Simulação computacional de processos de redução das emissões de CO2 de termoelétricas através da biofixação por microalgas

Abstract

CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere by anthropogenic activity are considered the largest causative agent of climate change. Worldwide, power plants are the largest stationary sources of CO2 emissions. According to some forecasts, by 2100, the climatic effects can become irreversible with disastrous consequences for all ecosystems on the planet. Thus, it is essential to research ways of fixing CO2 by capture and storage through natural carbon recycling processes. The integration of CO2 emitting processes and processes using CO2 as a feedstock can be implemented within the principle of Industrial Ecology. According to this concept, the residue of an industry is used as raw material to another unit, so that the environmental impact of the expanded system is minimized. The aim of this study was to conduct a technical and economic evaluation of the potential for technological pathways for recycling CO2 in natural gas fired power plants by microalgae fixation. For this purpose, two routes of CO2 were analyzed each one in two different scenarios (R1C1 , R1C2 , R2C1 and R2C2). The first route is related to the context of power generation by NGCC technology or chemical production, while the second route aims at the production of bio-hydrogen. The evaluation was carried out by computer simulation using the chemical plants simulator AspenHysys. Route R1C1, studied the direct use of natural gas for the production of synthesis gas by steam reforming process. Route R1C2 analyzed the contribution of algal biomass through gasification process for generating synthesis gas to be used to increase the efficiency of power generation. The results obtained with the route R1C1 showed a positive technical evaluation, with yields around 80 %, but the unfavorable environmental aspect associated and a small additional power generation (3.8 %). The route presented R2C1 showed unsatisfactory yields (around 64 %) and an unfavorable environmental assessment . The route R2C2 showed satisfactory yields ( around 76 %), no CO2 emissions as well as generating a byproduct of great commercial interest, carbon. The prelimiar economic evaluation performed for this route was made taking into account three different scenarios: no recycling of UASB reactor effluents for the microalgae cultivation and the addition of carbon credits to revenue from the sale of products. The first two scenarios were shown to be economically unfavorable, but the third scenario showed the possibility of economic viability of the process, with a time of return to capital invested in around five years. It can be concluded that the process of biohydrogen production from renewable sources, according to the proposed route R2C2, by the use of microalgae as a mechanism biofixação CO2 emissions from gas-fired power plants may be technically and economically possible. Finally it can be seen that the Brazilian Northeast has suitable climatic conditions for the deployment of such technology.