(431a) Integrating Carbon Capture Technologies in Hard-to-Abate Industries: A Techno-Economic Analysis

In this study, we develop process models to assess the performance and techno-economic viability of carbon capture solutions aimed at mitigating CO2 emissions in challenging sectors, notably the cement and steel/iron industries. These sectors are significant, contributing to roughly half of the U.S. industrial CO2 emissions (U.S. EPA, 2020). Our investigation covers a wide temperature range (300 to >1400°C) and CO₂ concentrations (4 to 25 mol%), characteristic of the emissions from these industries. The analysis extends beyond conventional amine-based carbon capture, our baseline technology, to explore promising alternatives like molten salt absorption, particularly for high-temperature flue gases.

The focus of our presentation is the integration of carbon capture technologies with heavy industries through detailed process modeling. This approach enables a comprehensive cost-performance analysis, evaluating energy consumption, process efficiency, capital and operating expenses, and scalability of various carbon capture and storage (CCS) systems tailored to specific industrial operations. We complement our study with sensitivity analyses on the cost of CO2 avoidance, identifying avenues for cost reduction and highlighting the potential for temperature-matched emission streams and sorbents. The ultimate goal is to map optimal carbon capture solutions to their most compatible industrial applications, providing a comprehensive assessment of their scalability potential in the targeted sectors.