Description
The CCSphase project intends to improve description of properties and understanding the behaviour of fluid systems relevant in the carbon capture and storage (CCS). Outcomes of CCSphase will support development of technical solutions to minimize a detrimental anthropogenic climate change. The project aim is to fill knowledge gaps in the phase equilibria and transient phase behaviour of the CCS-relevant mixtures. The project outcome is the description of selected CCS systems, i.e., CO2 mixtures with N2, H2, and H2O, based both on the experimental work and the mathematical modeling. The Norwegian partner (SINTEF ER) will perform accurate measurement of phase equilibria. A highly instrumented expansion chamber will be developed by the Czech partner (IT AS CR) for investigation of the transient processes. Both partners will work in close synergy on the project. New data will be used to verify current phase equilibria models and modify nucleation theory applied on CCS systems.
Summary of project results
In order to realize large scale carbon capture and storage (CCS), improved understanding of the behaviour of the fluids involved is required. The CCSphase project aimed to fill knowledge gaps with regards to phase equilibria and transient phase behaviour for fluid mixtures relevant for CCS. The project included both experimental work and modelling to improve the prediction of phase behaviour. At SINTEF Energy Research (SINTEF ER), accurate phase equilibrium data for mixtures of CO2 with Ar and CO have been measured. At Institute of Thermomechanics of the CAS, v. v. i. (IT CAS), transient behaviour of systems relevant for CCS has been studied. Both SINTEF ER and IT CAS developed models for transient and equilibrium phase behaviour of CO2 rich mixtures, primarily related to sophisticated equations of state and thermodynamic models based on simplified assumptions for the microstructure, in particular for gas hydrates and nuclei of new phases in phase transition processes. The results have been published in renowned scientific journals and presented at international conferences. Several meetings and short-term visits enabled an exchange of experimental skils, theoretical understanding and application aspects of the problems involved, and promoted further collaboration. At IT CAS, CCSphase opened a new topic of CCS-related research. Follow-up projects with international participation are being prepared by both partners. Two Ph.D. students and two postdoctoral researchers has been educated; three female researchers participated in the project. In addition, the project has engaged a female summer student worker and a female internship student. The experimental data and theoretical results obtained in the project contribute to the knowledge base enabling CCS as a part of the solution for the avoidance of detrimental anthropogenic climate change.
Summary of bilateral results
The project enabled collaboration of two teams with different professional background and different character of the institutions. While for SINTEF ER the topic of CCS is an important area of research with emerging applications, at IT CAS the project enabled to enter this field providing numerous challenges for research and poteantially leading to applications with a great socio-ecomomic impact on the global scale. Besides of the synergic effect of scientific collaboration, IT CAS benefited from the extensive experience of SINTEF ER in the CCS-related research. The parnership greatly facilitated achieving the project outputs. SINTEF ER contributed by excellent research in the field of phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties and provided this knowledge to IT CAS. The CCSphase project resulted in several outcomes. Firstly, the project established an international scientific cooperation between the Czech Republic and Norway, especially between IT CAS and SINTEF ER. International collaboration between research institutions is an important measure to speed up the scientific progress and hence overcome the global environmental challenges today. Further outcome is the recruitment of scientific personnel to the field of CCS research. Two PhD students and two postdoctoral researchers have been educated. Summer school students have participated. The team involved two female researchers. The long-term application of the project outcomes consists primarily in contributing to the development of an efficient and safe large scale CCS technology. The experimental data acquired and the models that are developed in this project will aid the energy, petroleum, and chemical engineering industry in their design of process equipment and components for CCS. These outcomes have been reached to an extent corresponding to the expectations expressed in the project proposal.