Greece’s first carbon capture project in a cement plant has begun with RECODEH2020 partners successfully launching the demonstration unit at TITAN Cement Group’s Kamari plant.

Using ionic liquids (bare or amine-functionalised) as CO2 adsorbents, the project reached CO2 purity above 99 per cent during initial operation. Part of the captured CO2 is converted to nanocalcite and other chemical compounds that can be used in cement manufacture, demonstrating the circular economy based on carbon capture utilisation for the cement industry.

Ionic liquids are the key technological playground for the efficient and cost-effective (<EUR30/t) purification of CO2 to a purity grade sufficient for the above mentioned utilisation paths. A dedicated pilot plant (flue gas flow rate: 50Nm3/h) has been developed at the Kamari cement plant, based on the knowledge-based selection of the best ionic-liquids composition and operating conditions.

The project aims to promote the precipitation of nano-CaCO3 powders which act as strength enhancer and accelerator of the hydration rate and synthesize through electrocatalytic and catalytic pathways formic acid, oxalic acid and glycine to be used as hardening acceleration promoters, grinding aids or ionic liquids additives, respectively.

Distinctive features of the RECODE approach are the high process intensification and scale-up-ability, the use of low-grade heat sources, the meaningful reduction of CO2 emissions (>20 per cent accounting for direct and indirect means) and the good market potential of their products at a mass production scale.

The RECODEH2020  partners include, TITAN Cement, Instituto Italiano do technologica, European Research Institute, Politicnico di Torino, Avantium Chemicals, Deutscher Verein Des Gasund Wasserfaches-Technischwissenschaftlicher verein ev- DVGW, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen - RUG, Ethniko Kentro Erenvas Kai Technologikis Anaptyxis- CERTH, Karlsruher Institut Der Technologie- KIT, Hysytech Sol - HST.