B&W Captures CO2 in Coal-Fired Pilot Plant Tests

BARBERTON, Ohio--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc. (B&W PGG) researchers have successfully captured carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from a pilot-scale, coal-fired boiler using advanced solvents and a proprietary CO₂-capture process developed at the company’s research center in Barberton, Ohio. B&W PGG is an operating unit of The Babcock & Wilcox Company.

“This is a major milestone in B&W PGG’s research and development of carbon-capture technologies for fossil-fuel fired power plants”

B&W PGG has conducted its first demonstration on flue gas from a coal-fired boiler at the company’s Regenerable Solvent Absorption Technology (RSAT^TM) Pilot Plant. Researchers were able to continuously remove more than 90 percent of the CO₂ from the Small Boiler Simulator II’s flue gas stream using a fully integrated RSAT process. B&W PGG researchers are now evaluating proprietary solvents and characterizing their performance at this scale.

The RSAT process uses a liquid solvent in an absorber vessel to remove CO₂ from a plant's flue gas stream. The CO₂ can then be removed from the solvent and prepared for long-term storage or other uses, such as enhanced oil recovery, while the solvent is recycled and reused.

“This is a major milestone in B&W PGG’s research and development of carbon-capture technologies for fossil-fuel fired power plants,” said B&W PGG President and Chief Operating Officer Richard L. Killion. “These tests reinforce our belief that the RSAT process offers substantial promise as an economical and efficient post-combustion CO₂-capture technology and that B&W PGG is a leader in this important field.”

Pilot-scale testing of solvents began at the B&W Research Center in June 2009 and will continue throughout 2010.

About B&W

The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W), an operating subsidiary of McDermott International, Inc., is a leader in advanced energy technology innovation and service, primarily in nuclear and fossil power. Providing quality products and technical services to commercial and government customers, B&W is focused on issues such as energy efficiency, clean air, global market competitiveness, and safe and secure resolution for nuclear waste. B&W has locations worldwide and employs more than 20,000 people. The company is located on the Internet at www.babcock.com.