A compact and easy-to-use mass spectrometer for online monitoring of amines in the flue gas of a post-combustion carbon capture plant. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhu, Liang; Mikoviny, Tomáš; Kolstad Morken, Anne; Tan, Wen; Wisthaler, Armin
• Is Part Of: International journal of greenhouse gas control. Volume 78(2018)
• Page Start: 349
• Page End: 353
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Carbon capture -- Amines -- Emission monitoring -- Technology Centre Mongstad -- Mass spectrometry -- PTR-MS; Greenhouse gases -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Air -- Purification -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Gaz à effet de serre -- Périodiques; Gaz à effet de serre -- Réduction -- Périodiques; Air -- Purification -- Technological innovations; Greenhouse gases -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; 363.73874605
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2018.09.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-5836

Abstract

Highlights: Amine emissions were monitored in real time with a PTR-MS instrument. The PTR-MS analyzer was operated with ammonia as the source gas (NH3 mode). The instrument is suitable for an industrial application (compact, easy-to-use, low maintenance). Abstract: We herein report on the adaptation and deployment of a compact and easy-to-use mass spectrometer for online monitoring of amines in industrial flue gas at ppb to ppm levels. The use of ammonia as a source gas in proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) greatly simplifies the detection of amines, making it possible to use a low-end commercial instrument version (PTR-QMS 300) for the measurements. We characterized the analytical performance of the instrument (sensitivity, limit of detection, precision, matrix effects) for nine solvent amines (monoethanolamine, dimethylaminoethanol, aminomethylpropanol, methyldiethanolamine, diglycolamine, piperazine, aminoethylpiperazine, methylpiperazine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine) and three degradation amines (methylamine, dimethylamine, trimethylamine). The new analyzer was tested and validated in side-by-side measurements with established emission monitoring techniques at the Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) in Norway. After validation, the instrument was permanently installed on top of the absorber tower to deliver real-time amine emission data to the plant information management system.