Market potential assessment of captured solid carbon in infrastructures
Orkola, Ville; Kolisoja, Pauli; Vuorimies, Nuutti (2024)
Tampere University
2024
Rakennetun ympäristön tiedekunta - Faculty of Built Environment
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-03-3716-2
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-03-3716-2
Tiivistelmä
The market potential of solid carbon obtained with molten salt electrolysis in earth construction applications has been assessed in this report. The assessment was primarily done by investigating the use of foam glass aggregate and expanded clay in earth construction applications in Europe and North America. Other possible small-scale applications were also examined. Online publications and organized exchange of information with professional contacts were used as the main sources of information.
Captured solid carbon products are assumed to be usable in road and field structures in Nordic soil and climate conditions due to their lightness and estimated insulating properties. Based on the annual usage volumes of lightweight aggregates and insulating materials the annual consumption of the carbon products in infrastructures in Finland could be something like 100000 m3. In Norway and Sweden, the corresponding annual consumption could fall into the range of 50000-200000 m3. If the carbon products are available in large quantities and at a rea-sonable price, it might enable utilizing them as a substitutive material for virgin rock aggregates in structurally normal infrastructures. In that case the annual usage volume of the carbon products in Finland could be up to 3.0-3.5 Mm3 which is equivalent to about 10 % of the annual consumption of virgin rock aggregates in Finland.
Utilizing the carbon products in small-scale applications might be a feasible option if they are not suitable to be used in infrastructures. Small-scale applications include using the carbon products as soil stabilizing agent or as an additive in cement and bitumen production. Utilization potential of carbon nano tubes and fibres in the aforementioned applications has been studied during recent years. The greatest challenge is associated with distributing the nanoparticles evenly with the other substance to avoid agglomeration.
Finding information on the production capacity and output of foam glass aggregate and expanded clay was quite challenging. Therefore, assessing the market potential by investigating the use of other lightweight construction materials was not straightforward. It is also worth noting that the report discusses a completely new material in earth construction that has not yet been utilized in large-scale projects. Therefore, the values of usage volumes presented in this report are only very rough estimates.
Captured solid carbon products are assumed to be usable in road and field structures in Nordic soil and climate conditions due to their lightness and estimated insulating properties. Based on the annual usage volumes of lightweight aggregates and insulating materials the annual consumption of the carbon products in infrastructures in Finland could be something like 100000 m3. In Norway and Sweden, the corresponding annual consumption could fall into the range of 50000-200000 m3. If the carbon products are available in large quantities and at a rea-sonable price, it might enable utilizing them as a substitutive material for virgin rock aggregates in structurally normal infrastructures. In that case the annual usage volume of the carbon products in Finland could be up to 3.0-3.5 Mm3 which is equivalent to about 10 % of the annual consumption of virgin rock aggregates in Finland.
Utilizing the carbon products in small-scale applications might be a feasible option if they are not suitable to be used in infrastructures. Small-scale applications include using the carbon products as soil stabilizing agent or as an additive in cement and bitumen production. Utilization potential of carbon nano tubes and fibres in the aforementioned applications has been studied during recent years. The greatest challenge is associated with distributing the nanoparticles evenly with the other substance to avoid agglomeration.
Finding information on the production capacity and output of foam glass aggregate and expanded clay was quite challenging. Therefore, assessing the market potential by investigating the use of other lightweight construction materials was not straightforward. It is also worth noting that the report discusses a completely new material in earth construction that has not yet been utilized in large-scale projects. Therefore, the values of usage volumes presented in this report are only very rough estimates.