Facilitating Energy Efficient Carbon Capture
Facilitating Energy Efficient Carbon Capture - RA3
Objective
Carbon capture represents one of few strategies to reduce the climate footprint which can be retrofitted to the current metal production facilities. The CO2 separation technologies themselves are not a part of ZeMe, but the adaptation of current processes to enable carbon capture is. This work package aims to improve both energy and cost efficiency.
Michal Ksiazek
RA3 leader
Off-gas recirculation
This task involves activities towards technical implementation of Flue Gas Recirculation (FGR). Consequences of FGR on off-gas characteristics and emissions is studied. The consequences of introducing new types of carbon materials in the processes, with respect to gas properties, will be investigated. Biological carbon materials and polymer-based waste materials have a significantly higher fraction of volatile organic compounds than their fossil counterparts. This is expected to influence off-gas composition, which can affect both the need for cleaning, the potential clogging and sorbent lifetimes. This task will for example cover the SAF carbothermal process for silicon and ferrosilicon (PhD 3A and 3B).
Off-gas system modifications for Acheson furnaces
Traditionally, the Acheson process to produce silicon carbide have been performed in open furnaces. In this task, the management and control of off-gases and emissions from more closed/sealed furnace designs will be addressed. Activities will Centre around new off-gas system designs and process optimization with the overall objective to reduce or eliminate all diffuse emissions (SINTEF).
Gas cleaning for energy recovery and carbon capture
Many different off-gas components and pollutants can have negative impacts on the function, operation, and lifetime of an off-gas system. Particularly a system with many integrated components such as carbon capture, heat recovery and cleaning units. In some cases, additional or new cleaning units may be necessary. Pollutants which may need to be removed include (but is not limited to): particulate matter, heavy metals, acid-forming compounds such as fluorine, chlorine, NOx, sulfurous compounds, and organic components. To avoid sub-optimisation, all parts of the off-gas system must be integrated and optimised together. This task will address how the different units can be integrated, monitored, and operated while minimising the need for maintenance, e.g., by avoiding corrosion, clogging, scaling, and fouling (PhD 3C and SINTEF). The research will be contribute helping the first movers in CCS, among others the CCS pilot in Eramet Sauda planned in 2025, by targeting the problematic elements for these specific capture technologies.