Process Intensification in a Business Context: General Considerations - Process Intensification for Green Chemistry - page 352

Flue
gas out

Water wash section

Overhead
condenser

CO 2

Absorbent
cooler

Fan

Heat
recovery
exchanger

CO 2
absorber

Desorber

Flue
g as in

DCC.
Direct Contact Cooler

Reboiler

Figure 13.2 Absorption-desorption process for the capture of CO 2 from flue gas. Reclaimer,
filters and tanks not shown.

convenient pressure level. It should be obvious that the higher the desorption pressure, the
cheaper the compression train and the less energy it consumes.
Chemical engineering does not live a protected life. Costs are always important. Hence it
is meaningless to analyse a process without including the cost aspects, even in the idea
stage. In the present case, it is assumed that there is a generic 'brown field' site in, for
example, the Rotterdam area. Site cost is excluded, and all utilities are assumed to be
available at the battery limit at a cost.
This case study is an early phase estimate type, where limited information is available.
However, mass and energy balances are needed to size equipment and to calculate operating

M

Figure 13.3 Compressor train for CO 2 compression downstream of recovery from flue gas.
There will typically be three stages, with interstage cooling and condensate drainage.