The purpose of this study was to simulate the liquid flow rate distribution in the etching modules and find the optimal setup in order to achieve a distribution as homogenous as possible. The commercial software Matlab 2015a has been employed for all the numerical simulations. The optimization has been carried out varying several parameters, i.e. spray cross sections of the nozzles, the oscillation parameters, the rotating angle of the nozzles within etching module 1 and the nozzle arrangement inside the modules. Furthermore, the optimization has been carried out separately along the two directions of the modules. The results achieved computationally have been validated via experimental procedures. During this study a specific experimental setup has been developed in order to be able to compare experimental and computational results. The validation process has shown that the computational method matches the experimental results to a good extent. The experimental liquid distribution in etching module 2 widely matches the simulations to a quantitative extent, while the one in etching module 1 provides the same qualitative but different quantitative results.

Användningen av kommunalt avfall för att producera förnybar energi, huvudsaklig biogas, uppfyller 8 av Sveriges 16 miljökvalitetsmål. Två typer av rötningsprocesser som används är kontinuerligt omrörda tankreaktorer (CSTR) och pluggflödesreaktorer (PFR). Rapportens syfte är att direkt jämföra de två reaktorkonfigurationerna, PFR och CSTR, med samma substratblandning. Båda reaktortyperna drevs med samma belastning (5,2 g VS/L dag), hydraulisk retentionstid (30 dagar) och driftstemperatur (520C). Två PFR-reaktorer drevs med återcirkulation av rötrester. Under projektets gång mättes olika parametrar, vilka var: pH, total gasvolym och gassammansättning, FOS/TAC (organiska syror/alkalinitet), flyktiga fettsyror (VFA), ammonium-kvävekoncentration och TS (torrsubstanshalt) och VS (organiska ämnen). Studieresultatet var uppdelat i två sektioner. Avsnitt 1 sammanfattar uppstartsperioden, där alla tre CSTR (D1-R, D2-NR och C1-NR) kördes i icke-återcirkulerande läge. Uppstartsperioden gjordes för att säkerställa reaktorernas stabilitet och det gällde att uppnå en liknande baslinje för detektion. Inom studien accepterades avvikelser för baslinjen inom intervallet 0-5%. För uppstartsperioden varierade den specifika metanproduktionen med 2 % mellan D1-NR och D2-R, D1-R och C1-NR med 6 %, och D2-NR och C1-NR med 8 %. För ammoniak-koncentrationen var skillnaden mellan D1-R och D2-NR 2 % och mellan D1-R och C1-NR 9 %, mellan D2-NR och C1-NR, 7%. Med dessa variationer togs beslutet att utesluta reaktor C1-NR från den experimentella perioden för projektet. Avsnitt 2 jämför PFR och CSTR återcirkulerat/icke återcirkulerat läge. En CSTR drevs med 30 % återcirkulation av rötrest och en CSTR drevs i icke-återcirkulationsläge. Att jämföra PFR och CSTR återcirkulerat/icke återcirkulerat läge visade att PFR:erna övervann båda CSTR:erna när det gäller den specifika metanproduktionen. Där PFR producerade 395±93 NL/KgVS och 372±42 (N)L/KgVS CSTR med återcirkulation 280±10 (N)L/KgVS och den icke-återcirkulerade CSTR producerade 250±7 (N)L/KgVS. NH4+-N-nivåerna mellan PFR och CSTR visade en skillnad på 1 g/L, där PFR var den med högre NH4+-N (2,53±0,39 g/L för PFR-A och 