From Electrons to Economics; Designing an Efficient Water-Lean CO2 Capture Solvent System from Atoms to ASPEN Plus.
Join Energy Futures Lab, IMSE and QCCSRC on 1 June for a seminar by Dr David Heldebrant, of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, on designing an efficient, water-lean CO2 capture solvent system from atoms to ASPEN Plus.
The seminar will be followed by lunch.
Abstract
Solvent based technologies are the closest to deployment capture technologies for the capture of carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plant exhaust. Recent advancements in 2nd generation solvents may provide significant cost reduction and/or breakthroughs to enable large-scale deployment at a reasonable cost, but these advancements may be limited. As such, new solvent chemistries are needed to continue the march towards cost-effective CO2 capture.
Here new solvents require enhancements in performance, reduced energy penalties while addressing the engineering challenges of 1st and or 2nd generation amine solvents. High-fidelity modeling and improved molecular-level understanding have led the development of tools and methodologies to the design and development of new tailor-made solvent systems. Use of these tools can expedite solvent development by accurate quantification of performance prior to bench/pilot-scale testing. We present here an approach that integrates molecular modeling, organic chemistry and state of the art experimental systems for a rapid yet comprehensive study of solvent performance.
This approach is used to remedy any limiting thermodynamic or physical property by exerting molecular-level control through directed atomistic placement of chemical functionalities while retaining desirable properties. We present here a unique integrated research approach that combines the fields of molecular design, synthesis, and process engineering to enhance performance and viability of a new water-lean CO2 capture solvent for CO2 capture from post-combustion gas streams.
Biography
Dr David Heldebrant is currently a Senior Research Scientist in the Materials Chemistry and Surface Research Group in the Energy and Efficiency Division at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
His research focuses on applying the principles of Green Chemistry to improve atom and energy efficiency and reduce toxicity of chemical processes. Focus areas are on developing materials that can perform multiple tasks to reduce waste and improve energy efficiency in the fields of chemical separations and chemical conversions, applying these principles in areas of industrial gas separations, liquid/liquid separations and catalysis.
His work focuses on the development of organic gas-separating liquids that can chemical remove CO2, SOx, and H2S from combustion, gasification or natural gas streams through applied and fundamental studies of gas absorption kinetics, thermodynamics and mechanistic studies.
Venue
Lecture Theatre 3 in the Chemical Engineering Department is in building 14 on the campus map. The quickest way there is to enter the college from the main entrance on Exhibition Road (near building 36).
From there head across the lobby through the revolving door, across the large courtyard and along the long walkway past a bank of very large screens on your right hand side. The entrance to the Chemical Engineering Department is on your right, head through the automatic doors up two short flights of stairs and turn left. Take the lift or stairs to the third floor. With lifts on your left go through the double doors in front of you and LT3 is at the end of the corridor.