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Dunant CF, Joseph S, Prajapati R, Allwood JM. Electric recycling of Portland cement at scale. Nature 2024; 629:1055-1061. [PMID: 38778099 PMCID: PMC11136652 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07338-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Cement production causes 7.5% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions, arising from limestone decarbonation and fossil-fuel combustion1-3. Current decarbonation strategies include substituting Portland clinker with supplementary materials, but these mainly arise in emitting processes, developing alternative binders but none yet promises scale, or adopting carbon capture and storage that still releases some emissions4-8. However, used cement is potentially an abundant, decarbonated feedstock. Here we show that recovered cement paste can be reclinkered if used as a partial substitute for the lime-dolomite flux used in steel recycling nowadays. The resulting slag can meet existing specifications for Portland clinker and can be blended effectively with calcined clay and limestone. The process is sensitive to the silica content of the recovered cement paste, and silica and alumina that may come from the scrap, but this can be adjusted easily. We show that the proposed process may be economically competitive, and if powered by emissions-free electricity, can lead to zero emissions cement while also reducing the emissions of steel recycling by reducing lime flux requirements. The global supply of scrap steel for recycling may treble by 2050, and it is likely that more slag can be made per unit of steel recycled. With material efficiency in construction9,10, future global cement requirements could be met by this route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrille F Dunant
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Shiju Joseph
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rohit Prajapati
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Julian M Allwood
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Guo Y, Luo L, Liu T, Hao L, Li Y, Liu P, Zhu T. A review of low-carbon technologies and projects for the global cement industry. J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 136:682-697. [PMID: 37923477 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the cement industry account for 26% of the total industrial emissions, and the need to develop low-carbon techniques within the cement industry is extremely urgent. Low-carbon projects and technologies for the cement industry in different regions and countries have been thoroughly reviewed in this manuscript, and the low-carbon development concept for each county has been analyzed. For developing countries such as China and India, energy saving and efficiency enhancement are currently the key points, while for developed countries and regions such as Europe, more efforts have been focused on carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). Global CCUS projects have been previously conducted, and the majority of CCUS projects are currently performed in Europe where major projects such as the CEMCAP, CLEANKER, and IEILAC projects represent the latest research progress in cement production technologies and low-carbon technologies for the global cement industry. The development of low-carbon cement technologies has changed from focusing on the end point to instead focusing on the source and process through the exploration of hydrogen and solar energies, and more disruptive and original technologies are expected to be developed, particularly in the cement industry in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Innovation Academy for Green Manufacture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Lei Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Innovation Academy for Green Manufacture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Innovation Academy for Green Manufacture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; Ganjiang Innovation Academy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Liwei Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Reuse for Building Materials, Beijing Building Materials Academy of Sciences Research, Beijing 100041, China
| | - Yinming Li
- State Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Reuse for Building Materials, Beijing Building Materials Academy of Sciences Research, Beijing 100041, China
| | - Pengfei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Reuse for Building Materials, Beijing Building Materials Academy of Sciences Research, Beijing 100041, China
| | - Tingyu Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Innovation Academy for Green Manufacture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.
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Jacob RM, Pinheiro JP, Tokheim LA. Electrified externally heated rotary calciner for calcination of cement raw meal. Heliyon 2023; 9:e22023. [PMID: 38027667 PMCID: PMC10658365 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The cement industry can reduce its CO2 emissions by electrifying the calciner. It can avoid emissions from fuel combustion and produce pure CO2 from the calcination reaction (CaCO3 → CaO + CO2) for direct capture. A differential-algebraic equation (DAE) model of an electrified rotary calciner was developed and validated against experimental results. The heat transfer coefficient was around 30 W/(m2K), with the calciner inclined at 15°. This value increased to 80 W/(m2K) by reducing the inclination to 2°. The rotary calciner for producing 1 Mton/yr clinker with an internal diameter of 5 m needs a length of 485 m to reach a calcination degree of 94 %. The large system size suggests that this calciner may not be suitable for full-scale production. However, it can still be used for small-scale green production of calcined limestone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ron M. Jacob
- University of South-Eastern Norway, Kjølnes ring 56, 3918, Porsgrunn, Norway
| | | | - Lars-André Tokheim
- University of South-Eastern Norway, Kjølnes ring 56, 3918, Porsgrunn, Norway
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Han S, Sun Z, de Jacobi du Vallon C, Collins T, Boot-Handford M, Sceats MG, Tian ZF, Nathan GJ. In-situ imaging of particle size distribution in an industrial-scale calcination reactor using micro-focusing particle shadowgraphy. POWDER TECHNOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.powtec.2022.117459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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CO2 Capture, Use, and Storage in the Cement Industry: State of the Art and Expectations. ENERGIES 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/en13215692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The implementation of carbon capture, use, and storage in the cement industry is a necessity, not an option, if the climate targets are to be met. Although no capture technology has reached commercial scale demonstration in the cement sector yet, much progress has been made in the last decade. This work intends to provide a general overview of the CO2 capture technologies that have been evaluated so far in the cement industry at the pilot scale, and also about the current plans for future commercial demonstration.
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Simulation of the Sour-Compression Unit (SCU) process for CO2 purification applied to flue gases coming from oxy-combustion cement industries. Comput Chem Eng 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compchemeng.2018.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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8
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Jayarathna CK, Balfe M, Moldestad BM, Tokheim LA. Improved multi-stage cross-flow fluidized bed classifier. POWDER TECHNOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.powtec.2018.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Fernandez JR, Turrado S, Abanades JC. Calcination kinetics of cement raw meals under various CO 2 concentrations. REACT CHEM ENG 2019. [DOI: 10.1039/c9re00361d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The calcium looping CO2 capture process, CaL, represents a promising option for the decarbonisation of cement plants, due to the intrinsic benefit of using the spent CO2 sorbent as a feedstock for the plant.
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Abstract
Mineral carbonation is considered to be the most stable mechanism for the sequestration of CO2. This study comprises a comparative review of the effect of ball milling on the CO2 uptake of ultramafic/mafic lithologies, which are the most promising rocks for the mineralization of CO2. Samples of dunite, pyroxenite, olivine basalt and of a dolerite quarry waste material were previously subjected to ball milling to produce ultrafine powders with enhanced CO2 uptake. The optimum milling conditions were determined through selective CO2 chemisorption followed by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) experiments, revealing that the CO2 uptake of the studied lithologies can be substantially enhanced via mechanical activation. Here, all these data are compared, demonstrating that the behavior of each rock under the effect of ball milling is predominantly controlled by the mineralogical composition of the starting rock materials. The ball-milled rock with the highest CO2 uptake is the dunite, followed by the olivine basalt, the pyroxenite and the dolerite. The increased CO2 uptake after ball milling is mainly attributed to the reduction of particle size to the nanoscale range, thus creating more adsorption sites per gram basis, as well as to the structural disordering of the constituent silicate minerals.
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