The transformation of carbon dioxide: from greenhouse gases to high-tech resources.

At the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), NECOC's research project aims to establish a unique test facility to actively reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.
under the 2015 Paris climate agreement, the international community has pledged to limit global warming to below 2C by the end of the century. To achieve this goal, however, global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will have to be complemented by solutions to remove CO2 from the atmosphere

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"Our project approach includes removing CO2 from the atmosphere and converting it into carbon black, a powdery, high-purity carbon," said Thomas Wetzel, professor at the Institute of Thermal Process Engineering (TVT) and head of liquid metal technology at Carrascalsrue, a laboratory at the Institute of Thermal Technology and Safety. Carbon black can be used in electronics, printing or construction. The
test facility combines multiple process steps
the test facility to be built in the NECOC research project will combine the following process steps: by using an adsorbent, CO2 (direct air capture, DAC) is first captured from the surrounding air. It is then converted into methane and water in a microstructive reactor together with renewable hydrogen. The resulting methane is used as a carbon carrier in the downstream process and fed into a foam reactor filled with liquid tin.
in the rising methane bubble, a pyrethromation reaction occurs, and methane is broken down into its components. On the one hand, they are hydrogen, which is sent directly back to the methane reaction, and on the other hand, solid carbon in the form of microparticle powder, i.e. carbon black.
"So far, carbon black is mainly produced from fossil oil
researchers have studied and developed all process steps until they reach laboratory size. "We know the modules very well," said Benjamin Ditrich (TVT), NECOC's project coordinator. To date, however, they have never been implemented together in an integrated facility. This is the first time in the world. Process modules and correct process behavior will play a decisive role in the energy efficiency of the process and the quality of carbon black products. "
the main advantage of this concept of reducing CO2 in the atmosphere over the previously proposed reduction is that this end product, such as the Carbon Reduction and Storage Method (CCS), stores CO2 in deep rocks." Solid carbon is far less difficult to handle than CO2 and can even be used as a resource. So far, carbon black is mainly produced by fossil oil. That's why our process represents a technological path to a sustainable future in many ways", combining the direct contribution to solving climate problems with the supply of post-fossil resources. The
a total of 1.5 million euros over three
the test facility will be built at the KIT site. It is designed to demonstrate operations for a long time. Future expansion of the facility is planned to improve the performance of each container and allow many facilities to operate in parallel. The KIT partner of the NECOC research project (NECOC stands for negative CO2 conversion to carbon) is a facility of the Karlsruhe Liquid Metals Laboratory (KALLA), the Institute of Thermal Energy Technology and Safety (ITES) and the Institute of Thermal Process Engineering (TVT).
KIT will not only coordinate projects and operating facilities, but also contribute to thermolyte technology. NeCOC is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy for a total of 1.5 million euros over a three-year period.
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