Revolutionary CO2 filtering: cement industry goes the green path!

Revolutionary CO2 filtering: cement industry goes the green path!

Beckum, Deutschland - The cement industry faces a decisive challenge in the field of climate protection. According to a report by the TU Berlin , it is responsible for about 8% of global industrial CO2 emissions. A new CO2 division technology is currently being researched jointly by TU Berlin, Thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH and Holcim in order to efficiently reduce emissions. This research is particularly relevant because cement production releases large amounts of CO2 by burning limestone.

The innovative method is based on aminum wash, a chemical absorption that takes place in a rotating drum. The exhaust gases are directed into this drum, where they come into contact with a special amino solution that binds the CO2. The use of rotating metal foam packing elements creates a large surface in a small space, which intensifies the mixing of gas and detergent. This allows faster CO2 filtering with a lower energy use.

Efficiency and adaptability of the technology

Another advantage of the new technology is its flexibility. The speed of the devices can be adapted to different production conditions, which makes it particularly efficient. This variant of the CO2 separation enables operators to maximize the absorption results. In addition, concentrated wash solutions increase the CO2 absorption capacity per liter of detergent, which further increases efficiency.

The procedure is currently being tested in a pilot plant in the Holcim cement plant in Beckum. This system has the potential to wash more than 90% of the carbon dioxide from the exhaust gases. The TU team is working on mathematical models that are intended to scal the technology on the industrial scale. The aim is to make this technology standard in the cement industry in the future.

cooperation between science and industry

The project also illustrates the importance of cooperation between universities and companies. Students and doctoral students at the TU Berlin work closely with experts from Thyssenkrupp Uhde and Holcim and actively contribute to the development of this groundbreaking technology. In view of the fact that carbon capture projects can cost several hundred million euros, the reliability of the technology in real operation is of crucial importance.