Integration of CO2 capture and mineral carbonation by using recyclable ammonium salts.

A new approach to capture and store CO(2) by mineral carbonation using recyclable ammonium salts was studied. This process integrates CO(2) capture with mineral carbonation by employing NH(3), NH(4)HSO(4), and NH(4)HCO(3) in the capture, mineral dissolution, and carbonation steps, respectively. NH(4)HSO(4) and NH(3) can then be regenerated by thermal decomposition of (NH(4))(2)SO(4). The use of NH(4)HCO(3) as the source of CO(2) can avoid desorption and compression of CO(2). The mass ratio of Mg/NH(4)HCO(3)/NH(3) is the key factor controlling carbonation and the optimum ratio of 1:4:2 gives a conversion of Mg ions to hydromagnesite of 95.5%. Thermogravimetric analysis studies indicated that the regeneration efficiency of NH(4)HSO(4) and NH(3) in this process is 95%. The mass balance of the process shows that about 2.63 tonnes of serpentine, 0.12 tonnes of NH(4)HSO(4), 7.48 tonnes of NH(4)HCO(3), and 0.04 tonnes of NH(3) are required to sequester 1 tonne of CO(2) as hydromagnesite.