One of Japan's leading chemicals/cement manufacturers, Tokuyama Corporation, plan to initiate a 9-month long demonstration test program of CO2 capture technology for the cement plant - the first time the technology will be integrated with a cement plant. The program is planned to commence June 2022.
A mobile CO2 capture test unit manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd. (MHIENG) is being installed at Tokuyama’s existing cement plant in Shunan, Yamaguchi Prefecture, where Tokuyama is based. Flue gas from cement kiln, which contains CO2 and other components would be introduced to the mobile unit for the demonstration test. MHIENG will evaluate its performance and study optimum technology and design suited for cement application. These insights will enable MHIENG to realize CO2 capture in the cement industry, and will also contribute to achieving the industry’s decarbonization goals.
Tokuyama Corp.
MHIENG’s CO2 capture technology has already been successfully used in commercial applications at chemical and coal fired power plants. With this first demonstration test in a cement plant, MHIENG will acquire profounder expertise and knowledge of its technology, which will realize stable and continuous CO2 capture with optimized process. MHIENG’s robust operational track record, resulting data and expertise will further accelerate the carbon neutrality in diverse industrial fields both within Japan and around the world. MHIENG (originally MHI), together with The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., has been developing CO2 capture technologies – KM CDR Process and Advanced KM CDR Process – since 1990. As of March 2022, MHIENG has delivered 13 plants adopting the KM CDR Process, and three more are under construction, making MHIENG a global leader in this field.
Besides cement production, Tokuyama is also known for various products in the areas of chemical, life science and the environment. Tokuyama is very proactive in promoting the development of products and technologies that solve the issues the society faces, such as global warming. The demonstration test agreed under this MOU is part of Tokuyama’s commitment to implement specific measures to enable a carbon-neutral society.
MHI Group is currently strengthening its position in the energy transition, and development of a CO2 ecosystem is central to those initiatives. Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) is garnering attention as an effective means for realizing carbon neutral society. Going forward, MHIENG will continue to contribute toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale by promoting broad adoption of high-performance CO2 capture technology worldwide. It will also press ahead in developing new proprietary technologies to protect the global environment.
