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Commencement of technology development for CO2 fixation and materialization of coal ash from CO2 absorption equipment or disposal site ~ “Technology development of elements for CO2 fixation & effective utilization by coal ash and biomass ash” is adopted as a NEDO’s R&D commissioned project ~

Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Masanori Matsuura,
President, hereinafter “CRIEPI”), Mitsubishi Power, Ltd. (Yokohama city, Kanagawa pref., Ken
Kawai, President and CEO, hereinafter “Mitsubishi Power”), TOYO CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD.
(Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Kyoji Takezawa, Representative Director, President, hereinafter “Toyo
Construction”), and Japan Coal Energy Center (Minato-ku, Tokyo, Masayoshi Kitamura, Chairperson,
hereinafter “JCOAL”) will commence following technology development for coal ash, biomass ash
and the like.

 ① Development of CO2 fixation system by CO2 absorption equipment
 ② Development of CO2 fixation system utilizing disposal site
 ③ Development of basic manufacturing technology for materialization of carbonated ash

 

This was applied for the commissioned project “Technology development of carbon recycling & next-
generation thermal power generation / Technology promotion project of next-generation thermal
power generation / Technology development of common base for carbon recycling technology”, and
has been adopted. The term of the project is two years from FY 2020 to FY 2021.

 

Of various waste in Japan, many of combustion ash such as coal ash and biomass ash contain alkaline
metal ion such as calcium or magnesium. Alkaline component of these reacts with CO2 and forms
stable carbonate.
In this R&D, we think of “technology to carbonate CO2” as one of the promising technologies for
carbon recycling, and by implementing following contents in order to promote technology
development of common base for establishment of element technology, we will develop technology
for development of CO2 fixation system using combustion ash and for utilization of carbonated
combustion ash.

 ① Development of CO2 fixation system by CO2 absorption equipment (Figure 1) (Assigned to
   Mitsubishi Power)
   Conducting R&D for the design specification generation of CO2 absorption equipment according
   to property of each ash, which varies by type of fuel
 ・Evaluation of CO2 fixation ability and reaction rate regarding coal ash and biomass ash from
  different type of fuel
 ・Examination of reaction process
 ・Examination regarding dynamics of chemical substance such as heavy metal

 ② Development of CO2 fixation system utilizing disposal site (Figure 2) (Assigned to CRIEPI and
   Toyo Construction)
   Examination of CO2 injection method recognizing disposal site as CO2 fixation reactor, and
   conducting R&D regarding water quality prediction & disposal of the leachate from disposal site
   for early stabilization of disposal site with CO2 fixation
 ・Examination of CO2 concentration & pressure suitable for carbonatization assuming CO2 fixation
  in disposal site
 ・Elucidation of mechanism of elution of heavy metal due to carbonatization
 ・Establishment of method to process retained water (water contacted by landfill object)

 ③ Development of basic manufacturing technology for materialization of carbonated ash (Figure
   3) (Assigned to JCOAL)
   Conducting R&D for development of basic technology regarding manufacturing materials using
   carbonated ash
 ・Research of applicable usage of carbonated ash
 ・Examination of solidification method according to usage application and examination of stability

 

Each company will recognize CO2 expelled from power generation and the like as a resource, and
through technology development utilizing industrial by-product, will contribute to realization of a low
carbon & sound material-cycle society and achievement of SDGs.

 

Figure 1: Development elements and conceptual scheme of “① Development of CO2 fixation system by CO2 absorption equipment”

Figure 2: Development elements and conceptual scheme of “Development of CO2 fixation system utilizing disposal site”

Figure 3: Development elements and conceptual scheme of “Materialization of carbonated ash”