CO2 technologies formed the basis for day two’s first session at gasworld’s European CO2 Summit 2024.
Jörg-Peter Mehrer outlined the technologies used by the Mehrer Compression group, an organisation responsible for the world’s first dry ice compression machine.
Normally oil lubricated or non lubricated compressors are used for CO2 and hydraulic driven machines for dry ice production.
This brings with it oil contamination risks and CO2 cannot be used without filtration of the gas.
Mehrer explained that the company combats this by using an oil-free compressor design with self-lubricating piston rod packing and piston rings.
By using food-safe components there is no contamination risk of the gas.
“All materials we use are suitable for food contact,” said Mehrer. “Our equipment is ready for a sustainable future.”
The dependence of traditional sources of CO2 on fossil fuels has seen a shift in the supply chain.
This has seen the introduction of new sources of CO2 from biogas upgrading (biogenic CO2), direct air capture (DAC) and carbon capture from a range of emitters.
Gary Robson, CEO & Founder of Sure Purity Ltd, explained that challenges for new sources lie in investment, competition restricting mass adoption, long lead-times and a limited knowledge base.
“There are huge investments needed, to the tune of €15-20m to €25m euros just to get one of these plants running,” he said.
To ensure that new sources of CO2 meet quality standards, Sure Purity manufactures a range of CO2 multi-barrier polishing filters called carboguard.
These filters use molecular adsorption technology to polish potential impurities from beverage grade CO2 by creating a bond with the impurity and the filter media.
In addition to removing impurities, the technology is fitted with a barrier to protect against COS – a common impurity in fermentation.
“We want to make sure that’s not in it as it can cause major issues in the finished product. This is critical for approving some of these new sources where COS can be troublesome. ”
Direct air capture and CO2 safety
New technologies like direct air capture (DAC) are revolutionising CO2 capture. Skytree, a Netherlands-based company, specialises in decentralised DAC (DDAC) technology. Each unit can capture up to 1250kg of CO2 daily and can be scaled up for larger operations.
Using sorbent-based temperature swing, Skytree’s DAC process is versatile, serving Controlled Environment Agriculture, e-fuels production, and CO2 removal applications.
Despite the growing interest with 145 DAC companies entering the market, challenges such as public perception, funding, and industry maturity persist.
Safety remains paramount, especially with CO2’s widespread industrial use in everyday products and processes. EIGA provides essential safety guidelines for its usage.
“It’s a versatile compound to be used in a wide range of applications but it’s also essential for life on Earth,” said Robert Skribanek, Technical Manager at EIGA.
“However, there are always two sides to the story. Today we need to face the hazards of it.”
In 2008, there was an accidental release of CO2 in Monchengladbach where approximately 15t of CO2 due to failed door seals. Over 100 people were intoxicated and 19 hospitalised.
Another incident in 1986 saw 1700 people die due to the inhalation of naturally occurring CO2 at Lake Nyos.
“We want to make sure that, by the end of the day, everyone gets home safe and sound.”
source: gasworld.com