Effect of CO ₂ capture on the emissions of air pollutants from industrial processes

Abstract

This study assesses whether the deployment of CO 2 capture technologies in the European industrial sector would result in significant changes in the emissions of air pollutants (NO x, SO 2, PM, and NH 3) in the short term. The industrial sectors investigated were: cement, petroleum refineries, and iron and steel. The analysis included onsite emissions and changes associated with grid electricity consumption due to CO 2 capture. Post-combustion capture using monoethanolamine (MEA) was considered for the cement sector and petroleum refineries, and Top Gas Recycling Blast Furnace (TGRBF) with vacuum-pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) for the iron and steel sector. The results show that when all three industrial sectors in the EU-27 are fully equipped with CO 2 capture, industrial SO 2 emissions in the EU-27 may decrease by 40-70% whereas NH 3 emissions may increase by 120-520% (equivalent to 2-8% of total European emissions). The large increase in NH 3 emissions is due to the degradation of MEA. Cement and petroleum refineries account for nearly all these changes. The results also show limited impact (within ±10% of EU-27 industrial emissions) on NO x and PM emissions. Emission changes due to electricity import/export are found to be equally important as onsite emission changes. For the iron and steel sector, the changes in National Emissions Ceilings Directive (NECD) emissions are found to be limited for the selected CO 2 capture technique under conservative assumptions. However, the changes in the NECD emissions could vary largely depending on how the steel mill will adapt and operate their coke oven batteries that supply the coke to the blast furnace (BF).