Capture, Sampling and Analysis of Biogenic CO2 Streams for Methanol Synthesis

The shipping sector is responsible for a considerable share of global CO2 emissions and is under pressure to reduce emissions and adopt carbon-neutral fuels. Among the proposed alternatives, methanol produced from green hydrogen and biogenic CO2 represents a promising option. However, the feasibility of its production is significantly influenced by the composition and variability of the bio-CO2 feedstock, which can negatively impact the complete value chain. To address these challenges, sampling campaigns were carried out at actual bio-CO2-emitting sites, namely biogas and biomass combustion facilities, to characterize the impurity profiles and determine the appropriate conditioning requirements. A novel membrane gas absorption system with a Diethanolamine solution was deployed directly in the field to capture, as well as purify to a certain extent, the CO2 stream. The system demonstrated high efficiency in removing most impurities, achieving high CO2 capture rates and impurity reduction close to 90%. However, residual chlorine species were detected in the CO2 streams from biogas plants, suggesting the need for additional conditioning to meet the purity specifications required for methanol synthesis. Given that the feedstock composition and upstream process conditions could significantly affect the final output and present considerable variations, the implementation of additional cleaning measures is recommended before synthesis.