Avenues for CO2 and hydrogen in Qatar: a scientific and

Avenues for CO2 and hydrogen in Qatar: a scientific and technological approach

Dr. Veronica BermudezSenior Research DirectorEnergy CenterQEERI

QATAR ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

QEERI (Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute)QEERI

Energy Center Water CenterEnvironment & Sustainability

CenterCorrosion Center

Natural & Environmental

Hazards Observatory

Earth Sciences Program


Energy Center A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Energy Transition Energy Center

EnergyConversion

Energy Management

Catalysis and Process Technologies Disruptive Technologies

- Renewable Energy reliability and desert resilience- Electricity production optimization- International visibility (IEC experts,

Desert Reliability , …)- Innovative solution:

- Agro-PV- Floating PV

- H2 Economy

- CO2 Capture, Conversion, Storage and Utilization solutions.- Waste management solutions- Innovation in the downstream petrochemistry

- Methane valorization- New Polymers generation

- Circular Economy

- Energy Efficiency- Demand response- Smart grids- Electricity digitalization and AI

solutions- Distributed Renewables and

Electrical vehicles integration- Microgrid solution:

- Farming - Solar Community

- Disruptive solar and storage energy solutions- Innovative sensing solutions


CPT PROGRAM

Catalysis & Process

Technology

Methane upgrading

Sulfur Oxidative

Coupling of Methane

Methane Conversion

Carbon Capture,

Conversion

CO2 Mineralization CO2 Electroreduction

Direct Air Capture

CO2 Capture

NOMDEE


CO2 Capture


CO2 Direct Air Capture and ConversionDevelopment of a highly Efficient and Practical Carbon Management System for Improving Qatar’s

Sustainability: A holistic approach

The cluster project offers a holistic approach to carbon management and environmental sustainability,

including the development of effective CO2 capture technologies from the atmosphere; development

of innovative electro-mediating materials and the implementation of an effective electrochemical

technology to convert carbon CO2 into high value-added products. The project aims to contribute to

the development of carbon management policies for Qatar.

QNRF awarded Cluster- $6,391.019 Total budget($4,990,734 QNRF grant + $1,400,285 industry co-

funding) – 5 years duration 2021-2026


CO2 Direct Air Capture and ConversionBenefits to Qatar • Address climate challenges• Develop sustainable practical and economical processes for carbon management• Contribute in the diversification of Qatar’s economy• Create a roadmap to Qatar’s carbon circular economy• Improve indoor air quality by reducing cases of sick building syndromes, which leads to improved productivity.• Improve cooling efficiency through reduction of CO2 concentration in indoor environment• Place Qatar as a pioneer in direct CO2 capture from the atmosphere using the air conditioning system

14 Partners in Qatar 8 International Partners

University of Calgary Canada

Innovate CalgaryCanada

VitoBelgium


CO2 Conversion


CCU CO2 Mineralization (CM)

CO2 mineralization represents a hot topic in order to bringsustainability and mitigate the challenges associated withCO2 utilization. The purpose of CM is to transform CO2 intosolid stable carbonates (mainly Mg and Ca) that can be usedin construction industry and not only.

Engineering, 2015 ,1(1):150-157.

Magnesium Carbonate (MgCO3)•Uses: skin care products, cosmetic, anti-fire products,climbing chalk.Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)•Uses: textile, paint, paper, plastic, caulks industry usedproduce ink and sealant. It is used as a food additive (nontoxic), drug development and chalk production.Greenhouse Gas Sci Technol, 9: 1096-1113


Added value of CO2 MineralizationThe CO2 mineralization has potential for tackling three main issues of global and national relevance: CO2 emissions, brine

waste and alkaline waste. In particular:

1. To capture flue gas (CO2 source stream) from turbines/burners/boilers/diesel engines in co-generation power plants.

2. To capture flue gas (CO2 source stream) from energy-intensive industries (Cement, Iron & Steel and Aluminium)

3. To permanently convert CO2 to value added products such as carbonate materials.

4. To sweeten brine or hard water in general.

5. To reduce alkaline residue disposal.

Accordingly, this project addresses several strategic objectives:

ü Reducing carbon footprint.

ü Converting waste-to-revenue.

ü Ensuring sustainable solution for brine and industrial waste management.

ü Supporting industry through innovative and environmental friendly solutions.