2,73±0,43 g/L för PFR-T). En av skillnaderna mellan de återcirkulerade och de icke-återcirkulerade CSTR:erna var VFA-koncentrationen. VFA-koncentrationen i de återcirkulerade var 1,05±0,90 g/L och 0,43±0,25 g/L i de icke-återcirkulerade. VFA-koncentrationen för PFR var i genomsnitt 0,28±0,12 g/L och 0,40 ±0,16 g/L. Graden av nedbrytning i CSTRs var 90-91%, och 63-65% i PFR. Den är möjligen felberäknad och visar en inkonsekvens mellan reaktorernas prestanda och specifik metanproduktion. / The use of municipal waste to produce renewable energy, in the form of biogas, fulfils eight of Sweden's sixteen environmental quality objectives. The most common technology to produce biogas is anaerobic digestion (AD). Two common types of AD processes are continuously stirred reactors (CSTR) and plug flow reactors (PFR). The thesis aims at directly comparing the two reactor configurations using the same substrate mix. For this, two PFRs (PFR-T and PFR-A) and three CSTRs (D1-R, D2-NR and C1-NR) were setup. All reactors were operated at the same organic loading rate (5.2 g VS/L-day), hydraulic retention time (30 days) and operational temperature (52°C). During the project, various parameters were measured to evaluate the reactor performance, such as pH, total gas volume and gas composition, FOS/TAC (organic acids/alkalinity), volatile fatty acids (VFA), ammonium-nitrogen concentration, and solid and volatile solid of digestate.   The study result was divided into two sections. Section 1 summarises the start-up period (42 days), where the CSTRs and the PFRs were operated under non-recirculation mode. The start-up period was done to ensure the stability of the reactors and was concerned with achieving a similar baseline for performance. For the start-up period, the specific methane production between D1-R and D2-NR varied by 2% while the variation between C1-NR and D2-NR was 8%. Likewise, for the ammonia concentration, the difference between D1-R and D2-NR was 2%, while C1-NR differed by 9% from D2-NR. Based on these findings, the decision was taken to exclude reactor C1-NR from the experimental period of the project.  Section 2 compares the PFR and CSTR. One CSTR was operated with 30% recirculation of digest, while the other CSTR was operated in non-recirculation mode. The two PFRs were operated with recirculation of digestate. The experiments showed that the PFRs outperformed both CSTRs regarding the specific methane production. The PFRs produced 395±93 (N)L/kg-VS and 372±42 (N)L/kg-VS. In contrast, the CSTR with recirculation reached 280±10 (N)L/kg-VS and the non-recirculated CSTR produced 250±7 (N)L/kg-VS. The NH4+-N levels for the PFRs and CSTRs showed a 1 g/L difference, with a higher value for the PFRs (2.53±0.39 g/L for PFR-A, and 2.73±0.43 g/L for PFR-T). One of the significant differences between the recirculated and the non-recirculated CSTRs was the VFA concentration. The VFA concentration in the recirculated and non-recirculated reactor was 1.05±0.90 g/L and 0.43±0.25 g/L, respectively. The VFA concentration for the two PFRs was on average 0.28±0.12 g/L and 0.40 ±0.16 g/L. The degree of degradation in the CSTRs was 90-91% compared to 63-65% in the PFRs. The degree of degradation is possibly miscalculated and shows an inconsistency between the reactor performance in terms of specific methane production.

