Capturing Carbon Dioxide While Making Industrial Materials

This patent describes a system and method for capturing carbon dioxide released during industrial processes like making cement or steel, while also producing useful materials and recovering energy.

What it covers

The patent outlines a system for capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from processes that heat carbonate-containing raw materials, such as limestone. A reactor heats the raw material with an oxidant, creating a decomposition stream of solids and CO2 gas (Claim 1). A separator then splits this stream into a gas stream (with CO2) and a solids stream. A heat exchange unit cools these streams, recovering energy. Finally, a CO2 separation unit purifies the cooled gas, creating a CO2-rich stream for capture and a CO2-lean stream. For example, this system can be integrated with a cement plant to capture CO2 released during clinker production (Claim 13) or with a steel-making plant (Claim 16).

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover carbon capture methods that do not involve heating a carbonate-containing raw material (calcination).
• —Does not cover systems that capture CO2 from sources other than the decomposition stream, such as general combustion flue gases not from calcination.
• —Does not cover systems that lack a dedicated heat exchange unit to cool the gas and solids streams for energy recovery.
• —Does not cover systems where the CO2 is not separated into distinct 'lean' and 'rich' streams.
• —Does not cover carbon capture processes that are not integrated with the production of industrially useful materials or power generation as described.

The clever bit

The novelty lies in tightly integrating carbon capture with the production of industrially useful materials, like cement clinker, and simultaneously recovering heat for power generation. This combined approach aims to make carbon capture more efficient and cost-effective by leveraging existing industrial processes and energy streams.

Why it matters

Industrial processes like cement and steel production are major sources of carbon dioxide emissions. This patent provides a way to integrate carbon capture directly into these processes, potentially making them more environmentally friendly. By recovering heat and producing useful materials alongside CO2 capture, it aims to make decarbonization more economically viable for heavy industry.

Real-world examples

• 1.Cement manufacturing plants
• 2.Steel production facilities
• 3.Lime production facilities
• 4.Power generation plants using carbonate-containing fuels