Techno-economic analysis of CO2 capture for the combustion of a turkish lignite in a circulating fluidized bed combustor

In this thesis, a techno-economic analysis of Turkish lignite combustion and carbon dioxide (CO2) capture in circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustion systems is conducted, with a case study on the Çan Thermal Power Plant in Türkiye. The study evaluates three distinct scenarios: a base scenario (conventional CFB system), integration of oxy-fuel combustion technology, and the addition of Ca-looping carbon capture technology to the CFB system. For each scenario, energy efficiency, CO2 emission levels, fuel consumption, electricity generation costs, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), CO2 capture and avoidance costs, payback period, and net present value (NPV) are assessed. The analysis emphasizes the environmental importance of carbon capture technologies and presents a comparative evaluation of economically feasible solutions. Utilizing the specific calorific value and composition of Çan lignite and the average annual operating parameters of the plant, original technical assessments were performed. According to the analysis results, in the base scenario where carbon capture is not applied, CO2 emissions reach 3.1 Mt/year and the energy efficiency is the highest at 42%. In the oxy-fuel combustion scenario, although emissions are significantly reduced to around 0.3 Mt/year, the energy efficiency drops to the 34–35% range due to the oxygen production processes, leading to increased costs. In the Ca-looping scenario, energy efficiency falls within the 35–37% range, with emissions also at approximately 0.3 Mt/year. With its high carbon capture rate and relatively lower investment and operating costs, the Ca-looping scenario stands out as the most balanced solution.