Hydrering är en viktig process för att producera produkter med önskade egenskaper samt att uppfylla de lagliga krav som existerar med avseende på miljö och hälsa. Reaktionerna som sker vid hydreringen är katalytiska vilket innebär att förstå sam utnyttja de mest lämpliga katalysatorerna är av yttersta vikt. Avsvavling (HDS) är en av de mest studerade reaktionerna medan avaromatisering (HDA) samt borttagandet av kväve (HDN) är diskuterade samt förstådda i lägre grad. Trots det är aromatiska samt kväverika föreningar naturligt förekommande i matningar till hydreringsreaktorerna där de organiska kväveföreningarna är inhibitorer. I detta arbete är målet att tillverka samt utvärdera några hydreringskatalysatorer med fokus på deras prestanda för HDA och HDN reaktionerna. Den bästa möjliga tekniken idag för tillverkningen av hydreringskatalysatorer utnyttjar kelateringsreagens vid beredningen. Detta har visat sig ha en positiv inverkan på egenskaperna och aktivteten vid hydrering för NiMo-katalysatorer. För att undersöka detta närmare har två typer av katalysatorer tillverkats, en med kelateringsreagens (typ II) och en utan (typ I). Dessa var sedan utvärderade i dess HDA och HDN aktiveter. Katalysatorerna var tillverkade samt karaktäriserade vid KTH och sedan aktiverade via sulfidering samt utvärderade vid Nynas AB. Aktiviteten för de sulfiderade katalysatorerna var utvärderade i ett surrogatsystem bestående av fenantren (PHE) som modell för aromatiska föreningar samt karbazol (CBZ) eller akridin (ACR) som modell för icke-basiskt samt basiskt organisk-kväve. Aktivitetsutvärderingen utfördes i en porlbäddreaktor där aktiviteten undersöktes vid närvarandet samt avsaknandet av de organiska kväveföreningarna. När matningen byttes, en så kallad modeswitch, ändras aktiviteten beroende på de betingelser som undersöktes. Reaktortemperaturen varierade mellan 300 °C och 320 °C vid ett konstant systemtryck på 120 barg. Katalysatornsaktivitet var positivt korrelerad med reaktortemperaturen där en lägre aktivtetuppmättes vid 300 °C jämfört med 320 °C. Det visade sig även att båda typerna av organiskt kväve påverkade aktivteten negativt vid båda undersökta temperaturerna. Utöver det så var de basiska kväveföreningarna mer inhiberande jämfört med de icke-basiska föreningarna för båda katalysatorerna. Inhiberingen orsakad av karbazol visade sig vara helt reversibel medan akridininhiberingen antydde på mer permanenta effekter för typ II katalsatorn. Dessa resultat antyder, trots de preliminära antagandena, att typ I katalysatorn var bättre än typ II katalysatorn. / Hydrotreating processes are of high importance in helping to obtain the desired characteristics of products as well as to comply with the legislation regarding health hazards and environmental pollution. Hydrotreating reactions are catalytic reactions which imply that the understanding and utilization of the most suitable catalysts is crucial. While hydrodesulfurization is a vastly studied branch of hydrotreating, hydrodearomatization (HDA), and hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) processes are less discussed and understood. However, aromatic compounds along with nitrogen-containing inhibitors are naturally present in the hydrotreater feeds. Therefore, the aim of this study was the preparation and evaluation of hydrotreating catalysts with the main focus on HDA and HDN reactions. According to the current state of the art, the utilization of chelating agents during preparation has a positive impact on the characteristics and activity of hydrotreating catalysts therefore NiMo catalysts with (Type II) and without (Type I) a chelating agent were prepared and evaluated towards HDA and HDN reactions. The catalysts were prepared and characterized at KTH and then activated (sulfided) and evaluated at Nynas AB. The activity of the sulfided catalysts was evaluated using surrogate mixture models containing phenanthrene (PHE) as an aromatic compound, and carbazole (CBZ) or acridine (ACR). The latter ones were representing two types of nitrogen-containing inhibitors, non-basic and basic. The activity testing was carried out in a trickle-bed microreactor during three-step experiments in the presence and absence of the organic nitrogen compounds (mode switches). During the mode switches the activity of the catalysts under varying conditions was investigated. The operating temperature of the reactor varied between 300 and 320°C under constant H2 pressure of 120 barg. The catalytic activity was positively correlated with temperature with the catalysts exhibiting lower activities at 300°C than at 320°C. It is noteworthy that the activity of all the catalysts was hindered by the presence of both nitrogen compounds at all temperatures with the basic nitrogen (ACR) being more inhibitory for both catalysts. CBZ inhibition to the HDA reactions showed reversibility, while ACR had a more permanent inhibiting effect in the case of the Type II catalyst. The results indicated that despite the preliminary assumptions, the Type I catalyst outperformed the Type II.

