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Description
The realized project concerns a new innovative technology for the capture of CO2 in molten salt media. Nowadays, on the market, there is no technology that would capture CO2 generated in industrial processes in such a fast, effective and selective manner as planned in this project. The innovative concept of the project is to build a prototype of a two-chamber reactor, whose continuous operation will allow for selective capture of CO2 from industrial gases. The project aims at performing, testing and operating the prototype of a two-chamber reactor for carbon capture in molten salts. Prior to the construction of a two-chamber reactor, in order to test the assumptions of mass flow between low- and high-temperature chambers, a simulation based on the computer software will be performed. At the same time, based on the simulation results as well as the knowledge and experience of scientists from AGH and NMBU, a prototype of the reactor will be designed. Finally, based on the results of the design and simulation, the two-chamber reactor will be constructed. The construction and testing of the prototype in a laboratory environment is the last stage before the commercialization of this technology. The project sets itself an ambitious goal, which is the transition from fundamental research to the prototype scale allowing the development of a new product in the form of a device to reduce the CO2 emissions. This is especially important because of rapidly growing problems with global warming. The added value will be the improvement of the environment (by reducing the amount of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere).
Summary of project results
In the fight against global warming, it is extremely important to reduce CO2 emissions, among other methods, through direct capture from emissions originating from various industrial sectors. This is one of the paths to achieving the goal of globally balancing CO2 emissions with its capture by the year 2050. Therefore, the prototype reactor for CO2 capture in molten salts built in this project is highly significant, as its application on a technical (process) scale will increase the chances of achieving the aforementioned goal. Tests of the reactor prototype demonstrated stable operation, and the processes of capturing and releasing CO2 showed no reduction in efficiency even after several dozen work cycles. No degradation of the absorbent (CaO) or decrease in absorption and desorption efficiency was observed. The technology of carbon dioxide capture in molten salts is a potentially attractive and promising method for reducing the emission of this gas into the atmosphere. The project’s goal has been achieved, but further development of the prototype is justified until the creation of a marketable product and sales to end beneficiaries, i.e., CO2-emitting enterprises. The project is of considerable importance for creating another tool for effective, long-term combat against global warming.
The project concerns an innovative technique of capturing CO2 from the flue gases. It is based on the application of sorbent dissolved in molten salts and utilizes its ability to selective sorption of CO2 at lower temperature (~800 C) and desorption at higher temperature (~900 C) with liberation of CO2. Nowadays, there are known methods of capturing CO2 using fluidized bed reactor (FBR), where the sorbent is in solid state. The most substantial drawback of this method is the decreasing of sorption and desorption performance during the process because of degradation of sorbent particles. It does not occur in case of dissolution of sorbent in molten salts. Research has revealed that this method potentially constitutes highly efficient technology for capturing CO2 from a diversity of flue gases related to industry and power generation. The main aim of the project was construction of prototype of two-chamber reactor and investigate the cycleability and performance of long-term process.
CCMS-P project demonstrated an effecitve deployment of scientific methodologies and tools for the study of innovative materials towards a demanding application; the capturing of CO2 emmissions from molten salts. The research teams from Poland and Norway have collaborated effectively towards the application of material science and engineering principles in order to design and develop a protoype reactor, capable of capturing CO2 emissions. The overall approach is considered innovative and points towards a selected application that is regarded as one of the main objectives of the European Green Deal Strategy.
Summary of bilateral results
The project was carried out in cooperation with a Norwegian partner, the Faculty of Science and Technology from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). Three scientists from the Norwegian side actively participated in it. The benefits of cooperating with the Norwegian partner include primarily the use of existing knowledge about CCMS technology with the institution that invented, patented, and has conducted and continues to conduct research on its further development. Frequent online working meetings and steering committee meetings served as a forum for exchanging views on current results, as well as an excellent form of mutual consultation, experience, and opinion exchange. The Norwegian partners carried out tasks WP2, WP3, and WP4 (jointly with AGH), involving the study of material corrosion for reactor construction, the impact of industrial gas components on the CO2 capture process, and the design and evaluation of reactor prototype performance. These tasks were crucial regarding the durability of CCMS reactor elements in contact with the aggressive environment of molten fluoride-chloride salts and the practical application possibilities of the device. The Norwegian partners examined a wide spectrum of candidates among ceramic and metallic materials. The benefits gained from the collaboration with the Norwegian partner included knowledge, experience, and the results of experimental work conducted in the NMBU laboratory. As part of the project, there were mutual visits from Norwegian partners to AGH and AGH staff to NMBU. Face-to-face meetings improved knowledge and understanding and facilitated direct exchange of experiences. At the bilateral level, scientific cooperation was strengthened and deepened, and both sides expressed a willingness to continue collaboration on the development of CCMS technology and other issues related to the use of molten salts in environmental protection issues.