Cost Estimation of CO2 Absorption Plants for CO2 Mitigation – Method and Assumptions

The estimates of post combustion CO2 capture costs reported in the literature range from 50 €/tCO2 to 128 €/tCO2, reflecting differences in the cost estimation methods used, scopes of the analyses, and assumptions made. This variation in calculated costs is important when evaluating the feasibility of a technology and highlights the importance of ensuring consistency and transparency in cost estimations. This study establishes a cost estimation tool that highlights the effects of different assumptions on the overall cost of a capture plant and identifies the crucial technical and economic factors. The input is a simplified process flow diagram and equipment list. Detailed installation factors and the equipment cost are the two main elements used to derive the capital expenditures (CAPEX), which represent a fundamental component of the cost estimation approach. A detailed installation factor sheet is used for the capital cost estimation. The method is applied to a Base case that involves the capture of CO2 from the flue gas of a process industry, giving a capture cost of 62.5 €/tCO2. The Base case results reveal that the steam cost, electricity cost, and capital cost are the main contributors. This method can provide an overview of the main cost drivers, and a sensitivity analysis of the variable input parameters can be performed simply and quickly. The results obtained using this method can be valuable in the early phase of the project and contribute to decision making

Cost estimation of heat recovery networks for utilization of industrial excess heat for carbon dioxide absorption

The absorption of CO 2 using solvents (e.g., amines) is considered a state-of-the-art, albeit energy-intensive process for CO 2 capture. While it is generally recognized that the utilization of waste heat has potential to reduce the energy-associated costs for CO 2 capture, the cost of waste heat recovery is seldom quantified. In this work, the cost of heat-collecting steam networks for waste heat recovery for solvent regeneration is estimated. Two types of networks are applied to waste heat recovery from the flue gases of four process industries (cement, silicon, iron & steel, and pulp & paper) via a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). A novel approach is presented that estimates the capital and operational expenditures for waste heat recovery from process industries. The results show that the overall cost (CAPEX + OPEX) of steam generated from one hot flue gas source is in the range of 1.1–4.1 €/t steam. The cost is sensitive to economic parameters, installation factors, the overall heat transfer coefficient, steam pressure, and to the complexity of the steam network. The cost of steam from an existing natural gas boiler is roughly 5–20-times higher than that of steam generated from recovered waste heat. The CAPEX required to collect the heat is the predominant factor in the cost of steam generation from waste heat. The major contributor to the CAPEX is the heat recovery steam generator, although the length of the steam pipeline (when heat is collected from two sources or over long distances) is also important for the CAPEX