Background

Basic ideas and previous experiences

• LIFE05 ENV/IT/000874 - GHERL – Greenhouse Effect Reduction from Landfills Project, concluded at the end of May 2008
• chemical absorption with an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide (KOH) was demonstrated to be technically feasible.
• Carbon dioxide is captured in the form of dissolved potassium carbonate, which can be precipitated, evaporating the water.
• As a matter of fact, the final potassium carbonate obtained by the removal process must be sold in order to keep the process costs at reasonable levels.
• However, even if the produced potassium carbonate is sold, the removal and capture cost is still high mainly due to reactant (KOH) cost.
• the necessity to propose and demonstrate innovative methods for removing and capturing CO2 with lower operating costs
• moving to a regenerated absorption process, in which the reactant is regenerated and only fresh make-up amounts are required
• using industrial residues, which can be purchased at zero or low costs, as reactant materials
• industrial residues that will be considered in this project are bottom and/or fly ash from Waste-to-Energy plants, steel slag and/or cement waste
• Available industrial residues at the partner landfill: bottom ash from WtE