The use of 3D printed structured packing for the optimization of aqueous-amine based carbon capture in packed absorption columns is examined in this paper. An experimental testing system has been set up, and initial comparisons were made between metal, plastic, and 3D printed 16-inch packing elements and between three 8-inch 3D printed elements of different densities. Pressure drop measurements were obtained at various air flowrates under dry conditions. Measurements were also taken for a wet system by adding water at six different liquid flowrates. In each case, theoretical calculations for pressure drop were performed based on a model presented in the literature. It was found that, for the 16-inch dry column, the model slightly overpredicts the pressure drop. The model provides an accurate prediction for the dry 8-inch experimental data, especially for the two least dense packing elements. For the wet system, the model overpredicts the pressure drop, likely due to modeling deficiencies when the column reaches its loading limit. These results provide sufficient confidence to move forward with testing and process intensification of the CO₂ capture process.

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) can sequester atmospheric CO₂, while producing electricity. The CO₂ avoidance cost (CAC) is used to calculate the marginal cost of avoided CO₂ emissions for BECCS as compared to other established energy technologies. A comparative analysis using four different reference-case power plants for CAC calculations is performed here to evaluate the CO₂ avoidance cost of BECCS implementation. Results from this work demonstrate that BECCS can generate electricity at costs competitive with other neutral emissions technologies, while simultaneously removing CO₂ from the atmosphere. Approximately 73% of current coal power plants are approaching retirement by the year 2035 in the U.S. After considering CO₂ sequestered from the atmosphere and coal power plant CO₂ emissions displaced by BECCS, CO₂ emissions can be reduced by 1.4 billion tonnes per year in the U.S. alone at a cost of $88 to $116 per tonne of CO₂ removed from the atmosphere, for 10% to 90% of available biomass used, respectively. CAC calculations in this paper indicate that BECCS can help the U.S. and other countries transition to a decarbonized electricity grid, as simulations presented in this paper predict that BECCS power plants operate at lower CACs than coal plants with CCS.