Carbon Capture

Module from the Process Technology Training Series curriculum.

Carbon Capture Technologies · Commercial & Pre-Commercial Routes

Technology	Capture Rate (% CO2)	Energy Penalty (% ΔW)	Cost ($/ton CO2)	Application	Maturity (TRL)
Post-combustion Amine Scrubbing	85–95%	15–25%	50–100	Coal/gas power, H2 plants	9 (commercial)
Pre-combustion (Fuel Processing)	95%+	10–20%	60–120	IGCC, coal gasification	8–9
Oxy-fuel Combustion	90–99%	5–15%	40–80	New power plants, retrofit difficult	8
Membrane Separation	70–90%	8–18%	55–110	Industrial exhaust, H2 purification	7–8
Cryogenic Separation	99%+	20–40%	80–150	High-purity O2 production (CO2 by-product)	8–9
Direct Air Capture (DAC) — Adsorption	50–90%	200–400 kWh/ton CO2	100–200	Atmospheric CO2 removal, long-term	6–7
DAC — Sorbent Materials	40–80%	250–400 kWh/ton CO2	80–250	R&D focus: solid sorbents vs. liquid	5–6
Mineral Carbonation	90–100%	Low (exothermic)	50–150	Permanent CO2 storage (building materials)	6–7
Post-Combustion Amine Chemistry
Amine Type	CO2 Capacity	Regen. Temp (°C)	Heat Duty (MJ/ton CO2)	Notes
MEA (Monoethanolamine)	1.4–1.8 mol/L	120–140	3.8–4.2	Industry standard, well-known kinetics
DEA (Diethanolamine)	1.2–1.6 mol/L	100–120	3.5–4.0	Slower kinetics, lower heat demand
MDEA (Methyldiethanolamine)	0.8–1.2 mol/L (but selective)	80–100	2.8–3.5	Selective for CO2 over H2S, lower regen.
Blended (e.g., MEA/MDEA)	1.2–1.6 mol/L	100–130	3.2–3.8	Optimized kinetics + selectivity
Advanced solvents (e.g., amino-acid salts)	1.5–2.2 mol/L	70–100	2.5–3.2	Reduced energy penalty, emerging commercial
Point Source vs. Direct Air Capture
Factor	Point Source (Industrial/Power)	DAC (Atmospheric)	Trade-offs
CO2 concentration	3–5% (flue gas) to 30%+ (syngas)	0.04% (atmospheric)	High concentration → lower capture cost/energy
Capital cost (2024)	$40–80/ton CO2 ann. (installed)	$600–2000/ton CO2 ann.	Point source 10–25x cheaper
Operational cost ($/ton CO2)	$50–150	$100–250	Grid power major DAC cost driver
Technology readiness	Commercial (TRL 8–9)	Early (TRL 6–7, few commercial plants)	Point source de facto standard, DAC emerging
CO2 utilization match	Syngas → e-fuels, chemicals, building materials	Offset high-value emissions, synthetic carbon	DAC target: negative-emissions fuel
Permanence	Not permanent; CO2 recycled (closed-loop)	Permanent if geological storage	Regulatory drivers for permanence vs. reuse

Source: Process_Technology_Training_Series_v1.xlsx · Sheet: Carbon Capture

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