Module overview
Hydrocarbon fuels contribute more than 85% of world energy production, but also contribute more than 60% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. As research continues to find alternative and more sustainable energy production technologies hydrocarbon fuels will continue to be the primary energy supplier therefore measures need to be taken to improve their efficiency and minimise anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.
This module addresses thermo-fluid processes underlying technologies which use hydrocarbon fuels in a more sustainable manner, including carbon capture, utilisation and storage, and enhanced oil and gas recovery. To enable students to develop technology for these applications, this module equips students with physical insight and engineering methods for heat and mass transport, chemically-reacting flows, multi-phase flows, and porous media flows.
Linked modules
Pre-requisites: FEEG2003 and SESM2017
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Full CEng Programme Level Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- In addition to designing the carbon capture system, the students will conduct appropriate economic and wider societal factors, including some suitable cost estimates; building cost estimates; defining plant and cost assumptions; sources of cost estimates; example cost estimates; levelised cost of electricity; cost of CO2 avoided; and key CCUS policy indicators, public perception of CCUS.
- Apply mathematical, statistical and engineering analysis to thermo-fluid processes found in real energy technology applications, specifically targeting carbon capture storage and utilisation technologies. Students will identify suitable models for fluid properties and multiphase processes within these applications whilst demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of fluid and flow properties and operating conditions.
- Design a carbon capture reactor suitable for extracting 90-95% CO2 from a power plant for their coursework which incorporates pre-processing of feedstocks and their limiting constraints; through to a techno-economic evaluation of the CO2 capturing process and CO2 underground storage.
- Multiphase systems will be introduced to kinetic theory of granular flow. They will solve PDFs and moments of PDFs for individual particle and/or droplet systems which will support the definition of key operational properties, e.g., particle/droplet sizes and their impact on heat and mass transfer characteristics. Students will also apply two-film theory based on Henry’s Law to design a suitable carbon capture system for a range of variables, e.g., CO2 input concentrations, alkanolamines concentrations, etc.
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- Modelling approaches for flows occurring in energy applications.
- Technical systems for achieving low-carbon energy production.
- Physical phenomena associated with real fluid mixtures, heat and mass transfer, chemicallyreactive flows, multi-phase flow, and porous media flow.
- The impact of hydrocarbon fuel use on the environment, and the role of low-carbon energy technology in avoiding these impacts
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Identify suitable models for fluid properties and processes across the applications studied in this module
- Evaluate fluid properties and flow properties
- Apply engineering analysis to thermo-fluid processes found in real energy technology applications.
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Perform analytical and numerical analysis in order to identify and optimise prospective energy technologies.
- Design a carbon capture reactor suitable for extracting 90% CO2 from a power plant.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Present technical and economic assessments of investment options, accounting for uncertainty.
- Communicate in a clear, structured and efficient manner.
Syllabus
Introduction to carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS)
- Current global markets: Overview of current energy production and its current economic, environmental and social impact; global markets for fuel, energy and carbon
- Introduction to CCUS: different components of the CCUS chain; current status of CCUS technologies and challenges for deployment
Introduction to multiphase flows
- Gas-particle systems: regimes of multi-phase flow, dense and dilute particle flows, phase coupling, fluidisation characteristics
- Gas-liquid systems: introduction to liquid break up and spray formation, PDFs, moments of the PDF
Mass transfer mechanisms
- Homogeneous and Heterogeneous reactions: enthalpy of formation, chemical reactions and reaction kinetics, intra-particle diffusion, mass and heat transport for single particles
- Film theory for gas-liquid systems: Types of reactors, Henry’s Law, Two-film model, first-order and second order reactions
CO2 production and separation
- Post-combustion – absorption technologies: chemical absorption; types of alkanolamines; technological advances and limitations; gas-liquid contactors
- Post-combustion – sorbents and membranes: solid physical adsorption; pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and temperature swing adsorption (TSA); types of adsorbents including zeolites, MOFs; membrane gas absorption; typical membrane-module configurations
- CO2 Absorber design: mass and material balances; flow rates; tower diameters; packing height
- Pre-combustion: integrated gasification combined cycle, synthesis gas production, water-gas-shift reaction; types of separation technologies; advantages and disadvantages
- Oxy-fuel technologies: cryogenic air separation; reactor configuration; chemical looping technologies; types of oxygen carriers
CO2 storage in porous reservoirs
- Structure of porous media: Micro- and macroscopic descriptions. Darcy’s law. Permeability. Fracturing. Non-Darcy behaviour
- Flows through porous media: Full set of equation for an isothermal flow through porous media. Initial and boundary conditions. Radial flow
- Anisotropy of permeability: Averaging permeabilities. Layered reservoir without crossflow, composite reservoir
- Capillary pressure: Pore-level modelling. Meniscus rise in a capillary
- Multiphase flow through porous media: Diffusion in porous media. Multiphase flows. Extension of Darcy’s law. Relative permeabilities. Capillary curve. Mass balance equation and complete model
- CO2 sequestration in geological reservoirs: Properties of CO2 in supercritical state.
CO2 utilisation
- CO2-based fuels: Current and future uses of CO2; Fischer-Tropsch synthesis; fundamentals of catalysis; methane and methanol production
- CO2-based chemicals: overview of mineral carbonation; CO2-based formic acid formation, ethylene and ethanol production; polymer production; challenges surrounding the commercialisation of CO2-based products; life-cycle analysis of the end-use of CO2-based products
Risks and Economics
- Economics of CCUS: importance of cost estimates; building cost estimates; defining plant and cost assumptions; sources of cost estimates; example cost estimates; levelised cost of electricity; cost of CO2 avoided
- Wider awareness of CCUS: CCUS policy indicators, public perception of CCUS
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include
- Lectures including examples, with lecture hand-outs provided.
- Set example questions are supported by group problem solving sessions.
- Mock exam test run at one of the revision sessions.
Learning activities include
- Directed reading.
- Group and individual work on examples.
- Coursework project: to produce a short report.
Type | Hours |
---|---|
Wider reading or practice | 88 |
Lecture | 27 |
Completion of assessment task | 12 |
Revision | 14 |
Tutorial | 9 |
Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
S. K. Friedlander, Smoke, Dust and Haze (2000). Fundamentals of Aerosol Dynamics. Oxford University Press.
R.F. Probstein (1989). Physicochemical Hydrodynamics. Butterworths.
J.S. Archer and C.G. Wall (1986). Petroleum engineering: principles and practice. Graham and Trotam.
W.F. Hughes, J.A. Brighton (1999). Schaum's outline of theory and problems of fluid dynamics. New York: McGraw Hill.
Cengel Y.A., Boles M.A. Thermodynamics. An engineering approach. McGraw Hil.
D.Gidaspow (1994). Multiphase Flow and Fluidization. Elsevier Inc, Academic Press.
J. Bear. Theory and Applications of Transport in Porous Media. Springer.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
2 Hour written exam - 65%
Carbon capture and storage project - 35%
Feedback method : Feedback document on exam performance made available on module blackboard; this document will also be available to subsequent years to help with learning and revision.
Individual consultations take place with both lecturers during a double lecture slot to go through the report and assess.
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Project | 35% |
Examination | 65% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Examination | 65% |
Project | 35% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Examination | 65% |
Project | 35% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: External