Biomass-based integrated gasification combined cycle with post-combustion CO₂ recovery by potassium carbonate: Techno-economic and environmental analysis

In this study, a thermodynamic model depicting integrated bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) system is developed using Aspen Plus under thermodynamic equilibrium for the power generation segment, and a rate-based model for the carbon capture segment representing CO₂ recovery from the exhaust flue of a biomass based integrated gasification combined cycle (BIGCC). A thorough techno-economic analysis is conducted for the integrated system to evaluate system-wide environmental impacts and economic costs. The carbon capture is modeled using post combustion technology with chemical absorption by means of Piperazine promoted potassium carbonate to absorb the CO₂ from the exhaust stream of the gas turbine. The results demonstrate that the proposed system with 80% carbon capture has negative emissions of -0.31 kg/kWh of CO₂-e, when assuming neutral emissions from the BIGCC. For a production of 419 kW of net electricity, the overall energy and exergy efficiencies are 43.8% and 57.2%, respectively.