Comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Accelerated Carbonation Processes Using Steelmaking Slag for CO2 Fixation

Li-Shan  Xiao; Run  Wang; Pen-Chi  Chiang; Shu-Yuan  Pan; Qing-Hai  Guo; E.E  Chang

doi:10.4209/aaqr.2013.04.0121

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Accelerated Carbonation Processes Using Steelmaking Slag for CO2 Fixation

Li-Shan Xiao¹, Run Wang¹, Pen-Chi Chiang², Shu-Yuan Pan², Qing-Hai Guo¹, E.E Chang ³

¹Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
²Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
³Department of Biochemistry, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

Received: April 13, 2013
Revised: July 20, 2013
Accepted: July 20, 2013
Download Citation: ||https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2013.04.0121

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Cite this article:
Xiao, L.S., Wang, R., Chiang, P.C., Pan, S.Y., Guo, Q.H. and Chang, E. (2014). Comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Accelerated Carbonation Processes Using Steelmaking Slag for CO2 Fixation. Aerosol Air Qual. Res. 14: 892-904. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2013.04.0121

ABSTRACT

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is one of the most prominent emerging technologies for mitigating global climate change. In this study, a comparative evaluation for CO₂ fixation by carbonation of steelmaking slag was performed by life cycle assessment (LCA) using Umberto 5.5.4 software, with the Swiss Eco-invent 2.2 database. Six scenarios of carbonation for basic oxygen furnace slag (BOFS), steel converted slag (SCS), and blended hydraulic slag cement (BHC) in different types of reactors and/or method were established. The environmental impacts for each scenario are quantified using the valuation system of ReCiPe, where global warming potential (GWP), ecosystem quality potential (EQP), and human health potential (HHP) were evaluated. In addition, sensitivity analysis was carried out to evaluate the relevant uncertainties of heating efficiency on the GHG emissions in direct carbonation processes. According to the results of LCA and sensitivity analysis, the direct carbonation of steelmaking slag in a slurry reactor was found to be the most attractive method, since the GWP was the lowest among the selected scenarios. Furthermore, the best available technology (BAT) for CO₂ capture by carbonation processes of alkaline wastes was proposed according to the key performance indicators (KPIs) with respect to engineering considerations and environmental impacts. It was concluded that the accelerated carbonation of steelmaking slag should be performed by combining the slurry reactor with a rotating packed bed (RPB) to maximize carbonation conversion and minimize environmental impacts and additional CO₂ emissions.

Keywords: Sensitivity analysis; Technology assessment; Umberto; Environmental impacts; ReCiPe; Rotating packed bed