Ozonförbehandling av avloppsvattenslam har diskuterats i litteraturen som en potentiell metod för att öka biogasproduktionen och minska slamvolymen. I detta arbete utvecklades en numerisk modell för att simulera effekten av ozonförbehandling på biogasproduktion genom anaerobrötning. Modellen bygger på en befintlig modell från litteraturen. Den antar att ozonering leder till en förbättring av hydrolyssteget samtidigt som de övriga stegen (acidogen, acetogen och metanogen) lämnas opåverkade. Modellen kan förutsäga biogasproduktionen för ett givet substrat förutsatt att den matas in i sin makromolekylära koncentration. Modellen är validerad mot fyra uppsättningar data från laboratorieexperiment rapporterade i litteraturen. Även genomförbarhetanalys och känslighetsanalys av modellen studerades. Skillnad i simulerade och experimentella data beräknades för olika ozondoser och en regressionsplot gjordes för att studera robustheten och noggrannheten hos modellen. / Ozone pretreatment of wastewater sludge has been discussed in the literature as a potential method for increasing biogas production and reducing sludge volume. In this work, a numerical model to simulate the effect of ozone pretreatment on biogas production by anaerobic digestion was developed. The model is based on an existing model from the literature. It assumes that ozonation leads to an enhancement of the hydrolysis step while leaving the other steps (acidogenic, acetogenic and methanogenic) unaffected. The model can predict the biogas production for any given substrate provided it is being inputted in its macromolecular concentration. The model is validated against four sets of data from laboratory experiments reported in the literature. Feasibility and sensitivity analysis of the model was also studied. Difference in the simulated and experimental data were calculated for different ozone dosages and a regression plot was made to study the robustness and accuracy of the model.

Support for this work from Praxair; the McMaster Advanced Control Consortium; and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Grant CRDPJ 445717, is gratefully acknowledged. / In the air separation industry, cryogenic distillation is the dominant technology for separating large quantities of air into individual high purity component products. Due to the complexity of the process, in addition to significant energy input, air separation units (ASUs) also have high degrees of material and thermal integration and low process agility. As markets become more competitive and dynamic, especially after electricity market deregulation, ASUs can no longer practice mostly stationary operations, and are in need for design and control strategies to achieve high adaptability. In this study, we address such issues through a dynamic optimization framework. The use of rigorous dynamic models is important for developing economically beneficial designs and operating practices. The first part of this study focuses on the modeling aspect. For the column section of the plant, a full-order stage-wise model and a collocation based reduced order model are proposed. Model size, simulation time and predication accuracy are compared. For the primary heat exchanger, a novel moving boundary model is derived to handle the phase change in such a multi-stream heat exchanger. Simulation results demonstrate the capability of the proposed model in tracking the boundary points of the phase change occurrence, as well as the potential pinch point, along the length of the heat exchanger. The second part of the study addresses the operation aspects of ASUs through conducting dynamic optimization studies with collocation based dynamic models. We first performed a comprehensive analysis for a storage-then-utilization strategy on a nitrogen plant, following a two-tier multi-period formulation. As the parameter varies with time, the plant collects liquid, either directly from liquid product or by liquefaction of overproduced gas product, and then redistributes it for meeting gas product demand or as additional reflux. Effects of electricity price and demand profiles, additional operation costs, as well as product specifications are explored. Then we investigated the economic incentive for employing preemptive actions on a super-staged argon system, which allows the plant to take actions before external changes arrive. In the evaluation, changes are in the gas oxygen product demand. During the preemptive period, the plant takes either a single set or multiple sets of control actions. In the demand increase case, operation degrees of freedom are introduced to or removed from the set of decision variables. The demand decrease scenarios are explored with an under-supplied or saturated liquid oxygen market. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

