Particle size distribution in flue gases for carbon capture

Supervisors: Professor M Pourkashanian, Professor L Ma, Professor K Hughes, Dr K Finney

The UKCCSRC PACT Facilities are home to numerous combustion devices: natural gas-fired gas turbines and a pulverised fuel reactor burning coal and biomass, used for CCS applications either coupled with post-combustion capture or when operating under oxy-combustion conditions. This project will use differential mass spectrometry to compare submicron particulate emissions from the different reactors using different fuels and operating regimes. This will consider the particle size spectra, particle measurement programme-correlated number and gravimetrically-correlated mass in real-time.

Particles can bypass collection systems, and therefore need to be assessed as they can interfere with downstream processes and have health implications. Based on the results, strategic mitigation methods can be devised for each condition/fuel combination. This will include evaluating the necessary measures to be taken to minimise impacts on flue gas cleaning, solvent-based carbon capture (to minimise degradation) and on CO2 stream treatment, transport and storage.

For informal enquiries contact Professor Derek B Ingham (d.ingham@sheffield.ac.uk).