Simultaneous optimization of multi-stage membrane systems for CO2 capture from a coal fired power plant

ANA M. ARIAS; MIGUEL C. MUSSATI; NICOLÁS J. SCENNA; SERGIO F.MUSSATI

Paris

Conferencia; International Conference on Chemical and Biochemical Engineering; 2015

This paper deals with the optimal synthesis and design of multi-stage membrane systems for CO2 capture from flue gas. The optimal membrane arrangement and the operating conditions are obtained from the optimization of a superstructure that embeds several alternative multi-stage membrane arrangements (Fig. 1). The superstructure was proposed based on the combination of four membrane separators. Then, a mathematical model is proposed in such a way that each stage may be removed and therefore the optimal configuration can be obtained. As indicated in Fig. 1, for a given total membrane area AT and flue gas specification (flow-rate, temperature and composition), the optimization problem is to maximize the CO2 recovery and as a result it will be determined: a) how the AT must be optimally allocated along the stages (process configuration) and b) the optimal operating conditions. The optimization problem is solved for a wide range of values of AT.