Alkaline Industrial Waste (Relevant to Qatar)

Common Fly Ash & Cement Composition

Component EAF Composition (wt. %) Steel Slag Composition (wt. %)CaO 33.19 28.27

SiO2 16.71 15.4

MgO 9.43 7.88

Al2O3 6.73 1.01

Fe2O3 38.19 24.25

Steel slags are industrial by-productsof steel manufacturing, characterized ashighly calcareous, siliceous and ferrous. Theyare categorized intoBOF/DRI/EAF/Casting slag.

Component Fly Ash (wt. %) Portland Cement (wt. %)CaO 24 64

SiO2 40 23

MgO 5 2

Al2O3 17 4

Fe2O3 6 2

Fly ash is the finely divided residue thatresults from the combustion of pulverizedcoal. Over 68 million tons of fly ash wereproduced per year.

Common Steel Waste Composition

Component Bayer red mud from wetting/drying process (wt. %)

Sintering red mud (wt. %)

CaO 18.5 44

SiO2 22.3 24

MgO 1.4 1.37

Al2O3 20.8 7.3

Fe2O3 7.7 8.5

Na2O 8.8 0.7

TiO2 4.9 4.1

Common Red Mud Composition Red mud, is an industrial waste generatedduring the refinement of bauxite intoalumina “Bayer process”. Every tonne ofalumina produced, approximately 1 to 1.5tonnes of red mud are also produced. It’s pHranging from 10 to 13.


Thank you for your attention

Questions and inquiries:

Verónica BermúdezEmail: [email protected]


Facilities


APPLIED CHEMISTRY LABORATORY

Applied Chemistry Laboratory is dedicated to the preparation and characterization of materials and

nanoparticles, in particular for catalytic and energy related applications. Together with the standard

tools for products analysis, such as GC/MS, FT-IR, and LC, we are able to determine the

physicochemical properties of materials (surface area, porosity, pH, surface charge, functional groups).

In this laboratory, it is also possible to perform catalytic reactions. Optimization and testing of new

processes and catalysts for CO2

capture & conversion, and soon for methane upgrading, are the

primary targets of the Applied Chemistry Laboratory.

Main features of Applied Chemistry Laboratory include:

Low and high pressure & temperature CSTR reactors up to 1

L, static reactors, CO2

solvent screening setup; gas-solid

reactor (Dec 2020);

Autopore, AutoChem, Surface Analyzer, dissolved CO2

detector, Viscometer;

GC, GC/MS, LC, FT-IR, in situ IR; online GC upgrade (Nov

2020).


CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS LABORATORY

Chemical Synthesis Laboratory is dedicated to the synthesis of organometallic systems to prepare new

generations of heterogeneous or homogenous catalysts, as well as organic molecules and MOFs. We have

a full coverage of analytical and spectroscopic techniques to characterize both synthetic molecules and

reaction products, and to investigate the kinetics and reaction mechanisms. Combining experimental

efforts and computational modelling through mechanistic understanding, we aim to accelerate the

discovery of new catalysts and small molecules with improved activities to address important issues in

the fields of energy, CO2 conversion, molecular electronics, etc.

Main features of Chemical Synthesis Laboratory include:

Organic and organometallic synthesis, Schlenk reactions,

synthesis of nanoparticles, synthesis of MOFs,

electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, thermal synthesis;

Solvent purification system, CombiFlash flash

chromatography system;

Gas network supplying CO2, CO, H2, and CH4 (Dec 2020).


SUPPORTING FACILITIESCore laboratoriesCore laboratories are dedicated to materials and imaging characterization, including:

Atomic force microscopy (AFM)Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS)Fluorescence MicroscopyFourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR)Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)/LiquidNuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)/SolidPowder X-ray Diffraction (XRD)Raman spectroscopyScanning electron microscopy (SEM)Single-crystal X-ray Diffraction (XRD)Step ProfilerTransmission electron microscopy (TEM)Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA)UV-Visible spectroscopyX-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)

Analytical LaboratoryThe Analytical laboratory covers all the main analytical techniques for providing detailed chemical information about samples and products, it includes:

Mass spectrometry (MS)Gas Chromatography (GC)Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR)High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)Ion chromatography (IC)UV-Visible spectroscopyEmission spectroscopyCHN Analysis

Documents

Avenues for CO2 and hydrogen in Qatar: a scientific and