Waste Building Material CO2 Binding in Entrained Flow Reactor

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for carbon dioxide storage are energy-intensive and may lead to further emissions, with limited long-term retention, especially in the cement industry, where carbon dioxide is released during production and reprocessing of old concrete is hindered by the difficulty in separating sand and cement.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the use of old building materials like cement stone, where the material is moistened to 5-25% by weight, introduced into a gas stream containing carbon dioxide in an entrained flow reactor, and processed to bind CO2 efficiently, allowing for quick conversion and separation without forming sludge, utilizing an entrained flow reactor to facilitate direct gas-phase reaction and easy separation of particles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If carbon dioxide is injected into the ground for storage, then carbon dioxide can be stored, but long-term retention is not guaranteed and additional energy is required which may produce more carbon dioxide

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelong-term retention of carbon dioxideVSAvoidenergy consumption for capture and storage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts harmful CO2 emissions into beneficial carbonated building materials. CO2 that would otherwise be wasted is transformed into a useful component of construction materials, simultaneously achieving storage and creating valuable products.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

Old concrete and cement materials serve their own storage function by naturally absorbing and binding CO2 through carbonation reactions. The material itself becomes the storage medium, eliminating the need for external injection infrastructure and reducing energy requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of substance

If old concrete is recycled to produce new cement, then resource conservation is achieved, but sand and cement components are difficult to separate and are inextricably mixed and bonded together

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewaste concrete recyclingVSAvoidseparation of sand and cement
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary cementitious components from old concrete for CO2 binding, leaving sand and gravel as separate fractions. This selective extraction avoids the need for complete separation while still achieving effective CO2 utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different treatments to different components of old concrete. The cementitious fraction is processed for CO2 binding while the aggregate fraction is separated and reused directly, giving each component its appropriate function in the recycling process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Use of energy by moving object

If conventional fossil fuels are used for energy in cement production, then energy requirements are met, but carbon dioxide emissions increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy supply for cement productionVSAvoidcarbon dioxide emissions
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts CO2 emissions from cement production and old concrete recycling into a valuable resource. The previously harmful greenhouse gas becomes the raw material for creating carbonated construction materials with improved properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses accelerated carbonation reactions to rapidly bind CO2 into the building materials. This accelerated process achieves high CO2 uptake in reduced time, making the process economically viable compared to natural carbonation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #38Strong oxidants (Accelerated oxidation)

4Reliability

If natural carbon dioxide absorption in old buildings is allowed to proceed, then some carbon dioxide is reabsorbed, but the process is very slow and only achieves around 20% relative to the calcium content

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecarbon dioxide bindingVSAvoidtime for carbon dioxide reabsorption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic or continuous exposure to CO2-rich gas environments to accelerate the carbonation process. By controlling the gas flow and CO2 concentration, the process achieves high uptake rates that would take centuries to occur naturally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes key parameters including CO2 partial pressure, temperature, and moisture content to optimize the carbonation reaction rate. These parameter adjustments transform the extremely slow natural process into a rapid industrial process achieving over 80% CO2 binding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 method achieves safe and durable carbon dioxide binding with low energy consumption, exceeding 80% CO2 absorption capacity, ensuring long-term storage without the need for complex or energy-intensive processes, and allows for the reuse of old building materials in construction.

Implementation Method 1

Introducing the waste building material into a carbon dioxide-containing gas stream and transporting the waste building material in the gas stream for at least 1 s in a fluidized bed reactor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCarbon dioxide absorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

The process serves to bind carbon dioxide to a waste building material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical reaction: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentEP4399013B1Method and apparatus for efficient reduction of carbon dioxide emissions
Publication Date: 2024.12.04 THYSSENKRUPP POLYSIUS GMBH
  • EP4399013B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4399013B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a carbon dioxide removal system, wherein the carbon dioxide removal system has a gas feed (80), a treatment apparatus (40) downstream of the gas feed (80) in flow direction, a removal apparatus downstream of the treatment apparatus (40) in flow direction, and a gas outlet (56) downstream of the removal apparatus in flow direction, wherein the carbon dioxide removal system has a used building material feed, wherein the used building material feed (10) is connected to a moistening apparatus (30) for (10) transfer of the used building material, wherein the moistening apparatus (30) is connected to the treatment apparatus (40), wherein the removal apparatus is connected to a used building material outlet.