NOVEL TECHNOLOGY OF COAL BIOMASS CO-COMBUSTION WITH CO2 CAPTURE

Since the beginning of industrialisation, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has significantly increased, over 30%. The major source of the emitted emissions of CO2 is the combustion of fossil fuels. Especially huge amounts of CO2 are generated from coal-fired power plants, more than 7 billion t of CO2 annually. One of the key approaches in reducing the further increase of CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants consists of two options: first, simultaneous combustion of biomass with coal, and second, introduction of CO2 capture technologies. Using biomass for energy purposes leads to a number of social, economical and environmental benefits. Additionally, biomass is considered a CO2 neutral, with low sulphur and nitrogen contents. In this study the absorption of CO2 into an aqueous solution of monoethanolamine was experimentally studied. Aqueous monoethanolamine has been selected for removing CO2 from the combustion gases (35 wt. % MEA). Co-firing process of biomass with coal in fluidised bed is briefly introduced. Flue gas desulphurisation is achieved in a wet scrubber column. The SO2 scrubbing liquid was an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide of 1 and 2 wt. %.