{"id":6536,"date":"2025-01-09T14:08:21","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T14:08:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/?p=6536"},"modified":"2025-07-04T10:33:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T10:33:00","slug":"understanding-solvent-degradation-in-co%e2%82%82-capture-cesar1-solvent-degradation-in-pilot-and-laboratory-scale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/2025\/01\/09\/understanding-solvent-degradation-in-co%e2%82%82-capture-cesar1-solvent-degradation-in-pilot-and-laboratory-scale\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Solvent Degradation in CO\u2082 Capture – CESAR1 Solvent Degradation in Pilot and Laboratory Scale"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#FFFFFF” width=”100%” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.25.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.3″ _module_preset=”default” width=”95%” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

The fight against climate change requires innovative solutions, and one promising method is CO\u2082 capture and storage (CCS). CCS involves capturing carbon dioxide from industrial emissions before it reaches the atmosphere. At the heart of this process are specialized chemical solvents, such as CESAR1, which absorb CO\u2082 from flue gases.<\/h4>\n

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While CESAR1 has shown great promise for CO\u2082 capture, scientists are still working to understand how it behaves under tough industrial conditions during long-term operation. This includes studying a phenomenon called <\/span>solvent degradation<\/span><\/b>\u2014the breakdown of the solvent over time. A recent study by SINTEF, coordinator of the AURORA project, in collaboration with NTNU and TCM sheds light on this process.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.2139\/ssrn.5051951 ” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Read The Full Publication” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0rem||2rem||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_padding=”1px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

What is CESAR1?<\/h4>\n

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CESAR1 is a blend of two amines (a type of chemical compound):<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. 2-amino-2-methyl-propanol (AMP)<\/li>\n
  2. Piperazine (PZ)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    These compounds work together to absorb CO\u2082 efficiently while being more stable than older solvents like ethanolamine (MEA).<\/p>\n

    However, even CESAR1 can degrade when exposed to heat, oxygen, and other reactive chemicals found in industrial flue gases. Understanding this degradation is crucial for improving the solvent\u2019s efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and minimizing costs.<\/p>\n

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    What Did the Study Explore?<\/h4>\n

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    Scientists analyzed CESAR1 samples that had been used in a pilot CO\u2082 capture plant. They aimed to identify the byproducts of degradation, understand their chemical structure, and pinpoint how they form.<\/p>\n

    Using advanced analytical techniques, researchers identified 35 different degradation compounds in the CESAR1 samples. Among these, 12 compounds were completely new discoveries, never previously linked to CESAR1 or its components, AMP and PZ.<\/p>\n

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    Key Findings<\/h4>\n

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      \n
    1. Nitrogen Tracking:\n
        \n
      • CESAR1 contains nitrogen, a critical element in its chemical structure. The researchers analyzed nitrogen levels in the original solvent and its degradation byproducts. By quantifying nitrogen in known and identified degradation products, they accounted for 99% of the nitrogen from the degraded solvent. This high recovery rate highlights the effectiveness of their methodology and helps ensure that no significant or abundant degradation compounds are overlooked\u2014an important step forward.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • New Degradation Compounds:\n
          \n
        • Two newly discovered compounds, HMeGly and AEAAC, were found in significant amounts. These compounds form during degradation, but their exact formation mechanisms remain a mystery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Better Insights into Reactions:\n
            \n
          • The study compared real-world CESAR1 samples from a pilot plant to laboratory experiments. This helped to understand if the compounds are primarily formed due to high regeneration temperatures of the presence of oxygen and from which amines they originate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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            Why does this matter?<\/h4>\n

