Modular Pilot Plant Skid Design and Fabrication

Scaling Carbon Dioxide Capture Technology Through Custom Engineering

To validate scalability, ACS was engaged to fabricate a high-velocity spray tower and a media filter for Linde’s temporary carbon capture plant. Designed for rapid deployment, this robust, coal-fired power plant skidded system tested new carbon dioxide capture technology for aerosol particle reduction, providing the critical operational data needed to lower future adoption costs.

The Challenge

Linde is the world’s largest industrial gas company. With funding from the US Department of Energy, the company is testing three technologies to find the one most effective at reducing aerosol particle concentrations in flue gas of a coal-fired power plant.

Reducing the amount of solvent lost will make carbon dioxide capture technology less expensive, encouraging its adoption on a wider scale. Such carbon dioxide capture technology is critical in the fight against climate change. To test these methods in a real-world environment, Linde required a specialized modular pilot plant to process the exhaust.

Linde furnished one of the technologies for the test, an electrostatic precipitator. ACS was engaged to fabricate a high-velocity spray tower and a media filter that could be tested against the precipitator at a coal-fired power plant testing facility. The project also required piping and a control panel for the temporary carbon capture plant.

Project execution came with several critical challenges. First, the team faced an incredibly tight timeline where beginning the study’s tests on time was paramount. Second, the process fluid used in the tests is highly acidic, meaning designers had to take immense care to select materials and equipment capable of withstanding a low pH and corrosive environment. Finally, the entire setup required impermanent construction; the study was slated to last only six months, after which the entire build had to be completely dismantled and removed.

The Solution

ACS was chosen because it not only has expertise with custom fluid processing equipment and systems, but also has the ability to hold construction contracts and manage installation and commissioning of the equipment.

Working with the client and research partners, ACS developed flow diagrams and a modular skid design into full process and instrumentation diagrams to seamlessly integrate the carbon dioxide capture technology. The final solution was engineered to connect directly to the exhaust stack to sample flue gas, while simultaneously securing access to cooling water to replenish the spray tower, potable water for system needs, and industrial waste disposal to safely remove contaminated water.

ACS engineered all the mechanical systems for the project, using off-the-shelf components where possible and fabricating custom components where needed. It also supervised the build of the pilot carbon capture plant, managing all subcontractors performing construction activities and keeping project stakeholders apprised of the build’s progress.

An Allen Bradley CompactLogix PLC with PanelView Plus 1500 underpinned the controls automating the tests. A data collection module was implemented to measure temperatures, pressures, and flow rates.

All of the equipment was factory tested to ensure functionality before being commissioned on site. This minimized the time spent on site and ensured the unit met standards and specifications before delivery.

The Outcome

Once construction was complete, ACS stayed onsite until the process gas was flowing to ensure the equipment was functioning properly and collecting the appropriate data. The equipment is conducting its tests at an Illinois coal-fired power plant.

Linde was able to get equipment and controls designed, fabricated, and installed; the construction site managed; and, at the conclusion of the test, the entire build dismantled and removed – all with a single contract from ACS.

Key Features

• System for testing new carbon dioxide capture technology for reducing aerosol concentrations in flue gas
• Modular skid design and fabrication for modular pilot plant construction
• Single source contract for equipment and controls, management of onsite installation, dismantle and removal at end of test

ACS Services

• Designed and fabricated a custom high velocity spray tower, media filter, associated piping, and control panel
• Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) to verify all equipment was functional
• Managed contractors for onsite installation including all connections to process piping, process cooling water, industrial waste, potable water, electrical
• Commissioning on site with process gas flowing to ensure proper automatic operation and data collection

“This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy with Linde Gas North America LLC as the prime awardee.”