Cement Clinker CO2 Capture via Calcium Carbonate Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The cement industry is a significant contributor to global CO2 emissions, primarily due to the calcination of limestone, which releases CO2 into the atmosphere, and existing methods do not effectively capture and utilize this CO2 to reduce emissions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize cement and/or cement clinker to capture CO2 emissions during the cement manufacturing process, forming calcium carbonate, which can be used to create cementitious products with equivalent or superior properties to regular cement, thereby reducing CO2 emissions and carbon footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If limestone is calcined to produce cement, then cement is formed, but CO2 emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures CO2 emissions generated during cement production and converts them into calcium carbonate through reaction with ammonium carbonate solution. The calcium carbonate is then used as a cementitious material, transforming the harmful CO2 emission into a useful product that can even supplement cement production.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of releasing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, the patent recovers and captures the CO2 from the calcination process. The captured CO2 is then utilized to form calcium carbonate, which is recovered and used as a building material, thereby preventing CO2 discharge while creating a valuable byproduct.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If CO2 is captured and converted to calcium carbonate, then CO2 emissions are reduced, but additional process steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the CO2 capture process with the existing cement production infrastructure. The CO2 captured from calcination is directly utilized in the cement manufacturing process itself, integrating the emission reduction step into the existing operational workflow rather than adding completely separate capture and utilization systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cement production process itself provides the CO2 feedstock for calcium carbonate formation. The system uses its own emissions as the raw material for creating a useful byproduct, making the process self-sufficient and reducing the need for external CO2 sources or complex capture infrastructure.
3Strength
If calcium carbonate is formed from captured CO2, then cementitious properties are achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the chemical reaction conditions to optimize calcium carbonate formation. By controlling factors such as temperature, pressure, and concentration of ammonium carbonate solution, the process achieves efficient calcium carbonate precipitation with minimized energy input, maintaining cementitious properties while reducing energy consumption.
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 effectively recaptures CO2 emissions, reducing the cement industry's carbon footprint and potentially eliminating significant CO2 emissions by utilizing the captured CO2 to form calcium carbonate, which can be used in cementitious applications, replacing or supplementing traditional cement.
Implementation Method 1
dissolving cement and/or cement clinker in N-containing salt solution to produce an aqueous solution comprising calcium salt
Implementation Method 2
treating the aqueous solution comprising calcium salt with a gaseous stream comprising carbon dioxide to form a composition comprising calcium carbonate
Implementation Method 3
recovering the gaseous stream comprising carbon dioxide and the gaseous stream comprising ammonia and subjecting the gaseous streams to a cooling process to condense a second aqueous solution comprising ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are methods and systems to utilize cement or cement clinker as feedstock to capture carbon dioxide emissions and form a composition comprising calcium carbonate.