Carbon capture and utilization technologies: a literature review and recent advances

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a comprehensive list of Carbon Capture and Utilization technologies and applications, ranging from lab-scale R&D activities reported in academic papers to commercially established uses of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide, as a source of carbon, has the potential to be used as a solvent, as a raw material in the manufacturing of fuels, carbonates, polymers, and chemicals, or as a recovery agent in techniques such as enhanced oil recovery or enhanced coal bed methane. In this paper, a literature review and recent advances of each technology are explained. To finish, most relevant Life Cycle Assessment studies carried out by experts in this field are included. Among the different alternatives studied for the use of carbon dioxide, the processes of carboxylation, consisting the synthesis of carbonates and carboxylates, have stood out. Both the production of salicylic acid as well as that of dimethyl carbonate and mineral carbonation are presented as the most likely applications of carbon dioxide, at least, in the short term.

KEYWORDS:

• Carbon capture and utilization
• CO₂ as feedstock
• life cycle assessment
• environmental impacts
• mineral carbonation

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by University of Seville through its V PPIT-US.