Oxy-Fuel Combustion: A ‘Made in Alberta’ Solution

METHODS

RESULTS DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCESACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Fig. 1. Diagram of CCS operations [2]

Dr. Straatman’s projection data [3] was the basis forthe business-as-usual analyses. Also, literature andTeam 3’s fuel cell adoption rates laid the foundationfor the alternative scenario. The choice of the SCOC-CC as the oxy-combustion plant, the removal of its airseparation unit (ASU), the addition of CCS, and anoperation time of 330 days per year were themodel's chosen parameters. From studies made byIEAGHG [4], the SCOC-CC was shown to haveeconomic and environmental advantages over NGCC.

For CCS, 10 horizontal injection wells would be put inplace over 16 years to store CO2 within thesubsurface at Wabamun Lake, AB. By 2060 we aim tosequester upwards of 207 Mt of CO2 [5].

Fig. 3. Alberta Power Generation (TWh/yr)38.5 TWh/yr in oxy-fuel combustion generation by 2060

Fig. 5. Emissions from Power Generation (Mt CO2/yr)2060 emissions will be reduced by 14 Mt CO2/yr

NOTE: Oxy-fuel pilot plants will be brought

online in 2020, with full scalegeneration growing from 2031onwards based on O2 supply.

As the oxygen needed for oxy-fuelbegins to plateau, there will beenough oxygen to supply 4 SAGDoperations by 2060.

Single cycle (NGSC) capacity willhave to increase substantially tomaintain grid stability sincerenewables have a low capacityfactor and oxyfuel plants will run ata high capacity factor.

Fig. 7. Map of Proposed Location of Carbon Capture and Storage [7]Large saline aquifer West of Edmonton

[1] Climate Leadership Plan. (2017). Retrieved from Alberta Government: https://www.alberta.ca/climate-leadership-plan.aspx

[2] "Carbon Capture and Sequestration," 2017. [Online]. Available: https://sites.lafayette.edu/egrs352-fa12-ccs/how-it-works/.

[3] whatIf? Technologies Inc., 2014. Canadian Energy Systems Simulator (CanESS) - version 6, reference scenario. www.caness.ca

[4] (2015). Oxy-Combustion Turbine Power Plants. International Energy Agency Greenhouse Gas.

[5] Keith, R. D. (2009). Wabamun Area CO2 Sequestration Project (WASP). University of Calgary: Insitute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy.

[6] “Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Generation," International Energy Agency Greenhouse Gas , 2007

[7] Karsten Michael, S. B. (2009). Comprehensive Characterization of a Potential Site for CO2 Geological Storage in Central Alberta, Canada. American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

Alberta's electricity grid carbon intensitydecreases by 155 Mt CO2/yr in 2060.

This proposed model will allow Alberta to meet its2030 climate goals, and changes to behind thefence (BTF) (private) generation could allow forfurther greening of Alberta's grid.

The economic feasibility of SCOC-CC generation isdriven by the quickly rising price of carbon.

The plant location was chosen near WabamunLake due to existing infrastructure, priorknowledge of the subsurface and the existence oflarge saline aquifers.

Since oxygen is supplied from electrolysis, an ASU isnot required. This provides a major reduction in cost(29%) and energy (15%) for the proposed system overstandard SCOC-CC. The oxygen supply is the limitingfactor for the implementation of SCOC-CC.

The proposed plant does not need an additional CO2compressor station for CO2 injection, since the CO2from the plant is compressed to 110 bar. This issufficient for transportation through pipelines in itssupercritical phase for short distances (about 5 km).

Alberta has the opportunity to invest in cleaning upits public grid emissions by almost two thirds, byreplacing NGCC with SCOC-CC. The LCOE's of SCOC-CCand NGCC are very comparable by 2018, but SCOC-CCremains nearly constant whereas the LCOE of NGCCincreases with time, mainly due to the carbon price.

SCOC-CC power generation will reach peak values in2060 with 100% of NGCC power generation beingreplaced. The carbon capture system associated withthe oxy-fuel plant will be able to store over 207 MtCO2. over 29 years. Overall, there will be a reductionof 14 Mt CO2/year when compared with thebusiness-as-usual scenario.

The SCOC-CC is very similar to NGCC generation,allowing the technology to be ready for pilot testingin the next five years, based on its TechnologyReadiness Level. Both cycles utilize similar sizedturbines and thermodynamic cycles, which operateat similar temperatures. Oxy-fuel power generationusing the SCOC-CC design, but removing the airseparation unit, will operate at 53% efficiency, andcan generate approximately 5400 TWh/year for theAlberta grid in 2060.

This project was possible thanks to contributions andfeedback from our instructors Dr. Layzell, Dr. Sit, andDr. Straatman, as well as our expert advisor EricShewchuk. We would like to thank Team 3 forproviding the values for the oxygen supply.

INTRODUCTION

Julian Castro GutierrezMechanical Engineering

Maureen LatterMechanical Engineering

Evan LaurieGeophysics/ Natural Science

Evan McLeanChemical Engineering

Trevor LewisNatural Science

Correspondence: melatter@ucalgary.ca

This poster produced as part of University of Calgary course Scie529 in Fall 2017. For info: dlayzell@ucalgary.ca

REFERENCE OXYFUEL COMBUSTION

Fig. 6. Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) (CAN $ 2017)Oxy-fuel is economically competitive by 2018

As coal-fired power plants are phased out in Albertaby 2030, conventional natural gas combined cycle(NGCC) power plants will become a significant sourceof electricity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions[1].An alternative to NGCC is the semi-closed oxy-combustion combined cycle (SCOC-CC), whichreplaces air with O2 and CO2 in the combustionchamber in order to produce pure CO2 for carboncapture and storage (CCS), thereby reducing the GHGintensity of the Alberta grid. The cost of producing O2__from air is prohibitive,but interest in hydrogenfuel cell vehicles couldallow for a low costsupply of oxygen viaelectrolysis. Alberta haslarge storage potential inits deep saline aquifers,making it ideal for CCS.

Fig. 4. Alberta Power Capacity (MW)5300 MW in oxy-fuel combustion capacity by 2060

Fig. 2. Comparison of Energy Flows inSCOC-CC and NGCC Generation Plants [6]

Fig. 8. Oxygen Production(Mt O2/yr)

Fig. 9. Carbon Intensity(Mt CO2/MWh)