Experimental Investigation of Sulfation Phenomena in Calcium Looping Systems Integrated in Cement Plants

The sulfation phenomena of raw meal materials involved in calcium looping (CaL) applications to capture CO₂ from cement plants are investigated. The effects on sulfur capture capacity and reaction rates of different raw meals, temperatures, SO₂ concentration, and degree of belite conversions have been investigated using a thermogravimetric analyzer. SO₂ is shown to react with both free CaO and CaO in belite. An apparent reaction order of 0.8 and activation energies of 20.9 and 34.7 kJ/mol were estimated for cases with no-belite and belite formations, respectively. Results indicate that CaL systems for CO₂ capture will also remove SO₂ emissions in cement plants.