Researchers at the University of Illinois, in partnership with the Linde Group, BASF Corporation, Affiliated Engineers, Inc., and the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives, will design a 25-MWe, amine-based advanced carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture pilot-scale system for integration with the existing coal-fired boilers at the Abbott Power Plant. The pilot plant aims to capture approximately 500 tonnes per day of CO₂ with a 90 percent capture rate. The project will utilize the Linde-BASF advanced CO₂ capture process, based on the novel BASF amine solvents, which has shown the potential to be cost-effective, energy efficient, and compact at the 0.5-1.5 MWe pilot scales. Through the previous 1.5 MWe pilot testing program at the National Carbon Capture Center, the technology shows promise of driving down the cost of CO₂ captured from commercial-scale, coal-fired power plants. During Phase I, the project team will develop the project management plan, preliminary plant design, and cost estimate for the large-pilot plant; update the techno-economic assessment and technology gap analysis based on small-pilot results; and define a test plan to evaluate the integrated absorption system with parametric and long-term continuous testing.

Projects for the large-scale (equivalent of 10 to +25 MWe) pilot testing of post-combustion CO₂ capture technology systems are being conducted in two phases, with a competitive downselect to continue from Phase I into Phase II. This project was selected for Phase I; a Phase II application must be submitted to be considered for the full project. 

Predecessor Project: FE0007453