2 present in the blast furnace gas will be selectively removed and combined with green hydrogen generated by high temperature water electrolysis. It would allow to simultaneously reuse CO2 emission from the steel-making factory, electricity surplus in the Dunkirk area and to improve the operational and environmental performance of the DK6 combined cycle.
Regarding CO2 capture, membrane contactors were demonstrated as intensifier of CO2 capture processes, allowing reduction of CAPEX of the installation. This was firstly realised with a TRL 5 pilot installed in DK6 allowing successful long-duration tests (2000 hours) on real blast furnace gases. Results obtained in terms of CO2 absorption, production and outlet purity matched required specifications and validated technological choices made. A TRL6 pilot was then constructed and validated on-site. It is now able to provide 1 Nm3/h of CO2 in a real industrial environment.
Regarding SOEC developments, the cells testing showed remarkable specific consumption of 2.6 kWh/Nm3 H2, at 15 bar, exceeding the predefined project KPI. Cells and stacks long-term (2200 hrs) and dynamic testing were conducted, showing promising results. Finally, a complete electrolyser unit was built and validated, successfully reaching 1Nm3/hrs H2 production at 40 bar.
Regarding DME production, new generation membranes were tested in a lab-scale reactor, successfully proving the higher performance of membrane reactor compared to the classical packed-bed reactor. All carbon membranes have been prepared and characterized for the TRL 6 DME production pilot, which construction is well-advanced.
The initial goal of C2FUEL was to produce an integrated demonstration composed of the 3 technologies described above: CO2 capture, H2 production by electrolysis and DME production. This could not be achieved in the time and budget framework of C2FUEL, however, all the assessment to implement such a pilot with multiple risks and constrains in a complex industrial environment has been realised. Moreover, the unitary bricks were rigorously designed and constructed according to requirements of such conditions. It provided tremendous amount of know-how on the technical aspects, but also on both safety and regulatory aspects. Finally, individual models were developed for each of the unitary bricks and a complete unified model infrastructure was implemented.
Regarding FA production, from the hydrogenation side, catalytic performances were significantly lower than expected. However, tremendous efforts have been developed to better understand the results. Series of catalysts have been tested, different experimental apparatus dedicated to FA production and kinetics study have been built and tested. For CO2 electro-reduction to FA, new electrolytic cells were designed and constructed to overcome the limiting CO2 diffusion problem.
To cover, the whole CCU value chain, C2FUEL project has also included technological innovation regarding the two final products addressed. The DME combustion tests (200 hours on a dedicated test bench) have demonstrated the feasibility of using DME on a diesel-adapted engine with competitive efficiency and promising emissions results. This also gave precious inputs on the particular focus needed on chemical inertness of the engine pieces toward DME.
Finally, the project designed, built and then proved the technical feasibility of a FA-to-Power genset for the first time, in outdoor conditions. This first prototype and the valuable know-how obtained through its development allowed the construction and validation of a new genset in another project with a net output power of 25 kW.
Regarding SOEC developments, the cells testing showed remarkable specific consumption of 2.6 kWh/Nm3 H2, at 15 bar, exceeding the predefined project KPI. Cells and stacks long-term (2200 hrs) and dynamic testing were conducted, showing promising results. Finally, a complete electrolyser unit was built and validated, successfully reaching 1Nm3/hrs H2 production at 40 bar.
Regarding DME production, new generation membranes were tested in a lab-scale reactor, successfully proving the higher performance of membrane reactor compared to the classical packed-bed reactor. All carbon membranes have been prepared and characterized for the TRL 6 DME production pilot, which construction is well-advanced.
The initial goal of C2FUEL was to produce an integrated demonstration composed of the 3 technologies described above: CO2 capture, H2 production by electrolysis and DME production. This could not be achieved in the time and budget framework of C2FUEL, however, all the assessment to implement such a pilot with multiple risks and constrains in a complex industrial environment has been realised. Moreover, the unitary bricks were rigorously designed and constructed according to requirements of such conditions. It provided tremendous amount of know-how on the technical aspects, but also on both safety and regulatory aspects. Finally, individual models were developed for each of the unitary bricks and a complete unified model infrastructure was implemented.
Regarding FA production, from the hydrogenation side, catalytic performances were significantly lower than expected. However, tremendous efforts have been developed to better understand the results. Series of catalysts have been tested, different experimental apparatus dedicated to FA production and kinetics study have been built and tested. For CO2 electro-reduction to FA, new electrolytic cells were designed and constructed to overcome the limiting CO2 diffusion problem.
To cover, the whole CCU value chain, C2FUEL project has also included technological innovation regarding the two final products addressed. The DME combustion tests (200 hours on a dedicated test bench) have demonstrated the feasibility of using DME on a diesel-adapted engine with competitive efficiency and promising emissions results. This also gave precious inputs on the particular focus needed on chemical inertness of the engine pieces toward DME.
Finally, the project designed, built and then proved the technical feasibility of a FA-to-Power genset for the first time, in outdoor conditions. This first prototype and the valuable know-how obtained through its development allowed the construction and validation of a new genset in another project with a net output power of 25 kW.
The know-how obtained through CO2 capture activities is generic and can be adapted and transposed to the rational design of a given CO2 capture step. Given the harsh conditions of BFG, the knowledge gained on pre- and post-treatment technologies is of particular interest and offer promising perspectives for membrane contactors application for CO2 capture purpose in many fields: coal and natural gas power plants, cement, steel, etc. All of this is an essential part of scalable CO2 capture technologies, one the key challenge of the energy transition plan. Regarding SOEC, the cell tests showed remarkable specific consumption of 2.6 kWh/Nm3 H2, at 15 bar, exceeding both the predefined project KPI and the state-of-the-art. The know-how gained during C2FUEL on electrolysis will be utilised in three additional European projects (BalticSeaH2, CLEANHYPRO and PilotSOEL). In addition, ELCOGEN developed expertise in high temperature electrolysis, a domain where every contribution will be useful to succeed the energy transition. Regarding DME production, the foreseen conversion rates exceed state-of-the-art due to the inherent advantages of membrane reactors, pushing thermodynamic equilibrium towards DME production. This process intensification of DME production through CO2 hydrogenation could enable both CAPEX and OPEX decrease while reducing CO2 emissions, leading e-DME (and by extension e-methanol) to competitivity with fossil DME (respectively methanol). The prototype could be transferred for exploitation purposes to the X-MEM spinoff which will be created by TECNALIA and TU/e, to test different membranes for e-fuels production. Regarding FA production, TU/e has produced results exceeding current state of the art, especially for the electroreduction pathway in terms of current density and faradic efficiency achievable. The results obtained will help to overcome the high technological challenges identified to increase FA production feasibility from CO2. Regarding e-fuels usage, C2FUEL brought a significant contribution to decentralized power generation with important feedback from DME combustion engine transformation and by enabling the launching of the commercialisation of FA-to-power gensets. Tremendous know-how regarding the integration of different TRL6 technological units in a real industrial site was gained during the project, which could be exploited by ENGIE in any CO2 capture/hydrogen/e-fuel project, paving the way toward decarbonation of hard-to-abate sectors.