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            Degradation can reduce a solvent\u2019s efficiency, increase costs, and even pose safety risks. For example:<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Efficiency: Degradation products can interfere with the solvent\u2019s ability to absorb CO\u2082.<\/li>\n
            • Increased operational costs: Degradation causes the need to replace degraded solvents and may increase the need for equipment maintenance.<\/li>\n
            • \u2022 Safety risks: Some degradation compounds can be volatile or create safety concerns, requiring additional emission mitigation technologies to ensure that degradation compounds are not emitted into the atmosphere or cause any safety risks. These additional process units will increase the complexity of the process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              By identifying and quantifying degradation compounds, this research provides crucial insights that help us operate the process as safely and cost-efficiently as possible, ensuring the continued viability of CO\u2082 capture technologies.<\/p>\n

              [\/et_pb_text][dsm_button button_one_text=”Read The Abstract” button_one_url=”https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GHGT-17-CESAR1-degradation.pdf” button_one_url_new_window=”on” button_two_text=”Read The Full Publication” button_two_url=”https:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.2139\/ssrn.5051951 ” button_two_url_new_window=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button_one=”on” custom_button_two=”on” custom_margin=”|||1.5rem|false|false” custom_padding=”1rem||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/dsm_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

              The Authors<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

                \n
              • SINTEF Industry, NO-7465 Trondheim, Norway: Vanja Buvik, Andreas Grimstvedt, Kai Vernstad, Merete Wiig;<\/li>\n
              • Department of Chemical Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), N-7497- Trondheim, Norway: Hanna K. Knuutila;<\/li>\n
              • Technology Centre Mongstad, NO-5954 Mongstad, Norway: Muhammad Zeeshan, Sundus Akhter, Karen K. H\u00f8is\u00e6ter, Fred Rugenyi, Matthew
                Campbell.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”2rem||2rem||true|false” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_2_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_4_text_color=”#FFFFFF” width=”100%” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

                What’s next?<\/h2>\n

                [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” width=”95%” module_alignment=”right” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

                This study is a big step forward, but there\u2019s still more to learn. Researchers will continue exploring how CESAR1 breaks down and how to minimize degradation. This knowledge is vital as we scale up CCS technologies to combat climate change.<\/p>\n

                The AURORA project and its partners are committed to advancing the science behind CCS and contributing to a cleaner, greener future.<\/p>\n

                [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9saW5rX3VybF9wYWdlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsicG9zdF9pZCI6IjQwMjIifX0=@” button_text=”See Our Results” button_alignment=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _dynamic_attributes=”button_url” _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.26.1″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#FFFFFF” width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.25.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_nav in_same_term=”on” prev_text=”Previous Publication” next_text=”Next Publication” _builder_version=”4.27.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_nav][dsm_blog_carousel include_categories=”6″ thumbnail_img_type=”cover” use_author=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/dsm_blog_carousel][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                The fight against climate change requires innovative solutions, and one promising method is CO\u2082 capture and storage (CCS). CCS involves capturing carbon dioxide from industrial emissions before it reaches the atmosphere. At the heart of this process are specialized chemical solvents, such as CESAR1, which absorb CO\u2082 from flue gases.While CESAR1 has shown great promise for CO\u2082 capture, scientists are still working to understand how it behaves under tough industrial conditions during long-term operation. This includes studying a phenomenon called solvent degradation\u2014the breakdown of the solvent over time. A recent study by SINTEF, coordinator of the AURORA project, in collaboration with NTNU and TCM sheds light on this process.\u00a0What is CESAR1?CESAR1 is a blend of two amines (a type of chemical compound): 2-amino-2-methyl-propanol (AMP) Piperazine (PZ) These compounds work together to absorb CO\u2082 efficiently while being more stable than older solvents like ethanolamine (MEA). However, even CESAR1 can degrade when exposed to heat, oxygen, and other reactive chemicals found in industrial flue gases. Understanding this degradation is crucial for improving the solvent\u2019s efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and minimizing costs.What Did the Study Explore?Scientists analyzed CESAR1 samples that had been used in a pilot CO\u2082 capture plant. They aimed to identify […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6549,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-journal-publication"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6536","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6536"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6536\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6755,"href":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6536\/revisions\/6755"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6536"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6536"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aurora-heu.eu\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}