glasstec 2022: GEA unveils CO₂ capture technologies for a more sustainable glass production

The glass industry is classified as a high CO₂ emitting sector

Despite the growing number of proven ways for the industrial sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, many industrial processes have still no existing low emission alternative. These high-emitting industries require measures like carbon capture and storage to reduce emissions over the long term. The glass industry, along with others like the steel, aluminum, glass, fertilizer and cement industries, have one thing in common: they are all classified as high CO₂ emitting industries. Carbon dioxide (CO₂), one of several greenhouse gases, absorbs and re-radiates infrared radiation (radiant heat) emitted from the Earth's surface, contributing to the greenhouse effect. While CO₂, methane, and water vapor are the most common greenhouse gases, near-surface ozone and fluorinated gases also trap infrared radiation. Once released, greenhouse gases can remain in the atmosphere for hundreds of years.

GEA with solutions to facilitate carbon capture, storage and utilization.

Advanced carbon capture, storage and utilization (CSS/CCU) technologies are used where CO₂ is produced in factories and fossil-fueled power plants. In some industries, energy-related CO₂ emissions are accompanied by process-related emissions from the conversion of the feedstock itself (for example, calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) to calcium oxide (CaO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) and therefore cannot be avoided by reducing the energy demand of the process or by switching to alternative fuels.

GEA strongly promotes development of CO₂ reduction

Thanks to the available heat in the waste gas of certain processes, it is possible to significantly reduce the need for non-renewable energy sources. GEA´s energy recovery system uses ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) plants and can produce valuable deliverables out of the recovered waste such as heat, compressed air, district heating or cooling air. This way, GEA helps significantly reduce the CO₂ footprint of the customers, support their sustainability strategy and increase process feasibility.

But that´s not all, to meet the urgent need to reduce emissions worldwide, GEA has established a team of experts to drive forward the development of CO₂ reduction in high emitting industries. The focus is particularly on:

• An increase in the energy efficiency of production and emission processes.
• Solutions that facilitate carbon capture, storage, and utilization.

As an established global leader in the design, engineering and installation of emission control systems and technologies for customers in major process industries, GEA has more than a century of experience and a vast portfolio that includes:

• Gas cleaning technologies for the iron and steel, non-ferrous metallurgy, glass, cement, and chemical industries.
• Gas cleaning solutions for fluid catalytic cracking plants in refineries.
• Wet, semi-dry and dry scrubbers for highly efficient off-gas cleaning.