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Decarbonization challenges and opportunities of power sector in Uzbekistan: A simulation of Turakurgan natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant with exhaust gas recirculation
* 1, 2 , 1, 2 , 3 , 4 , 1
1  Department of Chemical and Biomoleculer Engineering, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain
2  Department of IT, Automation, and Control, Tashkent Chemical-Technological Institute, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
3  Department of Engineering Technologies, Shahrisabz Branch of Tashkent Chemical-Technological Institute, Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan
4  Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
Academic Editor: Ratnak Sok

Abstract:

Natural gas dependency on power generation in Uzbekistan is high, with more than 85% of electricity production coming from natural gas. Hence, natural gas-fired power plants constitute the largest proportion of greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon capture, storage, and utilization (CCSU) plays an essential role in reaching Uzbekistan’s reduction targets for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In this study, one (450 MW) of the two identical blocks of a 900 MW Turakurgan natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant (NGCCPP) located in the Fergana valley in Uzbekistan is simulated using Aspen Plus® commercial software and validated with its open access project data prior to the evaluation of end-of-pipe CCSU unit integration. An optimal value of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is identified in order to further increase the CO2 content in the flue gas while reducing the flue gas flow rate. In addition, according to the simulation results, around 2.4 Mt of annual CO2 emissions can be avoided when the capture plant is set at a 90% CO2 capture rate. Apart from that, the suitability of various CCSU integration methods such as absorption, adsorption, membrane separation, and CO2 bio-fixation is discussed considering the power plant's site-specific conditions and the obtained flue gas stream characteristics.

Keywords: CO2 capture, decarbonization, combined cycle power plant, Uzbekistan
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