The new technology provides a pathway to instantly convert carbon dioxide as it is produced and permanently locks it into a solid state, keeping CO2 out of the atmosphere.
RMIT UNIVERSITY
Australian researchers have developed a smart and super-efficient new method to capture carbon dioxide and convert it into solid carbon, to help accelerate decarbonisation in heavy industries.
The carbon dioxide technology by researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, is designed to seamlessly integrate into existing industrial processes.
Decarbonization is a huge technical challenge for heavy industries such as cement and steel, which are not only energy intensive but also directly emit CO2 as part of the production process.
The new technology offers a pathway to instantly convert carbon dioxide as it is produced and permanently locks it into a solid state, keeping CO2 out of the atmosphere.
The study was published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science.
Study co-leader Associate Professor Torben Daeneke said the work builds on an earlier experimental method that used liquid metal as a catalyst.
“Our new method still harnesses the power of liquid metal, but the design has been modified to more smoothly integrate into standard industry processes,” says Daeneke.
“As well as being simpler to scale up, the new technology is completely more efficient and can instantly break down CO2 into carbon.
“We hope this can be an important new tool in accelerating decarbonisation, to help industries and governments deliver on their climate commitments, and to put us at close to net zero.”
A provisional patent application has been filed for the technology and researchers recently signed a AU$2.6 million deal with Australian environmental technology company ABR, which is commercializing decarbonization technology in the cement and steel industries.
Research co-leader Dr Ken Chiang said the team is keen to hear from other companies to understand the challenges in hard-to-decarbonise industries and identify other potential applications of the technology. .
“To drive a sustainable industrial revolution and a zero-carbon economy, we need smart engineering solutions and effective collaboration in the research industry,” said Chiang.
The steel and cement industries are each responsible for about 7% of total global CO2 emissions (International Energy Agency), with both sectors expected to continue to grow in the coming decades as demand is driven by population growth and urbanization.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies mainly focus on compressing gas into a liquid and pumping it into the ground, but this comes with significant technical challenges and environmental concerns. CCS has also been criticized for being too expensive and energy intensive for widespread use.
Daeneke, DECRA Commissioner for the Australian Research Council, said the new approach provides a sustainable alternative, which aims to both prevent CO2 emissions and provide the added value of carbon reuse.
“Making CO2 solid avoids potential leakage problems and locks it away securely and indefinitely,” he said.
“And because our process does not use extreme heat, it is possible to power the reaction with renewable energy.”
The Australian Government has highlighted CCS as a priority technology to invest in zero net plan, announced a $1 billion fund to develop new low-emission technologies.
How technology works
The RMIT team, with lead author and doctoral researcher Karma Zuraiqi, used thermochemical methods widely used by industry in the development of their new CCS technology.
The “bubble column” method begins with heating the liquid metal to about 100-120C.
Carbon dioxide is injected into the liquid metal, with the bubbles rising like bubbles in a champagne glass.
As the bubbles move through the liquid metal, the gas molecule separates to form solid carbon flakes, with the reaction occurring in a split second.
“It is the extraordinary speed of chemical reaction that we achieve that makes our technology commercially viable, where so many alternative methods have been difficult,” said Chiang.
The next phase of the research is to expand the proof of concept into a modular prototype the size of a shipping container, in collaboration with industry partners ABR.
ABR Project Manager David Ngo says the RMIT process turns a waste product into the core material in the next generation of cement mixes.
“Climate change will not be tackled with a single solution, however, the partnership between ABR and RMIT will deliver a cost-effective and efficient technology for our netless goals.” Mr. Ngo said.
The group is also studying potential uses for converted carbon, including in building materials.
“Ideally, the carbon we generate could be turned into a value-added product, contributing to the circular economy and allowing the CCS technology to pay for itself over time,” says Daeneke.
The research involves a multidisciplinary collaboration between engineering and science, with RMIT co-authors Jonathan Clarke-Hannaford, Billy James Murdoch, Associate Professor Kalpit Shah and Professor Michelle Spencer.
‘Direct conversion of CO2 to solid carbon by liquid metal‘, with collaborators from the University of Melbourne and Deakin University, published in Energy & Environmental Science (DOI: 10.1039 / d1ee03283f).
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Energy & Environmental Science
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