One of the most sustainable pathways of sewage sludge treatment in recent years has been thermal conversion. The benefits of thermal treatment of sewage sludge are the recovery of energy or valuable chemical products, the destruction of harmful organic compounds, the separation of heavy metals from the P-rich coarse ash fraction, and the decreased and sanitized ash volume. The ashes created by these thermal conversion processes of sewage sludge are often rich in P that is mostly present in minerals with low plant-availability such as apatite. Due to the enrichment of P in the created ashes, a variety of post-processing steps have been developed to recover P from sewage sludge ashes. One proven way for the sus-tainable recovery of P from such ashes is thermal post-processing with alkaline salts, e.g., Na2SO4 or K2CO3, which was able to transform less plant-available phosphates in the sewage sludge into more plant-available alkali-bearing phos-phates. Based on these results, one could facilitate creating these phosphates with enhanced plant-availability by providing the chemical potential to form them already during the thermal conversion process of sewage sludge.   This thesis aims to increase the current knowledge about the ash transformation processes of P and to suggest suitable process parameters for the alteration of the phosphate speciation in sewage sludge ashes by co-conversion with alkaline-rich agricultural residues. More specifically, the possibility of incorporating K derived from agricultural residues in phosphate structures derived from sewage sludge was evaluated with respect to the influence of the process temperature, the conver-sion atmosphere, and the fuel mixture. The studied parameters were chosen to generate knowledge relevant for fluidized bed gasification processes, with a spe-cial focus on dual fluidized bed (DFB) gasification systems. The applicability of feldspar bed materials in fluidized bed gasification systems was investigated to enable the substitution of the commonly used olivine, which often contains heavy metals (potentially contaminating recovered ashes), and quartz, which is very reactive towards fuel-derived K and potentially leads to bed material fragmentation and bed agglomeration (Paper I & II). Subsequently, the thermodynamic potential for the alteration of the P-species in sewage sludge ash during co-combustion and co-gasification processes with agricultural residues was investigated (Paper III). Thereafter, an experimental evaluation of the ash transformation chemistry in thermal conversion processes of sewage sludge with different types of alkali-rich agricultural residues in temperatures relevant for flu-idized bed technology was conducted (Paper IV & V). The methodology employed was chosen with respect to the state of technology of the specific investigated process. Paper I & II applied SEM, EDS, XRD, and thermodynamic equilibrium modeling for bed material samples derived from an industrial indirect gasifier. Paper III applied thermodynamic equilibrium calcula-tions to theoretically evaluate ash compositions resulting from co-conversion of sewage sludge and agricultural residues. Paper IV & V employed SEM, EDS, ICP-AES/MS, XRD, and thermochemical modeling on ash samples derived from single pellet lab-scale experiments. The results obtained by analysis of bed material from indirect wood gasification showed the difference in interaction mechanism for K-feldspar and Na-feldspar, most notably the enhanced disintegration of Na-feldspar by K originating from the fuel (Paper I & II). Thermodynamic models employed for fuel mixtures of sewage sludge and agricultural residues showed the thermodynamic preference for the formation of the desired alkali-bearing phosphates (Paper III). Experi-ments conducted with these fuel mixtures (Paper IV & V) supported the theo-retical findings, and the influence of temperature and process conditions could be obtained. However, practical investigations also showed that attainment of the desired ash composition is subject to significant restrictions. Derived from the elaborated results and discussions, it was possible to assess the critical process and fuel parameters for the development of up-scaled gasification processes focusing on the conversion of sewage sludge with the aim of creating improved phosphate formation in the ash. The selection of a suitable bed material in fluidized bed conversion and the transformation mechanisms defining the ash chemistry were found to be of vital importance for future applications. The pur-suit of the predefined aims in reference to P-recovery from sewage sludge has led to a multitude of suggestions for suitable process parameters that must be ad-dressed in future bench- and pilot-scale experimental runs.

