Abstract
Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) and Calcium Looping (CaL) have emerged as promising technologies for reducing CO2 emissions, particularly in industries like cement production. The synergy of these processes relies on a reversible chemical reaction involving calcium oxide (CaO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Two reactors, a calciner and a carbonator, facilitate this process, releasing and capturing CO2 from CaCO3 and CaO particles, respectively.
This study introduces a lab-scale carbonator designed for CO2 capture within the context of CCU and CaL technologies. The innovative design details are elaborated upon in this paper. Experimental tests, varying parameters such as CO2 concentration (10–30 vol%) and the mass flow of CaO particles, were conducted to assess carbonation efficiency. CO2 capture efficiencies between 64 and 82% were measured.
While these results are preliminary, indicating the potential of the novel reactor concept, an ongoing study further explores and refines these findings. In addition to unveiling the design intricacies, this study emphasizes the feasibility of integrating the novel reactor concept into a CaL cycle, showcasing its adaptability to a broader size distribution of particles.