A pilot carbon capture plant has been commissioned at the sewage sludge incineration facility of Industriepark Höchst. Developed by GEA and operated by Infraserv Höchst, the project aims to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of capturing CO₂ from flue gases in an industrial setting. The pilot plant will be in operation for a period of three months.
Pilot Project at Industriepark Höchst
„Pilot plants of this kind are indispensable for testing the process and collecting the necessary data. Carbon capture can make an important contribution to the site’s sustainable transformation if the technical, economic, and regulatory conditions are right“, explained Dr. Joachim Kreysing, Managing Director of Infraserv Höchst.
Infraserv is also assessing market demand for captured CO₂ and is engaging with potential customers for captured CO₂.
Technical Challenges in Flue Gas Treatment
In the current setup, a partial stream of flue gas is extracted from the chimney at Infraserv Höchst’s sewage sludge incineration plant in order to scrub out and separate the CO₂ it contains in the pilot plant. Flue gases are particularly complex because they contain many different components. The test phase is therefore crucial in order to gain experience and test the feasibility of CO₂ separation with regard to various parameters.
„Essentially, we are evaluating the energy requirements, efficiency, and costs of a large-scale separation system at an incineration plant“, explains Dr. Sirko Ogriseck, Project Manager at Infraserv Höchst.
The choice of the incineration plant is deliberate, as part of the CO₂ emissions are biogenic. Infraserv aims to make this CO₂ available to startups working with green hydrogen and renewable electricity to produce synthesis-based products. As it comes from renewable raw materials and was previously removed from the atmosphere by plants, biogenic CO₂ is considered climate-neutral. This makes it suitable for emissions-free production in the chemical sector.
Amine-Based CO₂ Capture Process
„At the waste incineration plant, a partial flow of flue gas is extracted from the stack. This flue gas is fed into the pilot plant. During CO₂ capture with amines, the CO₂ is washed out of the flue gas. The flue gas is brought into contact with a liquid, an amine-water mixture, which absorbs the CO₂. This liquid is then heated so that the CO₂ is released again,“ says Michael Schneider, R&D Engineer Carbon Capture Solutions at GEA.
Although the CO₂ is not purified or reused in this pilot project, its composition and the performance data are being thoroughly evaluated. The separated CO₂ is returned to the incinerator flue after testing.
Experience with CO₂ Utilization
Infraserv Höchst has experience in carbon capture and utilization (CCU). CO₂ from a biogas treatment facility has previously been used in the ICO2CHEM project to produce synthetic oils and waxes. More recently, Infraserv has supplied captured CO₂ to INERATEC’s power-to-liquid facility at Industriepark Höchst, where it is converted into synthetic fuels such as e-kerosene in combination with hydrogen.
European Project Support
The pilot installation is supported by the EU-funded IS2H4C project (From Industrial Symbiosis to Hubs for Circularity), which promotes sustainable industrial ecosystems in four European regions. This initiative encourages industrial stakeholders to collaborate and share energy and infrastructure, with the aim of increasing efficiency and reducing emissions.
