Wacker has tested a process for capturing CO2 at its Norwegian production site in Holla. The test phase ended successfully at the end of June, with capture rates of over 95% being achieved. The CO2 capture technology comes from a joint venture between SLB and Aker Carbon Capture (ACC), which specializes in the capture of CO2 from industrial waste gases, including unavoidable emissions from raw silicon production.
At the Holla site, silicon is produced from quartz and carbon, which is used as a raw material for silicone production. This process generates CO2 emissions. The separation process tested can make the resulting CO2 usable or storable instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.
Installation of a mobile test facility
A mobile test unit (MTU) from the joint venture between SLB and Aker Carbon Capture (ACC) was installed at the Holla site for this purpose. This pilot plant led the waste gas from silicon production via a pipeline to a chemical CO2 capture process known as amine scrubbing. This involves dissolving the CO2 from the gas mixture using a scrubbing liquid containing amine. In an industrial-scale process, the CO2 is then separated from the liquid, liquefied and purified.
180,000 tons of CO2 per year
Wacker validated the process parameters in detail. At the same time, an engineering feasibility study was carried out to develop a concept for a plant with a separation volume of 180,000 tons of CO2 per year. These calculations were compared with the practical test results.