Avaliação de cenários de descarbonização no setor de geração termelétrica no Brasil utilizando tecnologias de captura de CO2 pós-combustão por absorção química

Abstract

In face of the necessity for the minimization of the environmental impacts in the power sector, of the low and slow pace of strategies formulation for Brazilian decarbonization, this work was placed and justified . The main goal resides in analyze CO 2 Captur e by Chemical Absorption as an available technological tool for decarbonization in the Brazilian Power Plants, especially, the National Coal fired Power Plants . Thermodynamic, economic indicators , discussions ov er performance and costs trade offs, decision making, and the impacts of the Carbon, Capture, Utilization and Storage had on the Power Plants typical operation were applied as a methodology for holistic evaluation of such the proposition. The results point ed out that independent of t he capture index, post combustion capture by chemical absorption is unviable due to economic performance. The retrofit cause to the Power Plants efficiency decay between 9 % and 40 %, and from 1 4 % to 6 1 % energy penalty. The energy penalty was reflected in economic penalty, leading the electricity production cost from 37 to 118 USD/MWh, when Future Scenarios were addressed. Therefore, it was concluded that further action must be taken to decrease energy demand in CO 2 capture in order to reach economic competitiveness with chemical absorption. Moreover, the use of Piperazine was economic favorable due to its properties that implied smaller piece of equipment, and also due to its better performance for higher capture rate indexes. Governmental action is expected, however, must be beyond simple subsidies, which were merely relevant for economic penalty. Furthermore, it is shown that the strategy of Carbon Capture systems for Brazil would avoid between 6% and 6,5% of emissions in the South Region. However, to take such undertaking, the equivalent of 58% of announce investment for dec arbonization might be compromised.