Carmen takes care of the CO2

25.07.2024

Germany wants to become climate-neutral by 2045. However, experts believe that this will not be possible by reducing greenhouse gas emissions alone.

In addition to efforts to reduce CO2 emissions in the various sectors, the focus is increasingly shifting to CO2 capture technology. Especially when it comes to industrial processes whose emissions cannot be completely reduced. The cement industry is one of these, as are waste incineration plants.

In order to reduce emissions there, there are various methods of extracting CO2 from exhaust gases and then storing or reusing it. Scientists in the "CARMEN" project, led by the Technical University of Darmstadt, are currently working on a CO2 capture concept that uses the so-called "carbonate looping process (CaL)". In this process, the greenhouse gas is bound to naturally occurring limestone after the combustion process. The researchers from the Department of Energy Systems and Technology (EST) have been testing the method since 2008 and, according to a press release from TU Darmstadt, were among the first in the world to work with it.

With Carmen, researchers in Darmstadt are now going one step further: they want to investigate the Cal method under real conditions. To this end, they are planning to build a mobile pilot plant together with partners. It is to be used in five energy-intensive industrial companies with the waste gases produced there. These are two waste recycling plants, a paper mill, a lime works and a cement works. The pilot plant is being built by TU Darmstadt as project manager and will subsequently be supervised together with the operators. It is due to go into operation at the end of next year.

The Cal process has the advantage that it can be retrofitted to any industrial plant without interfering with existing processes, explained Professor Bernd Epple, Head of EST at the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Another advantage is that the method allows the extremely hot waste heat of more than 650 degrees to be used for efficient electricity and heat generation. "In addition, the process is completely insensitive to the quality, composition and temperature of the exhaust gases to be decarbonized and can therefore be easily adapted to different systems," says Epple.

Carmen's aim is to bring the Cal process to market maturity. The joint project, in which nine partners are involved, is being funded with more than 5 million euros by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. It will run for four years until October 2027.

Author: Günter Drewnitzky
Source: Energy & Management Powernews