Limeloop
Remedium has developed a calcium based solid sorbent, Limeloop, that can capture carbon dioxide effectively, and economically. Remedium’s lab-scale testing showed that Limeloop can capture 36 times more Co2 over its lifetime than natural sorbent.
Problem we are solving
Calcium looping is considered a promising method for mitigation of carbon dioxide from high temperature post-combustion flue gases. Failure to remain active over cyclic carbonation and calcination experiments is the major impediment for large-scale application of the calcium looping process. This is because rapid deactivation of the sorbent necessitates replacing them frequently with fresh materials increasing the process operating cost.
To this end, much effort has been put into development of sorbents that are able to maintain a high sorption capacity over cycles. The sorption capacity and stability of CaO sorbents are highly dependent on the properties of the sorbent (e.g. surface area, porosity, pore volume, crystallite size, and composition). The loss of the sorption capacity has been attributed to sintering of the sorbents during calcination at high temperatures, which results in a loss of the surface area and pore volume and in turn, the uptake capacity. Additionally, attrition and particle elutriation are major issues resulting in loss of sorbent and uptake capacity in practical applications in fluidized beds. Sintering promotes agglomeration of CaO grains, resulting in changes in the particle morphology.
The main approach adopted by our researchers at Remedium for improvement of the sorbent properties is incorporation of sintering resistant inert supports into the CaO particles. The role of these supports is to inhibit the sintering of the CaO particles by separating the CaO grains in the crystalline structure.
How we have developed our sorbent
We at Remedium have developed our sorbents through comprehensive experimental investigations. we have investigated two important factors for implementation of the calcium looping process in industrial settings: 1) the stabilizing effect of metal additives to CaO-based sorbents for the calcium looping process; and 2) the performance of the synthetically produced sorbents in a reactor setting to elucidate the potential of CaO-based sorbents in more industrially relevant conditions.
To make a fair comparison, sorbents were synthesized with different metal stabilizers including an identical molar ratio of metal stabilizer to calcium oxide (M:Ca). The sorbents were tested under harsh calcination conditions to demonstrate practical application of the materials under industrially relevant contexts. Carbonation breakthrough profiles were obtained to assess the CO2 capture performance of the sorbents in the reactor.
In addition, the long-term performance of the pellets was investigated in up to 100 cycles of carbonation and calcination in a thermogravimetric apparatus.
Why you should choose our sorbent
Remedium Energy's first product, Limeloop, is a high-performance sorbent designed for carbon capture applications such as Direct Air Capture (DAC) and calcium looping (CaL). Limeloop offers exceptional performance, capturing 36 times more COâ‚‚ over its lifetime than natural sorbents.
Key Advantages of Limeloop:
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Significant Cost Savings: Techno-economic analysis shows that Limeloop can reduce carbon capture costs by 22-32% for CaL plants (760-4300 ktpa scale) and by 9-14% for DAC plants with a 1 Mtpa capacity.
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Improved Energy Efficiency: Limeloop reduces the energy intensity of carbon capture by 10%, lowering costs and making the process less COâ‚‚-intensive.
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Enhanced Scalability: Limeloop requires 97% less material than natural limestone, addressing scalability challenges in CaL and DAC systems.
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Reduced Operational Complexity: Lower material replacement frequency simplifies maintenance and reduces the need for frequent transportation of spent sorbents to cement plants. In cement plant integration, Limeloop reduces the share of CaL material in cement raw feed to just 0.5% compared to 16% for natural sorbents making CaL retrofitting with current cement plants easier.
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Enables Fixed-Bed Reactor Design: Limeloop's extended lifespan makes it feasible to operate CaL and DAC plants with fixed-bed reactors instead of fluidized beds. Fixed-bed reactors simplify operations and eliminate issues like material attrition seen in fluidized beds.
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Cement Compatibility: Limeloop's stabilizer, MgO, is commonly used in cement for its self-healing properties. While we have been in talk with a group at the University of Cambridge to further explore Limeloop’s self-healing impact on cement, its compatibility with cement ensures its suitability for clinker production after its lifetime.