M.Sc. thesis 30 hp: Mobile Carbon Capture with Alternative Solvents

Scania is one of the leading European manufacturers of heavy-duty vehicles. The 2023 global sales were 91'700 trucks, 13'900 engines and 5'100 buses, with 40 % of the total outside Europe. When it comes to global warming, we already contribute to the necessary reduction of fossil CO2 emissions with a portfolio of solutions for electrification, biofuels and hydrogen fuel, to serve different customer needs in different sales regions.

Background:

Mobile Carbon Capture (MCC) means the separation of the CO2 emissions from the engine exhaust of a ship, locomotive or road vehicle, for disposal or further usage. For heavy mobile applications, MCC enables the usage of energy-dense hydrocarbon fuels at clearly less tailpipe CO2. Options in the future CO2 economy are to (i) operate as transitional solution with fossil fuels and safe geologic carbon sequestration (ii) go carbon-negative with biofuels and carbon sequestration, and enter the business of carbon offsetting e. g. for airlines (iii) establish a closed carbon cycle for synthetic fuels, for which the feedstocks are CO2 and renewable, nuclear or natural hydrogen.

In Europe and worldwide, the CO2 taxes for stationary emitters will increase further, thus Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is already or will be cheaper than paying the CO2 taxes. Hence the roll-out of infrastructure for CO2 transport will continue by market forces, and it is possible to use this infrastructure also for CO2 from mobile emitters.

CO2 has favourable properties for gas transport, e. g. at +15 °C and 51 bar it is liquid with a density of 0.82 kg/litre. In comparison to the fuel gases methane and hydrogen, the handling, storage and transport of CO2 is simpler, safer and cheaper. The principle of mobile pressurised combi-tanks for "fuel outwards" and "CO2 backwards" gives additional on-board storage space and reduces the dead mileage with tank-trailers.

In this M.Sc. thesis project for one student, MCC with alternative solvents shall be investigated. During a preceding thesis project it was found that MCC with the aqueous standard solvent 30 wt-% monoethanolamine (MEA) would lead to a high consumption penalty, because the CO2-rich solvent is regenerated at 120 °C. Hence the engine coolant heat at 95 °C and the exhaust heat below 130 °C are not available as heat source. In addition, for the limited absorber volume behind the sleeper cabs of European road tractors, the standard solvent would lead at high exhaust flows to an insufficient capture rate.

Thus the task is to elaborate on solvents which regenerate at temperatures around 90 °C and offer high CO2 mass transfer rates during absorption. Promising candidates are e. g. (i) lipophilic amines (ii) blends of mono-/di-/tri-ethanolamines (iii) blends with piperazine (iv) methanol. The target is to supply the complete regeneration heat with the waste heat from exhaust and coolant and to reach high CO2 capture rates.

Generic, non-sensitive and plausible data on exhaust streams and waste heat from truck engines will be provided, that all results can be published.

Target:

The outcome shall be a public English thesis on alternative solvents which fulfil the criteria described above, where the focus will be on MCC for European road tractors. The thesis shall also serve as report for Traton, thus for the companies International, MAN, and Scania.

Assignment:

Literature research on solvents for carbon capture, which enable regeneration temperatures around 90 °C and high CO2 mass transfer rates during absorption.

For each solvent, calculation of (i) the values for regeneration temperature [°C] and regeneration heat [MJ-th / kg-CO2,extracted] (ii) the possible CO2 capture rates in the limited absorber volume behind the sleeper cabs of European road tractors (iii) solvent degradation; For the exhaust from typical diesel and methane engines.

Check for plausibility of the results by comparison with literature values.

Comparison with the available results from an Aspen simulation with 30 wt-% MEA.

Cooperation with thesis workers who also investigate solvent-based MCC.

Presenting and reporting of the intermediate and final results.

Education & organisation:

Studies: Chemical engineering; Chemistry; Physics

Is a must: Good knowledge of separation processes, heat and mass transfer.

Is a bonus: Knowledge of Aspen Plus or similar tools; Economic interest

Number of students: One

Start of work: 2025-02-03

Estimated duration: 22 weeks, until 2025-07-04. In average min. 2 office-days per week

Language of work: English & Swedish

Location of work: Södertälje, Stockholm county, Sweden

Students from outside Greater Stockholm can rent a subsidized Scania apartment in Södertälje.

Payment before taxes: 20'000 SEK at the start, 20'000 SEK after the final report was approved by Scania.

Contact persons and supervisors:

Dr. Antonius Kies, Property Management / Range. Tel. 0046 8 553 - 724 24

Dr. Henrik Birgersson, Emission Solutions. Tel. 0046 8 553 - 527 37

Dr. Henrik Hittig, Propulsion System Chemistry. Tel. 0046 8 553 - 805 27

Application:

Please enclose personal letter, CV and the list of grades from the latest M.Sc. studies.

The applications will be checked continuously.

A background check and security interview will be conducted for this position.

Publication date of this job ad

Until the position is staffed or latest until 2024-11-24