SINTEF researchers have developed a new, simpler carbon capture technology called CSAR (Continuous Swing Adsorption Reactor). This technology leverages a heat pump, a vacuum pump, and electricity.
Traditionally in carbon capture systems, heat is used, but this can be challenging for some industries, necessitating costly infrastructure modifications or increased fuel consumption.
“Our studies have shown that the CSAR technology competes very well with technologies that utilize heat. This applies in particular if reasonably-priced electricity from renewable sources is available,” says SINTEF researcher Jan Hendrik Cloete.
“The advantage is that both pumps require just a single conventional source of electricity. This makes the technology ideal for installation on existing plants,” Cloete explains.
The CSAR process involves two reactors. The first reactor captures CO2 using a sorbent material at low temperatures, generating heat in the process.
This heat is transferred to the second reactor, where it releases the CO2 from the sorbent at higher temperatures. The heat pump facilitates heat transfer between the reactors, while the vacuum pump aids in CO2 release.
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The researcher emphasizes CSAR’s competitiveness, particularly when paired with affordable renewable electricity.
SINTEF and Caox recently demonstrated CSAR at the BIR AS waste combustion plant near Bergen. The plant processes 220,000 tons of household waste annually, generating 250,000 tons of CO2.
“After 100 hours of operation, we found that we were able to capture the same amount of CO2 from real exhaust gasses as we had in our laboratory tests,” says Cloete. “This was an important step because it confirmed that the CSAR concept also works at an industrial scale. It also helped to boost confidence in our economic estimates.”
The pilot reactor can capture 100 kg of CO2 daily. BIR aims to install a facility capable of capturing 100,000 tons of CO2 annually by 2030 using existing technologies.
The company is also exploring the integration of innovative technologies like CSAR for capturing residual CO2.
The successful BIR plant demonstration paves the way for scaling up CSAR across various industries. The pilot reactor is undergoing upgrades at SINTEF’s multiphase laboratory.
Subsequently, the pilot will be installed in a Spanish cement factory as part of the CAPTUS project, which focuses on sustainable CO2 capture and utilization in energy-intensive industries.