Syftet med den här studien är att göra en teknoekonomisk utvärdering av processer för förvätskning av CO2 med hjälp av Aspen Plus. Ett flertal förvätskningsprocesser från tidigare studier jämfördes och från dessa valdes två förvätskningsprocesser ut för fortsatta studier och simuleringar. Dessa två förvätskningsprocesser var ett internt kylt förvätskningssystem och ett externt kylt förvätskningssystem av Øi et al., Energy Procedia 86 (2016) 500-510, som kallats system A, samt av Seo et al., International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 35 (2015) 1-12 kallat system B. Dessa två olika processer simulerades för teknisk analys med hjälp av Aspen Plus. Aspen Economical Analyzer (AEA) användes för att göra den ekonomiska analysen. I dessa simuleringar användes ett massflöde på 45 ton/h inkluderat vatteninnehåll, i jämförelse med tidigare studier med högre massflöden runt 100 ton/h. Elektricitet-och kylbehovet undersöktes i ett flertal olika fall med varierande kyltemperatur mellan kompressorerna. Två fall med integrering av fjärrvärme samt två fall med en värmepump undersöktes också med varierande återgående temperatur på fjärrvärmevattnet. Detta gjordes för att undersöka hur mycket värme som kan tillvaratas från förvätskningsprocessen. Vidare bestämdes även investeringskostnader samt driftskostnader med hjälp av AEA. Från detta bestämdes även den årliga kostnaden av kapitalet, CAPEX, och kostnaden att förvätska CO2 räknades ut i form av €/ton.  Resultaten visade att integrering av fjärrvärme samt värmepumpar är användbart för att tillvarata på så mycket värme som möjligt från förvätskningssystemen. I de fall med en värmepump samt en återgående temperatur på 47°C i fjärrvärmenätet hade ett COP på 3.07 samt 3.15 för system A samt system B vardera. Kostanden att förvätska CO2 var 17.42 €/ton för system A samt 17.75 €/ton för system B utan använding av en värmepump samt en återgående temperatur på 47°C i fjärrvärmenätet. Vid integrering av en värmepump gick kostnaden av förvätskning upp till 20.85 €/ton för system A samt 21.69 €/ton för system B. Kostnaden av förvätskning dominerades av driftskostnader med kostnaden av kapitalet har en mindre påverkan. Utnyttjandegraden har även en stor påverkan på kostanden av förvätskning, då lägre kapaciteter visade sig leda till markant högre förvätskningskostnader. När intäkterna från fjärrvärmeproduktionen adderades till kostnadskalkylen, minskade kostnaden av förvätskning, speciellt för de system med en värmepump, där priset minskade till 10.26 €/ton för system A eller 10.98 €/ton för system B. I linje med tidigare studier pekar även dessa resultat på att det ekonomiska optimumet sammanfaller med energioptimum. Resultaten visade även att system A, det internt kylda systemet, hade den lägsta förvätskningskostanden och minsta elektricitetsförbrukningen med och utan värmepump, och därför är system A optimalt för småskalig CO2 förvätskning. / The aim of this study is to do a technoeconomical analysis on CO2 liquefaction systems using Aspen Plus. Several liquefaction systems from previous studies were compared, and from these, two liquefaction systems were chosen for further studies and simulations. These liquefaction systems were namely an internal liquefaction system and an external liquefaction system by Øi et al., Energy Procedia 86 (2016) 500-510, called system A and Seo et al., International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 35 (2015) 1-12, called system B. These systems were simulated for technical analysis using Aspen Plus, and Aspen Economical Analyzer (AEA) was used for economical studies. A small-scale liquefaction system was studied with a mass flow rate of 45 tonne/h including the water content, as compared to other studies with higher mass flow rates of around 100 tonne/h. The electricity demand and cooling demand were studied in several cases of interstage cooling between compressors. Furthermore, two cases of district heating as well as two cases of heat pumps were studied with varying return temperatures of the district heating water. This was done to study how much heat could be recovered from the liquefaction process. Furthermore, the capital expenses as well as the operating expenses were also determined using AEA. From this, the annual CAPEX and the cost of CO2 was calculated in terms of €/tonne CO2.  The results showed that district heating and heat pumps can be useful to recover heat from the liquefaction processes. The simulations that included a heat pump and assumed a return temperature of 47°C had a COP of 3.07 and 3.15 for system A and B respectively. The determined cost of production was 17.42 €/tonne for system A and 17.75 €/tonne for system B when not using a heat pump and a return temperature of 47°C in the district heating grid. However, when adding a heat pump the total production cost (TPC) increased to 20.85 €/tonne for system A, and 21.69 €/tonne for system B. It was also shown that the TPC is highly dominated by the operating expenses while the total capital investment has a smaller impact on the TPC. The capacity is also important for the TPC as lower capacities was shown to lead to significantly increased production costs. When taking the revenue streams from district heating into account the TPC was decreased, in particular for the systems including the heat pumps, where the TPC for system A was 10.26 €/tonne while for system B it was 10.98 €/tonne. In accordance with previous studies it was shown that the economical optimum is closely related to the energy optimum. It was concluded that as system A, the internal liquefaction system, had the lowest TPC and electricity input with and without the heat pump and thus it is the optimal configuration for small-scale CO2 liquefaction.

