Sustainable Construction Material via Food Waste Carbonation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for recycling construction and food waste do not effectively sequester CO2, and existing concrete recycling processes often result in negative carbon emissions and decreased compressive strength due to the use of cement and inefficient CO2 dissolution.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the mixing of construction waste with food waste containing calcium, followed by curing in a CO2-rich environment to form calcium carbonate, which reinforces the construction material and sequesters CO2, eliminating the need for cement and enhancing the material's strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cement is used in concrete production to bind construction waste, then the construction material achieves structural strength, but greenhouse gas emissions increase due to cement production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes cement from the concrete production process, replacing it with construction waste aggregates and food waste calcium carbonate. This eliminates the harmful greenhouse gas emissions associated with cement production while maintaining structural strength through alternative binding mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the binding agent from cement-based to food waste calcium carbonate-based. This parameter change transforms the material from a high-emission system to a carbon-sequestering system, reducing greenhouse gas emissions while achieving comparable or superior compressive strength.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If CO2 is dissolved in water during concrete curing to enable carbon sequestration, then atmospheric CO2 is reduced, but the dissolution efficiency is low due to water reduction during hydration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-carbonating the food waste to form calcium carbonate before mixing with construction waste. This preliminary carbonation step ensures that CO2 is already captured and bound in the food waste component, eliminating the need for inefficient post-mixing CO2 dissolution and achieving effective carbon sequestration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses food waste calcium carbonate as an intermediary substance that facilitates CO2 capture. The calcium carbonate in food waste acts as a pre-formed carbonation agent that reacts with CO2, providing an efficient pathway for carbon sequestration without relying on water-based dissolution during concrete curing.
3Loss of substance
If construction waste is recycled as aggregates to produce new concrete, then construction waste is reduced, but secondary greenhouse gas emissions occur due to required unreacted cement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the requirement for unreacted cement from the concrete production process. By using food waste calcium carbonate as the binding agent instead of cement, the system eliminates secondary greenhouse gas emissions that would otherwise result from producing additional cement to compensate for waste recycling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent discards the conventional cement-based binding approach and recovers/utilizes food waste calcium carbonate as the binding agent. This transformation converts a waste problem into a resource solution, where food waste serves as both the binding material and carbon sequestration medium, eliminating the need for additional cement production.
4Productivity
If traditional concrete production methods are used, then construction materials are produced efficiently, but carbon neutrality cannot be achieved due to continuous CO2 emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of CO2 emissions into a beneficial carbon sequestration process. By using food waste calcium carbonate as the binding agent, the system captures and stores CO2 in the form of carbonate minerals, transforming the concrete production process from a net emitter to a carbon-neutral or carbon-sinking process while maintaining production efficiency.
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 recycles both construction and food waste, producing sustainable construction materials with increased compressive strength and achieving carbon neutrality by sequestering CO2, while reducing reliance on traditional materials and emissions.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the waste mixture with CO2 under conditions in which at least a portion of the calcium present in the waste mixture is converted to calcium carbonate
Data Source
AI summary
Method for preparing a sustainable construction material, the method including: combining construction waste, food waste comprising calcium, and water thereby forming a waste mixture; optionally moulding the waste mixture; and contacting the waste mixture with CO2 under conditions in which at least a portion of the calcium present in the waste mixture is converted to calcium carbonate thereby forming a treated waste mixture thereby forming the sustainable construction material.