Carbon Capture in the Cement Industry: Technologies, Progress, and Retrofitting.

Area of Science:

• Industrial Chemistry
• Environmental Engineering
• Chemical Process Engineering

Background:

• The cement industry is a significant source of CO2 emissions.
• Various carbon capture technologies are being explored for industrial applications.
• Retrofitting existing cement plants presents unique challenges for CO2 mitigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review carbon capture technologies applicable to the cement industry.
• To assess their commercialization progress and retrofitting challenges.
• To develop a technology readiness level (TRL) scale for carbon capture in cement production.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of carbon capture technologies.
• Development of a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale tailored for the cement industry.
• Evaluation of essential attributes for "carbon capture ready" cement plants.

Main Results:

• Partial oxy-fuel combustion, amine scrubbing, and calcium looping are the most developed technologies (TRL 6).
• Direct capture (TRL 4-5) and full oxy-fuel combustion (TRL 4) are less mature.
• Advancing to TRL 7 (demonstration in a plant environment) is a significant hurdle.
• Key requirements for "carbon capture ready" plants include space, CO2 transport access, and retrofittable preheater towers.

Conclusions:

• Synchronizing cement plant renovations with carbon capture plant construction can improve cost-effectiveness.
• Carbon capture readiness is crucial for future CO2 emission reduction strategies in cement manufacturing.
• Further research and development are needed to overcome TRL 7 challenges for widespread adoption.