With the ProCarbonCure process developed by Robert Thomas GmbH & Co KG (ROTHO), large quantities of carbon dioxide can be stored in products made from concrete or steel slag.
The development earned ROTHO the bauma Innovation Award in Climate Protection. The process has now been successfully implemented on an industrial scale. The ROTHO ProCarbonCure technology gives concrete products a significantly lower carbon footprint by storing carbon sustainably and permanently.
To offset the emissions generated by concrete, carbon dioxide must be sequestered by CCS/CCUS (capture, utilization and storage of CO2). This is where ProCarbonCure comes in, as the process allows almost all the carbon dioxide added to the curing process to be absorbed by the concrete.
To make the process a reality, it was necessary to develop a new concrete curing process. The specialized disciplines of hardening and drying had to be combined to be able to store large quantities of carbon dioxide in the concrete.
The result was a closed process that gives the carbon dioxide time to penetrate deep into the concrete without a significant proportion being emitted back into the atmosphere.
ProCarbonCure video:
A central element in the carbonization of concrete is the right amount of carbon dioxide. At the end of the development, a carbon dioxide supply was achieved that provides the process with the required amount of carbon dioxide largely automatically.
In addition, for the carbonization of concrete products based on steel slag, a uniform supply of carbon dioxide in the batch is essential to achieve a uniform concrete strength. For this reason, specially designed nozzle walls for chamber aeration have been developed to ensure this.
As high concentrations of CO2 are harmful to the human organism, ROTHO developed and patented a structure that fulfils the highest tightness class according to DIN EN 1507.
The harmful effects of carbon dioxide required a HAZOP analysis in advance. During the analysis, both hazards and the operational capability of the system are systematically analyzed to achieve a high level of safety for personnel, equipment, the environment and functionality.
Based on this risk analysis, ROTHO developed various safety devices, such as a leakage-measuring device and a multi-stage pressure monitoring system. The creation of a safe system is the central focus of the ProCarbonCure process.
