Scientists develop paradigm-shifting solution to solve cement production’s biggest problem: ‘fast scaling’

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles have developed a method that can remove almost all of the carbon dioxide released during the process of creating cement, according to the report. UCLA press release.

Currently, cement production involves heating limestone in a kiln powered by electricity. dirty energy warming the planet for example, oil or coal. According to the release, for every kilogram of cement produced, a kilogram of carbon dioxide is released. In fact, cement production is about 8% carbon pollution in the world. Of these emissions, 60% comes from the limestone itself, which is heated and split into lime, and 40% comes from the fuel used to power the kilns. Additionally, producing one metric ton of lime (more than 2,200 pounds) requires enough energy to power the average American home for a month, according to UCLA.

Instead, the researchers proposed using calcium hydroxide to create lime, which produces only water when heated. They placed limestone in an aqueous solution containing a common industrial acid and used membrane nanofiltration to separate the calcium from the limestone. They then used an electrochemical process to create calcium hydroxide.

As a result of this process, hydrochloric acid, baking soda, oxygen and hydrogen are formed. Researchers have suggested that hydrogen could be used to power cement kilns. All this together eliminates approximately 98% of carbon dioxide emissions from the lime production process.

“The ZeroCAL approach offers an elegant solution to eliminate carbon emissions associated with the cement manufacturing process,” said Gaurav Sant, director of the Carbon Management Institute and Pritzker Professor of Sustainability at UCLA.

Although the process requires more energy than traditional cement production, the researchers hope that further research will reduce this burden.

Cement manufacturers have been looking to move towards greener processes for some time now. Some of the world’s largest have invested $75 million for cleaner production methods. Meanwhile, scientists discovered a means of creating a type of cement that is reported to absorb carbon from the atmosphere.

For their part, UCLA researchers believe their nearly carbon-free procedure shows real promise.

“It has become absolutely clear that mitigation climate change requires urgent, paradigm-shifting action in many areas to decarbonize our society,” said study co-author Fabian Rosner, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at UCLA. “We believe the ZeroCAL process offers a unique path to enable affordable and rapid scalable decarbonization of cement production in a way that we have not previously considered.”

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