Carbonatable Mineral CO2 Sequestration in Cement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for carbon capture and sequestration are energy-intensive and costly, and existing technologies struggle to efficiently mineralize carbon dioxide in cementitious materials, particularly in the portland cement industry.
Innovation Solution
The use of carbonatable minerals such as hyaloclastite, lava, volcanic ash, fly ash, bottom ash, and slag, combined with carbon dioxide, to create carbonate minerals through a process of grinding and carbonation, which can be integrated into cement manufacturing and concrete production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If carbon dioxide is mineralized in portland cement using conventional methods, then carbon sequestration is achieved, but the process is energy-intensive and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of cementitious materials by incorporating carbonatable minerals with specific chemical characteristics (high calcium, magnesium, or sodium content) to enable efficient CO2 mineralization at lower energy consumption while maintaining sequestration effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite cementitious materials by combining portland cement with carbonatable minerals (such as hyaloclastite, volcanic ash, fly ash, bottom ash, or slag) to achieve both energy efficiency and effective carbon sequestration through the synergistic properties of the composite system
2Reliability
If carbonatable minerals are used for CO2 mineralization, then carbon sequestration efficiency improves, but the device complexity and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs carbonatable minerals that serve multiple functions: they act as cementitious materials for structural applications, provide pozzolanic reactivity for concrete performance, and simultaneously enable CO2 mineralization for carbon sequestration, thereby reducing overall process complexity despite improved sequestration efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The carbonatable minerals inherently possess the chemical properties needed for CO2 mineralization without requiring additional complex processing equipment or external energy inputs, as the mineralization occurs through natural chemical reactions within the cementitious matrix
3Productivity
If carbonatable minerals with basaltic chemistry are used, then CO2 mineralization efficiency increases, but the availability and adaptability of suitable materials decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent identifies multiple types of carbonatable minerals (hyaloclastite, volcanic ash, fly ash, bottom ash, slag) from diverse sources that all possess the necessary chemical properties for CO2 mineralization, thereby maintaining high mineralization rates while expanding material availability and adaptability across different geographic and industrial contexts
Solution Approach 2:
The patent focuses on the chemical composition parameters (calcium, magnesium, sodium content) rather than specific mineralogical composition, allowing adaptation to various locally available materials that meet the chemical criteria, thus maintaining productivity while improving versatility
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the efficient mineralization of carbon dioxide, reducing atmospheric CO2 levels and providing a cost-effective method for carbon sequestration while also improving the properties of cement and concrete.
Implementation Method 1
combining carbon dioxide and a carbonatable mineral, either natural or man-made such as hyaloclastite, lava, volcanic ash fly ash, bottom ash, or slag with a basaltic or intermediate basaltic chemistry or a sufficient amount of carbonatable elements such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron and the like to react with carbon dioxide to create carbonate minerals
Implementation Method 2
adding carbon dioxide into the process of grinding or reducing in size a carbonatable mineral where the carbon dioxide is absorbed or adsorbed into the pores or surface of the carbonatable mineral at elevated temperature
Implementation Method 3
adding carbon dioxide into the process of grinding or reducing in size a carbonatable mineral where the carbon dioxide is absorbed or adsorbed into the pores or surface of the carbonatable mineral at elevated temperature
Data Source
AI summary
The invention comprises a product. The product comprises a carbonation aid or a microporous material or a combination thereof and a carbonatable mineral containing one or more of un-carbonated Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, wherein the carbonation aid facilitates the conversion of one or more of CaO, MgO, Na2O, K2O or FeO to a carbonate or a CO3 containing mineral in the presence of CO2, wherein the carbonatable mineral has a volume-based mean particle size of less than or equal to 100 μm and wherein one or more of the carbonation aid or a microporous material or a combination thereof or the carbonatable mineral has carbon dioxide bound thereto at a concentration greater than its atmospheric concentration.