Att koldioxidutsläppen neutraliseras är avgörande för att begränsa klimatförändringarna. Bioenergi i kombination med separation och lagring av koldioxid (BECCS) är en Teknik som kan generera negativa utsläpp. Det största hindret för dess storskaliga genomförande är de höga energikraven för processen. Detta projekt syftar till att kvantifiera energistraffen för lean solvent flash och modifikationer för multitrycksstrippning för att förbättra prestandan av koldioxidavskiljning (CC) i en kraftvärmeverksanläggning för förbränning av biomassa.  En jämviktsmodell utvecklades och validerades för att simulera en fullskalig CC genom kemisk absorption i Aspen Plus med kaliumkarbonat som lösningsmedel. Båda layoutändringarna resulterar i energipåföljder på 18-21 % för en kraftvärmeverk, medan energistraffet för baslinjeprocessen är 5 %. För ett kraftverk går straffen från 32 till 62 %. Detta visar hur en förbättring av processen kan minska kostnaderna för CCS, särskilt om värme anses vara en värdefull produkt. CCS i kraftvärmeverk har en mycket lägre energipåverkan än i kraftverk där värme inte återvinns. / Bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is a technology that can generate negative emissions. Hence it is recognized as a solution for becoming carbon neutral, which is essential for climate change mitigation. The main obstacle for its large scale implementation is the high energy requirements of the process. This thesis aims at quantifying the energy penalties for lean solvent flash and multi-pressure stripper layout modifications to improve the performance of carbon capture (CC) by means of absorption with a liquid solvent in a biomass-fired CHP plant. The work focuses on K2CO3 based solvents operated in a mixed temperature swing/pressure swing cycle witch is deemed advantageous for heat recovery.  An equilibrium model was developed and validated to simulate a full-scale CC by chemical absorption in Aspen Plus using potassium carbonate as solvent. Both layout modifications result in energy penalties of 18-21 % for a CHP plant, while the energy penalty for the baseline process is 28 %. For a power plant, the penalties go from 32 % to 62 % for the lean solvent flash and the multi-pressure stripper respectively. This shows how improving the process can reduce the costs of CCS, especially if heat is considered a valuable product. CCS in CHP plants has a much lower energy impact than in power plants where heat is not recovered.

Norrvatten är den fjärde största dricksvattenproducenten i Sverige. De producerar och distribuerar dricksvatten till 14 kommuner norr om Stockholm. Norrvatten har under en tid studerat alternativa processer för att optimera och öka produktionskapaciteten och effektiviteten i deras dricksvattenreningsverk vid Görvälnverket.  I detta projekt har en pilotanläggning använts för att studera och optimera ett hybridprocessteg bestående av ett koagulerings- och ultrafiltreringssteg med syfte att avlägsna humusämnen från ytvatten. Effekten av pH, reaktionstid och olika matarvattenkvaliteter (Görväln, Fyrisån och sandfiltrat) analyserades genom en serie experiment utförda med pilotanläggningen. Den mest optimala placeringen av ett eventuellt ultrafiltreringssteg i reningsprocessen studerades även.   Resultaten från experimenten påvisade att pH mellan 6.1 och 6.7 inte hade någon effekt på reningen av fDOM. Mer signifikanta skillnader i rening kunde observeras mellan de olika koaguleringsdoserna, vilket indikerar att denna parameter är viktigare än pH. Reaktionstiden hade ingen märkbar effekt på anläggningens reningseffektivitet. Däremot ökade transmembrantrycket tio gånger snabbare under experimenten med den kortare reaktionstiden. Dessa resultat antyder att de bildade flocken var mindre och därmed blev mer tätt packade i ultrafiltret vilket i sin tur lett till det snabbt ökande trycket i membranet. En avskiljning av minst 50 %, men inte mer än 60 %, av det ingående fDOM kunde uppnås med alla matarvatten utom sandfiltratet, som hade en reningseffektivitet på 18 %. Vattnet från Fyrisån visade sig vara en utmaning för anläggningen att hantera, då trycket snabbt byggdes upp i membranet vilket tyder på att anläggningen inte klarar för starkt förorenade vatten. Resultaten från sandfiltratexperimenten visade att ett ultrafiltreringssteg efter sandfiltren skulle kunna vara en möjlig placering av ultrafiltren. Ytterligare studier krävs dock för att med säkerhet kunna bestämma den mest optimala placeringen.   