Flow measurement for CCUS applications

Abstract

The capture and utilization of CO₂ gas are high on the global climate agenda today. Due to the fact that these projects are associated with high costs, today all over the world the practical implementation of such projects is carried out with the participation of states in the form of direct or indirect subsidies. This feature is inextricably linked to the need to quantify the CO₂ flux in all process operations of projects. To this end, the paper defines the parameters for CO₂ flux quantification, which is carried out by means of flow meters whose error is at the level of ±0.1% to ±0.5% and ±1% to ±4% for fiscal accounting and for operational accounting respectively. The most compliant flowmeters are those based on acoustic methods and on the Coriolis effect, as well as those incorporating differential pressure methods (namely the Venturi principle). In the presence of water in the CO₂ flow an acidic environment is formed, which aggressively affects the process equipment and leads to intercrystalline corrosion of metals and alloys, and therefore it is important to control the moisture content, which can be realized with the help of flow meters based on microwave methods. It is also possible to use cross-correlation algorithms to increase the sensitivity of the methods. In cases where it is impossible to provide a moisture free environment, corrosion resistant materials such as carbon-manganese, titanium alloys, austenitic stainless steels, technical ceramic materials, etc., should be used.