Abstract:
A cryogenic method for capturing carbon dioxide in the gaseous emissions produced from the fossil-energy combustion of solid, liquid, or gaseous fossil fuels in a power generation installation (12) employing an OxyFuel mode of combustion. The method includes: producing essentially pure carbon dioxide under elevated pressure and at near ambient temperatures in a Carbon-Dioxide Capture Component (10) from the carbon-dioxide content of at least a part of the gaseous emissions produced from fossil-energy fueled combustion in the Oxyfuel mode of combustion; separating atmospheric air in an Air Separation Component (12) into a stream of liquid nitrogen and a stream of high-purity oxygen; supplying low temperature, compressed purified air to a cryogenic air separation unit (cold box) (302) within the Air Separation Component; collecting low temperature thermal energy from coolers employed within the Carbon-Dioxide Capture Component and the Air Separation Component; and converting the collected thermal energy to electricity within a Thermal-Energy Conversion Component (14).