METHANE STEAM REFORMING AND METALLIC MEMBRANES TO CAPTURE CARBON DIOXIDE IN GAS TURBINE POWER PLANTS

Pre-combustion CO2 capture is regarded as a promising option to manage greenhouse gas emissions from power generation sector. In this regard, metallic membranes can provide a significant boost in power plants energy performances, due to their infinite hydrogen perm-selectivity and their ability to operate at high pressure and temperature. However, the properly integration of these devices still requires a deep investigation of power plant behavior, in order to detect the mutual interaction between system components, which may impose constraints on their operating conditions. This paper aims to investigate a chemically recuperated gas turbine (CRGT) with pre-combustion CO2 recovery based on hydrogen separation through a metallic membrane. At first, the steam reforming and membrane separation processes are investigated, in order to assess their sensitivity to the variation of the main operating parameters. Then, the CRGT power plant with CO2 capture is analyzed, highlighting the effect of system components interaction on energy and environmental performances. In addition, the study accomplishes a preliminary investigation of the system capability to produce an excess of hydrogen to be used as an energy carrier.