Sammanfattningsvis visar resultaten från experimenten lovande tecken på att en ultrafiltreringsprocess är ett möjligt alternativ för att öka Norrvattens dricksvattenreningsverks effektivitet och kapacitet. / Norrvatten is the fourth largest drinking water producer in Sweden. They produce and distribute drinking water to 14 municipalities north of Stockholm. For some time, Norrvatten has studied alternative processes in order to optimise and increase the production capacity and efficiency of their drinking water treatment plant at Görvälnverket.   In this project, a small-scale pilot plant has been used to study and optimise a coagulation and ultrafiltration hybrid process step in order to remove humic substances from surface water. The effect of pH, reaction time, and different feed water qualities (Görväln, Fyrisån and Görväln full scale sand filtrate) were analysed through a series of experiments performed with the pilot plant. The most optimal placement of an eventual ultrafiltration step was also studied.  The results from the experiments suggested that pH in the range 6.1 to 6.7 had no large effect on the removal efficiency of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM). Instead, differences in removal efficiency could be observed between coagulant dosages which indicates that this parameter is of more importance than pH. At higher pH (> 7) removal was significantly lower. The reaction time had no effect on the removal efficiency of the plant. However, the transmembrane pressure increased ten times faster during the experiments with a shorter reaction time. These results suggested that the floc formed were smaller and thereby more tightly packed in the ultrafilter which in turn increased the pressure in the membrane. An fDOM removal of at least 50 %, though no more than 60 %, was achieved with all feed waters except for the sand filtrate which had a removal efficiency of 18 %. However, highly concentrated humic waters such as Fyrisån proved to be challenging for the plant to handle since the pressure built up rather quickly in the membrane. The sand filtrate feed water experiments indicated that an ultrafiltration step after a sand filtration process would be effective. However, further studies are required to be able to determine the most optimal placement of the ultrafiltration process.  In conclusion, the results achieved with the pilot plant show promising signs of an ultrafiltration process being a viable alternative for Norrvatten to increase their drinking water treatment plant’s efficiency and capacity.

CO2 capture and storage (CCS) is estimated to reduce 14% of the global CO2 emissions in the 2 °C scenario presented by the International Energy Agency. Moreover, post combustion capture is identified as a potential method for CO2 capture from industry since it can be easily retrofitted without disturbing the core industrial process. Among the post-combustion capture methods, absorption using mono-ethanol amine (MEA) is the most mature technology that has been demonstrated at plant scale. However, using chilled ammonia process as a post combustion capture technology in a cement industry can reduce 47% energy penalty for CO2 capture when compared to the conventional MEA absorption method.  Hence, the current project aims at analyzing the chilled ammonia process when integrated with steel and ammonia plants. Key performance indicator like specific primary energy consumption per kilogram of CO2 avoided (SPECCA) is estimated and compared with MEA absorption method. Firstly, chilled ammonia process (CAP) for cement plant was used as reference case. Then, CAP for steel and ammonia processes was optimized by the means of the decision variables affecting the capture and energy efficiency. The energy consumption per kg CO2 captured and SPECCA was lower for the higher CO2 concentration in the flue gas. Results for SPECCA were 3,56, 3,52 and 3,61 MJ/kg CO2 for cement, steel, and ammonia plants, respectively.