Facts:

The Prototype Carbon Capture Unit was built by Aker Clean Carbon in Verdal (Norway). Completed on September 15, 2008, it was then transported to Risavika (Stavanger, Norway) for a 137 day test programme on a Natural Gas plant. This test period at Risavika has already brought about discoveries that could not be demonstrated in a lab. The prime objective for the Mobile Test Unit is to provide operational data from reliable field tests.

From the beginning of 2009 till the end of 2010 the MTU was stationed at Longannet in Fife, Scotland. During the winter of 2010/11 the MTU was moved to Wilsonville, Alabama to be part of the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) run by Southern Comapnay and sponsored by the US Departement of Energy (DOE). 

The test unit uses Aker Clean Carbon's own patended amin solvents, and is constructed to be able to capture CO2 from different industrial flue gases (incl both coal and gas) and is equipped with advanced monitoring systems. The facility will verify new design features and solvents, and operate in an industrial environment during long-term testing.

The tests will focus on two key areas:

   1. Energy efficiency – how much heat is required to break the bond between the CO2 and the amine.
   2. Amine degradation – how long the capture chemical can keep capturing the CO2 effectively.

The Holy Grail is to find the amine that is long lasting (can be used to capture CO2 again and again over a long period of time) but that breaks away from the CO2 it has captured, with the lowest amount of heat.

The facility is designed for easy transport and hook-up, which means it can be transported to different sites. 

http://www.akercleancarbon.com/section.cfm?path=418,458

http://www.risavikagas.com/rg/public/openIndex?ARTICLE_ID=101

Main contact person:

• Ivar Simensen, (Aker Clean Carbon, Communications officer )