Managed pathways for CO mineralisation: analogy with nature and potential contribution to CCUS-led reduction targets.

The managed mineralisation of CO on mineral substrates has significant potential to mitigate CO emissions to atmosphere, using processes that are analogous to the formation of limestone in nature. High-temperatures and pressures or ambient conditions can be applied in processes that compare with the natural chemical, hydrothermal or biological formation of limestone. In the UK, recent policy developments recognise the potential of carbon utilisation and a reduction target of 40 Mt by 2030 has been set.

Valorisation of agricultural biomass-ash with CO.

This work is part of a study of different types of plant-based biomass to elucidate their capacity for valorisation via a managed carbonation step involving gaseous carbon dioxide (CO). The perspectives for broader biomass waste valorisation was reviewed, followed by a proposed closed-loop process for the valorisation of wood in earlier works. The present work newly focusses on combining agricultural biomass with mineralised CO.

Long-term performance of aged waste forms treated by stabilization/solidification.

Current regulatory testing of stabilized/solidified (S/S) soils is based on short-term performance tests and is insufficient to determine their long-term stability or expected service life. In view of this, and the significant lack of data on long-term field performance in the literature, S/S material has been extracted from full-scale remedial operations and examined using a variety of analytical techniques to evaluate field performance. The results, including those from X-ray analytical techniques, optical and electron microscopy and leaching tests are presented and discussed.

Accelerated carbonation treatment of industrial wastes.

The disposal of industrial waste presents major logistical, financial and environmental issues. Technologies that can reduce the hazardous properties of wastes are urgently required. In the present work, a number of industrial wastes arising from the cement, metallurgical, paper, waste disposal and energy industries were treated with accelerated carbonation.

Production of lightweight aggregate from industrial waste and carbon dioxide.

The concomitant recycling of waste and carbon dioxide emissions is the subject of developing technology designed to close the industrial process loop and facilitate the bulk-re-use of waste in, for example, construction. The present work discusses a treatment step that employs accelerated carbonation to convert gaseous carbon dioxide into solid calcium carbonate through a reaction with industrial thermal residues. Treatment by accelerated carbonation enabled a synthetic aggregate to be made from thermal residues and waste quarry fines.

Current status and perspectives of accelerated carbonation processes on municipal waste combustion residues.

The increasing volumes of municipal solid waste produced worldwide are encouraging the development of processes to reduce the environmental impact of this waste stream. Combustion technology can facilitate volume reduction of up to 90%, with the inorganic contaminants being captured in furnace bottom ash, and fly ash/APC residues. The disposal or reuse of these residues is however governed by the potential release of constituent contaminants into the environment.

Accelerated carbonation of municipal solid waste incineration fly ashes.

As a result of the EU Landfill Directive, the disposal of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash is restricted to only a few landfill sites in the UK. Alternative options for the management of fly ash, such as sintering, vitrification or stabilization/solidification, are either costly or not fully developed. In this paper an accelerated carbonation step is investigated for use with fly ash.