UK’s largest carbon capture project will turn 40,000 tonnes of CO2 into sodium bicarbonate. Which can be used for dialysis machines, pharmaceutical tablets and baking soda.
This is the equivalent of removing 20,000 cars off the roads, and promises to help the country reach its net-zero goal by 2050.
The sodium bicarbonate will be of food and medical grade. So can be used as baking soda, for dialysis machines and in pharmaceutical tablets.
Tata Chemicals Europe (TCE) opened the new plant in Northwich, Cheshire. With the aim of reducing the company’s carbon emissions by more than 10 per cent. The plant itself cost £20 million, including a £4 million government grant.
The carbon dioxide is captured from the flues of a methane gas-fired power plant also located at the facility, before being purified, cooled and liquefied. The process of turning purified carbon dioxide into sodium bicarbonate used by TCE is patented in the UK.
TCE have named their sodium bicarbonate Ecokarb. It will be exported to over 60 countries around the world. Much of the sodium bicarbonate exported will be used in haemodialysis to treat people living with kidney disease. Other potential applications include water purification, food, animal feed and to balance the pH of pharmaceutical tablets.
The completion of the carbon capture and utilisation plant enables us to reduce our carbon emissions, whilst securing our supply of high purity carbon dioxide, a critical raw material, helping us to grow the export of our pharmaceutical grade products across the world.
Martin Ashcroft, managing director of Tata Chemicals Europe
How the carbon capture process works
The site has a gas-fired, combined heat and power plant. Which supplies steam and power for the company’s operations and to other businesses in the area.
The exhaust gases from the plant are drawn off at 302°F (150°C) and transferred to the carbon capture facility. Before they are cooled and the impurities are removed.
The gases are then mixed with an amine-based fluid that captures the carbon dioxide. Before being heated up using steam from the power plant.
The heat causes the carbon dioxide to be released. Which is then purified again through compression and cooling to remove any traces of amine solution and water.
The carbon dioxide gas then passes a through a bed of activated carbon to capture any more trace impurities. Before being condensed into a liquid and distilled.
The resulting product is a carbon dioxide liquid with a purity of more than 99.99 per cent. Which is ready to be turned into medical and food-grade sodium bicarbonate.
The TCE plant has been testing and ensuring the purity of the carbon dioxide produced for ten months. It is now ready to start full operations as the UK’s largest carbon capture project facility.
This cutting-edge plant, backed by £4.2 million government funding. Demonstrates how carbon capture is attracting new private capital into the UK and is boosting new innovation in green technologies.
Secretary of State for Business and Energy, Kwasi Kwarteng
We are determined to make the UK a world-leader in carbon capture. Which will help us reduce emissions and be a key part of the future of British industry.
Source: Daily Mail
Published: 27th June 2022