Integrating Direct Air Capture Technology and Plasma Based Calcination for Sustainable Syngas and Concrete – An Experimental Investigation
Geoengineering News
PDFABSTRACT
The persistent reliance of the cement sector on fossil fuels for CaO production and the high energy demand for DAC sorbent regeneration pose a significant barrier to reaching sustainable industrial production. Herein, a novel process concept is presented, establishing an integrated, fully electrified CO2-loop driven by gliding arc plasma technology. Atmospheric CO2 is captured in an alkaline absorption unit, where the pH value serves as a reliable performance parameter for system predictability. Subsequent liquid-solid conversion solidifies the captured CO2 as CaCO3, achieving a high yield with high phase purity. Rotating gliding arc plasma experiments successfully demonstrate the electric calcination for CaO regeneration and the CO2 release to close the carbon and calcium loop. With the ability of simultaneous plasma-based CO2 splitting the process enables the use of the resulting CO as a precursor for synthesis gas. The observation of internal temperature gradients facilitates the definition of a suitable reaction volume for calcination. XRD and TGA/DSC analyses confirm the formation of pure Ca-products, validating the concept. This work provides a foundational material-flow validation for this novel DAC Power-to-X pathway, substituting fossil fuels for calcination and DAC-operation entirely with electrical energy. The process offers a crucial opportunity for the decarbonization of the construction and transport sectors, with future work focusing on optimizing reactor design for continuous operation.
Source: Wiley Advanced