The recommendations from the 2011 workshop led to both an EPRI review of exisiting potential
sampling and analytical methodologies [2], as well as the creation of the 2012 working group. The overall
conclusion of the 2012 working group meeting was coordinated community development of standardized
methods and protocols is a necessary next step. In addition to improving the quality of emissions
measurements from from amine solvent post-combustion carbon capture pilot plants, this may also help
increase the limited amount of emissions data by simplifying the overall process of selecting, evaluating,
and applying appropriate methods. Unfortunately, method development is complicated by the varying
chemical and physical properties of the many chemicals of interest in several chemical classes, the lack of
calibration standards for some compounds, and difficulty of applying some of the most highly-developed
methods in the sampling constraints of power plant stacks.
Several overarching themes emerged from the working group discussions. These are as follows:
• Power plant design/components, which may be different between pilot scale and full power plant
scale facilities, can have substantial impacts on the compounds and emission rates, which
directly influence what the most accurate sampling and analysis methods could be.
• Mist formation (resulting from the presence of SO3) may be the highest emission source in many
pilot plants, and may not be removed from the flue gas by current wash and demister designs.
Any chemicals present in the mist may be missed during sampling if mist is not specifically
targeted and sampled.
• There is general convergence on the major sampling/analytical components needed for analysis
of several of the chemicals of interest at the current state of development and availability of
measurement technologies. This does not mean further development is unnecessary, but rather
that for certain chemicals there are limited options currently available.
• There was debate on the level of quantification or discussion necessary for many chemicals
evaluated. Detection limits that are too high can provide insufficient or worst-case emissions
information for fate, transport, and impacts assessments. However, in the certain cases that have attempted to substantially reduce detection limits very large resources were necessary and the
improvements did not necessarily result in additional useful information.
• There is a likely need for additional laboratory work on method calibration, validation, and
comparisons, as well as detailed evaluations in situ at pilot plant stacks. While some validation
tests have been performed as components of other emissions testing programs at pilot plants, this
has only been done on a limited basis and not yet in a systematic manner.