Process Development and Techno-Economic Analysis for Combined and Separated CO2 Capture-Electrochemical Utilization

Combining CO₂ capture and utilization into a single unit operation offers a feasible solution for converting a sustainable feedstock into marketable commodity chemicals, while reducing energy requirements from separated processes. In this research, we developed a process model and performed a techno-economic analysis (TEA) for point-source CO₂ capture and electrochemical-based utilization in light olefins production under both separated and integrated scenarios. CO₂ containing flue gas from a 500 MW power plant was utilized as a feed while CO₂ utilization involved electrochemical reduction reactions to produce light olefins directly from CO₂. A meticulous analysis was conducted, probing into the multifaceted impacts of various operating parameters, material properties, and downstream treatment units. Factors such as pressure, temperature, H₂O/CO₂ molar ratio, catalyst and adsorbent activities, deactivation rate, and heat integration were optimized to achieve 95 % CO₂ recovery and > 90 % conversion, and > 85 % ethylene yield. Through a comprehensive TEA, our findings unveiled that the combined process utilizing bifunctional adsorbent/catalyst materials (BFMs) incurs costs of approximately $284/ton CO₂, whereas the separated process reported expenses of ∼$516/ton CO₂. This study, pivotal in its contributions, evaluated economic feasibility of combined capture-conversion method based on BFMs for CO₂ removal and subsequent utilization via a promising advanced process model for sustainable feedstocks conversion to commodity chemicals.