The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, has teamed up with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to design and construct a highly energy-efficient CO2 collection system from power plants. A research team led by Prof. Bishnupada Mandal, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati, developed this indigenous technique, which could be copyrighted soon.
Key Points:
- The oil, natural gas, and biogas industries, as well as petroleum refineries, will benefit from the project’s outputs.
- It also has the potential to save India money in terms of foreign exchange.
- This project will also assist and strengthen the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its research and education.
- The pilot plant has been relocated to NTPC’s NETRA site following the successful completion of test investigations.
- This development has the potential to aid in the fight against global warming.
- The study’s next phase will entail pilot-plant testing using industrial flue gas.
- This method, which uses a newly activated amine solvent (IITGS) to work on flue gas, uses up to 11% less energy than the commercial activated MDEA solvent and up to 31% less energy than the benchmark MEA (Monoethanolamine) solvent.
- In the chemical sector, the MEA and other proprietary solvent-based CO2 collection systems are available.
- This technology is used in coal and gas-fired power stations to produce modest amounts of food-grade CO2 (compared to CO2 capture in power plants).
- However, if used for large-scale CO2 capture in power plants, the method is energy-intensive.
- IIT Guwahati has devised an amine-based technique for CO2 extraction from flue gas that is both energy-efficient and cost-effective.
- The expansion of the power sector is a necessity for India’s ambitious national aim of doubling its GDP by 2025.
- Growth in the power sector is a requirement for India to meet its lofty policy goal of ‘Electricity for All’ while also maintaining considerable GDP growth.
- India, on the other hand, is a strong supporter of worldwide efforts to reduce CO2 emissions through research and development.