Scrubbing with Amine

Onboard Carbon Capture

To facilitate ship owners’ eventual transition to renewable fuels and sources of energy, solutions for CO₂ capture are needed in the short term. Post-combustion chemical absorption is one of the most promising alternatives nowadays and amine-based scrubbers are among the most proven and mature. This technology, based on amine chemical absorption, is conceived for CCS in marine onboard application with the main goal of reducing the dimensions and complexity of the system. Considering the power consumption, another particular focus is the process optimization, using the thermal energy available on board.

The amine liquid solution is used as reagent in the CO₂ -scrubber to reversibly absorb carbon dioxide from the exhaust gas. CO₂-rich amine solution is subsequently regenerated by means of the combined action of vacuum and heat in a dedicated stage of the plant and then re-used in the main scrubber. The desorbed CO₂ is liquefied and temporarily stored on board in cryogenic tanks before disposal in port.

Amine thermal regeneration represents the main operating cost associated with amine scrubbing. The solution that Ecospray is using is thin-film regeneration, which allows for the removal of CO₂ from the amine solution at lower temperatures thanks to the optimum combination of temperature, vacuum and low quantity of steam injection. This represents an important saving, because this heat can be recovered by the engine cooling system without burning additional fuel.

CO₂ Capture for industrial applications

Decarbonization is a key goal across industries, and Ecospray’s CO₂ capture technology offers an effective solution for treating various industrial flue gases. Based on chemical absorption with amines, the system is compact, energy-efficient, and utilizes available waste heat, making it ideal even for low CO₂ concentration streams (<5%).

Ecospray’s systems are custom-engineered for specific applications and designed to help meet emission targets, including the 2030 goal of <100 gCO₂/kWh for 1–8 MW CHP systems.

Key Features:

Compact & Modular: Skid or container design (40–45 ft), horizontal or vertical layout, easily transportable and installable.
Efficient: Reduced energy use compared to conventional systems, with longer amine life due to low-temperature regeneration.
Flexible: Handles partial flows down to 50% and customizable CO₂ capture ratios.
Safe: Operates at low temperatures, minimizing risk to operators; suitable for both classified and safe areas.
Complete: Fully equipped containers with insulation, HVAC, lighting, and ventilation.
Unmanned: Remote monitoring and control via web access, with data logging and alarm management through HMI/OPC interface.